Intel Will License SiFive's New P550 RISC-V Core

takyon writes:

Intel to make a custom SiFive-based RISC-V CPU, will be fabricated on a 7 nm node in a first step towards competing directly with Arm-based chips

The partnership will see Intel license SiFive's IP to create its own SiFive P550-based 64-bit SoC that it will fabricate on its new 7 nm node. It will form the basis of a new development platform Intel is calling Horse Creek, and will be made available to customers interested in exploring its potential in various applications involving embedded SoC tech. This could mean smartphones, but also cars, IoT products and the like. If Intel gets enough interest, it could take the relationship further. Intel hasn't yet revealed the technical specifications of the SoC, so we don't know whether it will be a single-core or multi-core platform, although the latter is likely. It's GPU tech is also unknown at this time, but Xe-based graphics are likely.

While the first Horse Creek SoCs will be ready next year, it isn't likely we will see any Intel RISC-V-based chips in commercially available products until 2023 at least.

SiFive recently announced two new high-performance 64-bit RISC-V cores, the Performance P550 and Performance P270:

SiFive compares the Performance P550 core to Arm's Cortex-A75 with higher performance in SPECint2006 and SPECfp2006 integer/floating-point benchmark, all [in] a much smaller area which would enable a quad-core P550 cluster on about the same footprint as a single Cortex-A75 core.

See also: Ubuntu 20.04/21.04 64-bit RISC-V released for QEMU, HiFive boards

Previously: Intel May Attempt to Acquire SiFive for $2 Billion

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