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Process fabrication improvements can mean a basic CPU design gets faster with no new redesign. Faster memory chips also with the same improvements.
by sys_64738 4y ago
Process fabrication improvements can mean a basic CPU design gets faster with no new redesign. Faster memory chips also with the same improvements.
- blackoil 4y agoFabrication improvements mostly mean that processor will run cooler, so can run at higher frequency without burning. It does not improve the IPC of that processor.
- Nomentatus 4y agoIt's not always being cooler per se that makes the difference; other problems such as electron tunnelling (we're getting well beyond my paygrade, there's a lot more) can be limited with a better hardware design (say tapeout) as well. But yes, you get better performance from being able to function at a higher frequency on a large die (with more heat, but that wasn't necessarily the limiting factor previously) or on a smaller die where the parts are now closer together and so take less time and energy (heat) to communicate. A better tapeout geography can mean fewer lost cycles waiting for this or that info to get where it's going and so actually increase useful IPC at least a bit.