Leading the charge in RISC-V computing, SiFive, Inc. has introduced two groundbreaking products aimed at addressing the escalating demands of high-performance computing. The newly revealed SiFive Performance P870 and SiFive Intelligence X390 promise enhanced low power consumption, high compute density, and vector compute capability, ushering in a new era of innovation in the world of RISC-V.
Unveiled during an in-person press and analyst event in Santa Clara, SiFive’s latest offerings provide a significant performance boost for data-intensive compute tasks, vital for modern artificial intelligence applications in consumer electronics, automotive systems, and infrastructure markets. The P870 core, designed for high-performance consumer applications and data center integration, boasts a 50% peak single-thread performance upgrade over its predecessor, incorporating a six-wide out-of-order core and a shared cluster cache accommodating up to 32 cores. The P870 is fully compatible with Google’s Android platform requirements for RISC-V, solidifying its applicability in the diverse landscape of computing needs.
In parallel, the SiFive Intelligence X390 builds on the success of the previous X280 model, enhancing vector computation capabilities with its single-core configuration, doubled vector length, and dual vector ALUs. This configuration quadruples sustained data bandwidth, providing a robust solution for artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in mobile, infrastructure, and automotive sectors. The Vector Coprocessor Interface eXtension (VCIX) empowers users to integrate custom vector instructions and acceleration hardware, offering unparalleled flexibility in performance optimization.
When combined, the SiFive Performance P870 and SiFive Intelligence X390, along with a high-performance Neural Processing Unit (NPU) cluster, deliver a versatile, low-power, and programmable solution. Designed specifically for generative AI applications, this agile hardware solution offers superior compute density for complex workloads, addressing the evolving needs of the tech industry.
SiFive’s CEO, Patrick Little, emphasized the company’s commitment to bridging the performance gap in the semiconductor industry, stating, “SiFive is leading the industry into a new era of high-performance RISC-V innovation, and closing the gap with other instruction set architectures with our unparalleled portfolio. The flexibility of SiFive’s RISC-V solutions allows companies to address the unique computing requirements of these segments and capitalize on the momentum around generative AI, where we have seen double-digit design wins, and for other cutting-edge applications.”
SiFive also underscored their active collaboration with partners across the ecosystem to ensure seamless integration and commercialization of SiFive-powered products. As the demand for high-performance computing solutions continues to surge, SiFive’s latest offerings mark a significant milestone in the evolution of RISC-V technology, positioning the company at the forefront of the rapidly expanding semiconductor landscape.
