4 ms·

Are the prices of these CPUs comparable to x86 CPUs with similar performance?

AnthonyMouse 5y ago
In a sense they are, because with those core counts, you're comparing to Epyc and Xeon, which are similarly very expensive. What they're really missing is a midrange product for a midrange price. I can't blame them for avoiding the low end, but can't I get anything for less than $2000?
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- DeathArrow 5y ago
  I've just tried looking on ebay. Nothing is to be found at decent (as in decent for tinkerers) prices.
  - formerly_proven 5y ago
    Catch 22: Either the hardware could still be used in some system, so used stuff is expensive because some companies pay through the nose for spares, or the hardware is way too old for that, in which case it's an expensive collector's item. If it's very old and common it goes in the crusher. This seems to be universally true for all kinds of UNIX workstations and servers.
    - tentacleuno 5y ago
      > If it's very old and common it goes in the crusher. Repeat until the hardware is rare and worth something?
  - classichasclass 5y ago
    This is what Microwatt is intended to address, though you have to synthesize it yourself. With luck Arctic Tern will give you the playaround board you'd like. https://www.talospace.com/2021/10/first-flight-of-kestrel-fpga-openpower.html https://www.talospace.com/2021/10/first-flight-of-kestrel-fp...
- avhception 5y ago
  While you're right, that's certainly not by choice but rather stems from the fact that right now, workstation-class OpenPOWER boards are a rather small market. You have to design the board for this server-class chip and break even on the costs for that + manufacturing a board that can actually hold these kind of chips. So while it's unfortunate, it's not a case of ignoring the low end deliberately but mostly flows from the economic realities of not having anywhere near the addressable market of x86 or ARM. The small community of ppc64(le) enthusiasts is very much hoping for a future where this changes, however small that chance might be...
loeg 5y ago
They’re more expensive, especially factoring in the motherboard. But as a sibling points out, it’s not like HEDT is inexpensive from any vendor.

In a sense they are, because with those core counts, you're comparing to Epyc and Xeon, which are similarly very expensive. What they're really missing is a midrange product for a midrange price. I can't blame them for avoiding the low end, but can't I get anything for less than $2000?

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
DeathArrow 5y ago
I've just tried looking on ebay. Nothing is to be found at decent (as in decent for tinkerers) prices.
- formerly_proven 5y ago
  Catch 22: Either the hardware could still be used in some system, so used stuff is expensive because some companies pay through the nose for spares, or the hardware is way too old for that, in which case it's an expensive collector's item. If it's very old and common it goes in the crusher. This seems to be universally true for all kinds of UNIX workstations and servers.
  - tentacleuno 5y ago
    > If it's very old and common it goes in the crusher. Repeat until the hardware is rare and worth something?
- classichasclass 5y ago
  This is what Microwatt is intended to address, though you have to synthesize it yourself. With luck Arctic Tern will give you the playaround board you'd like. https://www.talospace.com/2021/10/first-flight-of-kestrel-fpga-openpower.html https://www.talospace.com/2021/10/first-flight-of-kestrel-fp...
avhception 5y ago
While you're right, that's certainly not by choice but rather stems from the fact that right now, workstation-class OpenPOWER boards are a rather small market. You have to design the board for this server-class chip and break even on the costs for that + manufacturing a board that can actually hold these kind of chips. So while it's unfortunate, it's not a case of ignoring the low end deliberately but mostly flows from the economic realities of not having anywhere near the addressable market of x86 or ARM. The small community of ppc64(le) enthusiasts is very much hoping for a future where this changes, however small that chance might be...

loeg 5y ago

They’re more expensive, especially factoring in the motherboard. But as a sibling points out, it’s not like HEDT is inexpensive from any vendor.