4 ms·
> while also being non-volatile For something like a cache on a CPU (the main use of SRAM), what's the purpose of it being non-volatile? SRAM doesn't need refr
by nomel 4y ago
> while also being non-volatile
For something like a cache on a CPU (the main use of SRAM), what's the purpose of it being non-volatile? SRAM doesn't need refreshing, and it's a relatively small percentage of total power.
- chongli 4y agoIt may be a small percentage of total power at full load but what about at idle? Modern CPUs try to optimize power usage by remaining idle as much as possible. When idle, power usage is roughly in proportion to die area fraction. Since caches have been getting larger and larger this would represent a larger fraction of total power at idle.
- _hypx 4y agoLess power is still better. Also, if we have to solve the SRAM scaling problem with 3D chip stacking, this will be an issue.
- nsteel 4y agoIt's also even more expensive. As if the upcoming nodes weren't already ridiculous in that respect.
- anonymousDan 4y agoIt would be very useful in combination with NVRAM main memory since you no longer have to deal with crash consistency issues arising from your cache being wiped on a reboot.
- nomel 4y agoWhat's the point of reboot, if not to reset state?
- anonymousDan 4y agoPoorly worded on my part, I simply meant restart after a crash.
- tablespoon 4y ago> For something like a cache on a CPU (the main use of SRAM), what's the purpose of it being non-volatile? SRAM doesn't need refreshing, and it's a relatively small percentage of total power. It sounds like it would be chosen for other reasons, and there would no purpose for the non-volitiliy beyond it being a nice-to-have in some weird scenarios. Sort of like using core as main memory. That was just the main memory technology of its day, it happened to be non-volatile, but that wasn't it's main selling point.