In the world of technology, where rumors can often outpace the facts, everyone is already speculating about IBM Power12, even though Power11 has yet to be released. The reason is simple: Power11 will not be the revolution many were hoping for, but rather a stepping stone leading to the next big change in Power12.
Power11 — Evolution with New AI Accelerators
Power11 promises to be an evolution of Power10. Still based on Samsung’s 7-nanometer technology, the processor is expected to offer:
- Enhanced DDR5 OMI (OpenCAPI Memory Interface): According to IBM, the new memory will provide up to 1200 GB/s of bandwidth per socket, three times more than Power10, which is crucial for memory-intensive applications.
- Spyre Accelerators and AI Advancements: Spyre Accelerators are a new technology designed to accelerate AI-related computations, allowing Power11 to process modern AI models and cloud computations more efficiently.
- 2.5D Packaging Technology: Power11 introduces 2.5D Packaging, which enhances performance and energy efficiency through more compact component integration.
- Integrated Stack Capacitor (ISC): The ISC technology with improved cooling provides greater computational power and system stability.
- Higher Clock Speeds and More Cores: Power11 will offer higher speeds and the ability to add up to 25% more cores per chip compared to the previous generation, improving workload scalability.
- Quantum Security: Power11 will also introduce improvements in security, including technologies resistant to future threats from quantum computers.
- Better Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability (RAS).
Power12 — The Future of Chiplets
The biggest changes may come with Power12:
- Chiplet Architecture: This will enable better customization of computational, memory, and I/O proportions according to specific needs.
- 3D Packaging Technology: Allowing for more efficient component placement, improved performance, and higher circuit density with advanced interconnections.
- 3 nm Technology: IBM may choose to skip 5 nm technology if it doesn’t offer sufficient benefits.
- Advanced AI Accelerators: Combined with the novel Power12 architecture, these could set new standards for AI computations and data analytics.
Chiplets — A Silent Revolution Ahead
While Power11 won’t feature chiplet architecture, this technology is already casting a shadow on Power12’s future. What are chiplets? They are a modern processor design method that allows for more flexible integration of components—computing cores, memory, and I/O. With Power12, chiplets could form the basis of a more modular architecture. Additionally, the use of 3D Packaging technology could further increase the density and performance of the chips, enabling innovative ways to stack layers and components. These innovations will allow for more efficient use of space and greater scalability.
Poland Power User Group!
I would like to invite you to join the discussion on this article on the Polish IBM Power community page. On this group, our comments won’t get lost in a sea of clickbait headlines—we’ll be able to have a conversation in a friendly atmosphere.
https://community.ibm.com/community/user/power/discussion/co-ju-wiem-o-ibm-power11-i-power12
Summary
While Power11 seems like a natural progression for the IBM Power series, it’s already clear that the biggest excitement is centered around Power12. The chiplet revolution, 3D Packaging technologies, new manufacturing processes, and AI accelerators could be the key to restoring IBM’s competitiveness in the market.
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Przyszłość procesorów Power zapowiada się ciekawie 🙂