To: Patrick Gainer who wrote (3275 ) 10/28/1997 11:16:00 PM From: Justin Banks Read Replies (2) | Respond to
Patrick -MIPS is a sucessful *embedded* processor SGI has had an utterly dismal track record with the R10k. First, it was late. Then, as a result, it had mediocre integer performance. Embarassingly, the other vendors using the chip (like SNI) actually got better integer performance than SGI, suggesting SGI's compiler technology was second rate. Finally, SGI announced the 275 MHz R10K in Jan 1996 and has yet to ship a part over 200 MHz. Which makes me think the R12K you refer to not just a clocked-up R10k. And when you talk about being competitive with the 600 MHz Alpha, you are, no doubt, referring to the 21164, which is DEC's equivalent of the R10k. There is zero chance the R12k @ 300 MHz will be competitive with the 21264, due in the first half of 1998 and likely to be at least twice as fast as the 300 MHz R12K. The facts are that SGI has slipped (like everyone else) behind DEC in the processor race and are not likely to catch up. Finally, your comments regarding SPARC are absurd. Sun has had faster boxes than SGI when measured using any integer or commercial benchmark since the introduction of the UltraSPARC.
