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Intel and AMD join forces - The x86 Ecosystem Advisory Group

winjer

Gold Member


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Intel and AMD x86 Consortium: A Rare Alliance to Shape the Future of Computing
In a surprising move, Intel and AMD, two long-time competitors in the CPU market, have formed a joint consortium to ensure the future development and standardization of the x86 instruction set architecture (ISA). This alliance aims to simplify architectural guidelines, enhance software consistency, and standardize interfaces across x86 product offerings from both companies.

The x86 Ecosystem Advisory Group comprises:
  1. Intel
  2. AMD
  3. Broadcom
  4. Dell
  5. Google
  6. HPE
  7. HP
  8. Lenovo
  9. Meta
  10. Microsoft
  11. Oracle
  12. Red Hat

Goals
The consortium aims to:
  1. Simplify architectural guidelines to enhance software consistency
  2. Standardize interfaces across x86 product offerings
  3. Address changing demands around emerging technologies
  4. Ensure x86 remains the compute platform of choice for developers and customers
Implications
This unprecedented collaboration between Intel and AMD:
  1. Recognizes the importance of a unified x86 ecosystem
  2. Acknowledges the need for a more efficient and consistent ISA
  3. Demonstrates a willingness to work together to counter ARM’s growing influence
  4. May lead to improved software development and reduced fragmentation

OF course this does not mean AMD and Intel are no longer rivals, it just means they recognize that ARM is the bigger threat.
Although, don't expect major immediate changes, if anything comes of it, it will take a few years for something to come about.
 
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RoboFu

One of the green rats
All together against ARM!
Arm is taking too much from x86. I hope this makes moves to make CPUs more energy efficient. If there was one prediction I got wrong it was that I thought pc parts would be much smaller by now. Which really they are but they are so hot everything needs a huge heat sink.
 

winjer

Gold Member
Arm is taking too much from x86. I hope this makes moves to make CPUs more energy efficient. If there was one prediction I got wrong it was that I thought pc parts would be much smaller by now. Which really they are but they are so hot everything needs a huge heat sink.

For modern CPUs, ISA is pretty much irrelevant for performance or energy efficiency.
What really matters is process node and how hard clocks speeds are pushed.
 

Emedan

Member
Nah man, time to ditch x86 and CISC. Spend them trillions into quantum computing instead.

For modern CPUs, ISA is pretty much irrelevant for performance or energy efficiency.
What really matters is process node and how hard clocks speeds are pushed.
This is not true. Then why do mobile phones use RISC? Why did Apple change to their own ARM CPUs for their laptops, honestly embarrassing Intel. ISA matters a great deal.
 
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winjer

Gold Member
This is not true. Then why do mobile phones use RISC? Why did Apple change to their own ARM CPUs for their laptops, honestly embarrassing Intel. ISA matters a great deal.

X86 is RISC since the P5.

Apple switched from Intel, for a few reasons. For one, they wanted to control their own hardware and not have to pay to third parties.
And then Intel was lagging behind in process nodes. And their architectures were stagnant for several years.

It' not just me who says that ISA does not matter. Jim Keller also says so.
 

Emedan

Member
X86 is RISC since the P5.

Apple switched from Intel, for a few reasons. For one, they wanted to control their own hardware and not have to pay to third parties.
And then Intel was lagging behind in process nodes. And their architectures were stagnant for several years.

It' not just me who says that ISA does not matter. Jim Keller also says so.
Well working in IT with both x86 PC laptops and Apple M-series Macbooks the discrepancy is immense still - real life performance difference is quite apparent. I wouldn't recommend anyone buying an x86 laptop today for any other reason than software compatibility.
 

lmimmfn

Member
"
  • May lead to improved software development and reduced fragmentation
"
This is it in a nutshell, they're worried about ARM and it "may lead to x86 improvements"
 

winjer

Gold Member
Well working in IT with both x86 PC laptops and Apple M-series Macbooks the discrepancy is immense still - real life performance difference is quite apparent. I wouldn't recommend anyone buying an x86 laptop today for any other reason than software compatibility.

That is not because if ISA.
Apple ARM cores are very wide but with low clock speed. This makes these CPUs more expensive but more energy efficient.

Then there is the advantage of process nodes, since Apple is usually the first client to use the newest from tsmc.

And then there is the software. Because Apple controls, both the software and the hardware, they can better optimize their own OS, drivers, apps, etc.

Finally, there is Microsoft. That keeps screwing up Windows with bugs, bloatware and spyware.
 

A.Romero

Member
It surprises me to see that Amazon is not part of that.

I guess it makes sense considering Graviton is ARM.
 

Chiggs

Gold Member
ITT

Bunch of people who don't know what or how ISAs work in computing. People talking about x86 being a dinosaur while Turin is absolutely pissing on every single other datacentre microarchitecture (ARM included) by a country mile.

And here we go, folks.....

1). Introductory comment is made to test the waters.
2). Chips and Cheese article is posted.
3). Video about Chips and Cheese article is posted, with the poster failing to acknowledge that the spotlighted guest goes on to acknowledge that, indeed, x86 is inefficient and is tied to legacy bullshit that it needs to shed.
4). Others point out that having an assortment of chip makers and architectures to choose from is great for the market.
5). Nvidia is essentially crowned today's future champion because an all in one computer from them simply has stunning implications for the market.

Wasn't ARM powered Copilot PCs supposed to be the future of Windows? I think MS is playing for both teams here.

Like Apple, there was no way in Hell Microsoft was going to be left with toothless Intel defining standards and timeframes.
 
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Buggy Loop

Member
Goodbye backwards compatibility.

uh?

Proton-arm64ec-5

This isn't 20 years ago when changing architecture meant incompatibility. Next Valve Steam deck & their VR headset are heavily rumoured to be ARM based. Many VR games being tested with ARM now, including a proton version specifically for ARM.

Even windows ARM will eventually have to deal with it. If microsoft wants an handheld, most likely ARM.
 

ap_puff

Banned
That is not because if ISA.
Apple ARM cores are very wide but with low clock speed. This makes these CPUs more expensive but more energy efficient.

Then there is the advantage of process nodes, since Apple is usually the first client to use the newest from tsmc.

And then there is the software. Because Apple controls, both the software and the hardware, they can better optimize their own OS, drivers, apps, etc.

Finally, there is Microsoft. That keeps screwing up Windows with bugs, bloatware and spyware.
Apple silicon might be slower but they destroy everything in single threaded performance and lately other chip designs are catching up. Saw this the other day and x86 needs to stay on its toes or ARM will eat its lunch. We saw how quickly AMD ate Intel's server marketshare, they took about 30-35% in 6 years. They cant afford to sit around.
 

Omnipunctual Godot

Gold Member
uh?

Proton-arm64ec-5

This isn't 20 years ago when changing architecture meant incompatibility. Next Valve Steam deck & their VR headset are heavily rumoured to be ARM based. Many VR games being tested with ARM now, including a proton version specifically for ARM.

Even windows ARM will eventually have to deal with it. If microsoft wants an handheld, most likely ARM.
It's possible things have changed, but Mark Cerny specifically said in his Road to PS4 presentation that x86 architecture would ensure backwards compatibility from PS4 onward.
 
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