OpenGL and More Gaming

At one time, OpenGL (Open Graphics Library ) used to be the predominant API for 2D and 3D applications. OpenGL is a standard cross platform API for computer graphics originally developed by Silicon Graphics in 1992, featuring over 250 function calls. While OpenGL has been pushed somewhat into the back by DirectX powering most games in the Microsoft Windows environment, it remains a powerful factor in CAD and scientific computing. OpenGL is currently managed by a non-profit technology consortium known as the Khronos Group. OpenGL allows each vendor to add functions through extensions of the standard that are designated by specific identifiers (for example “NV” for nVidia).

Our first two articles on Intel's Clarkdale CPU were covering the architectural idiosyncrasies of Intel's latest CPU, featuring not only the integrated memory controller but also integrated graphics on the same processor package. We further looked into Intel's strategy of taking unused CPU cycles to augment the iGFX performance, and quite successfully so to gain an edge over the closest competitor, that is AMD's 785G/GX chipset featuring the integrated RADEON 4200 graphics core.

By the end of the day or the first two weeks of usage, though, we still believe that a substantial number of users will decide to bite the sour grapes and upgade to one or the other discrete solution. Regardless of its bravour, the iGFX is still too limited for anything but home theater use when it comes to entertainment. This of course begs the question what can be expected from a Clarkdale sans iGFX, that is, just a plain old dual core Nehalem CPU with TurboBoost Technology and Hypertreading. Out of the box 3.6 GHz are nothing to be ashamed of but how will two physical cores stack up against AMD's quad core competition starting at only about 1/2 of the '661 price tag?

In the first part of this article, we covered the design of Intel's new integrated CPU + iGFX, combining a Westmere dual core die with a 3rd generation integrated graphics processor on the same package. The pinout is slightly modified compared to the Lynnfield platform, featuring one extra pin to bring the total pin count up to 1156 (to signal the presence of the graphics processor) yet maintains overall cross-compatibility with the Lynnfield platform.

In this second part we are looking at the performance of Clarkdale with special emphasis on the synergism between the two separate processors, namely the borrowing of CPU cycles for graphics processing, and were it applies - or not.

Intel is releasing a somewhat revolutionary processor - codename Clarkdale - to integrate CPU, memory controller, PCIe interface and, most importantly, 3rd generation integrated graphics on a single processor. Interestigly, the processor is not using a monolithic die, rather it features the 32 nm process Westmere dual core "CPU" along with an ancillary processor manufactured on a 45 nm process node and harboring the memory controller, peripheral interfaces and integrated graphics. On paper, the concept sounds intriguing, moreover, there are a number of highly advanced novel features, at least for the world of integrated graphics. Still some of the novel features like xvYCC have to be highly anticipated by anyone who loathes the shortcomings of current display output technology. After all, what good is a 128-bit internal color depth when the output is compressed to a mere 32-bit RGB gamut?

In the first part of this article, we are covering the theoretical aspects of Clarkdale and will follow up very shortly with the actual performance and power numbers for a plethora of applications and benchmarks.

Something Old, Something New ..

In the first installment of this series, I covered some of the peculiarities of NAND flash, especially in view of the unidirectional programming and the resulting problematic for solid state drives. To put things into perspective, flash memory was originally developed as an inexpensive media for digital cameras with rather limited write/erase cycles and, with the exception of some high-end cameras in use by professional photographers, rather infrequent accesses to the media.

It is fairly easy to appreciate how the adaptation of this low-cycle frequency flash technology into a completely different set of application, specifically the use in solid state drives can cause some problems. Moreover, adaptation of the ATA technology and related file systems to accommodate NAND flash also had to take a few hurdles to get where it is at the moment and, to be true, at the present time the coalescence of the two worlds still needs to be considered to be in its infancy, with the real thing yet to come anytime in the near or far future.