Graphics menu manufacturer tries to diversify past times equipping Chinese supercomputer.
Chipmaker Nvidia said a novel supercomputer built inward Cathay is the world's fastest in addition to is powered past times over 7,000 of its graphics processor units.
The supercomputer, built past times the National University of Defense Technology in addition to located at the National Supercomputing Center inward Tianjin, has horsepower equivalent to 175,000 laptop computers, Nvidia officials said.
With sustained surgical physical care for equivalent to 2.5 Petaflops, the Chinese estimator is xxx per cent faster than the world's minute most powerful supercomputer, which is at Oak Ridge National Laboratory inward Tennessee, according to Nvidia.
Called Tianhe-1A, the supercomputer volition last used past times scientists across several fields in addition to besides last made available to other countries.
Nvidia, amend known for designing plug-in video cards bought past times high-end estimator gamers, is promoting its technology to last used for purposes other than graphics, including supercomputers running simulations inward astrophysics in addition to other math-heavy tasks.
Supercomputers are besides used inward medical imaging, crude oil exploration in addition to weather condition forecasting.
Parallel tasks
While traditional key processors constitute inward computers are designed to brand huge calculations real quickly, ane subsequently another, graphics processors, or GPUs, excel at carrying out several small-scale calculations at the same time, which makes them handy for specific kinds of tasks.
"If nosotros wanted to grow beyond our traditional gaming marketplace nosotros needed to expand our production portfolio in addition to that's why nosotros made a determination a duo of years agone to invest inward making the GPU to a greater extent than programmable," Ujesh Desai, Nvidia's vice president of production marketing, told reporters.
The graphics chips inward used inward the Tianhe-1A are high-end cards that sell for nearly $2,500 each. The Tianhe-1A besides packs over 14,000 key processors made past times Intel, Nvidia said.
Seven of the world's most powerful computers are inward the US, amongst 2 inward Cathay in addition to ane inward Germany, according to Nvidia.
Some experts say that since programmers in addition to major semiconductor players similar Intel convey focused traditionally on key processors, GPUs convey been underutilised in addition to should last tapped to improve the surgical physical care for of everyday computers - from desktop PCs to tablets.
Intel in addition to competition AMD both programme to launch microchips side past times side twelvemonth that combine graphics in addition to traditional processing power.
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