518:
545:
530:
25:
412:
Generally, clock frequency is favored over increasing instructions per cycle. Complex features such as out-of-order instruction execution are deliberately not implemented, because they impact the ability to increase the clock rate, require a lot of extra die space and power, and have little impact on
346:
In
November 2021, Intel recruited the majority of the employees of the Centaur Technology division from VIA, a deal worth $ 125 million, effectively acquiring the talent and know-how of the x86 division. VIA retained the x86 licence and associated patents, and its Zhaoxin CPU joint-venture continues.
506:
support and integrated AI coprocessor in late 2019. The CNS CPU was cancelled in 2021 when VIA sold its
Centaur division to Intel. The CNS core CPUs had up to 8 cores and ran at a 2 GHz base frequency. It used the same LGA2011 pin socket as Intel's LGA2011-3 CPUs, however it is not electrically
462:
The cornerstone of the VIA C3 series chips' design philosophy has been that even a relatively simple in-order scalar core can offer reasonable performance against a complex superscalar out-of-order core if supported by an efficient "front-end", i.e. prefetch, cache and branch prediction
466:
In the case of VIA C7, the design team focused on further streamlining the "front-end" of the chip, i.e. cache size, associativity and throughput as well as the prefetch system. At the same time, no significant changes to the execution core ("back-end") of the chip seem to have been
409:, among other enhancements. While these features are not unique to VIA, memory access optimization is one area where features were not sacrificed to save die space. In fact, generous primary caches (128KB) have always been a distinctive hallmark of Centaur designs.
719:, when shrunk down to a 130 nm process, would have still had a die size of 76 mm². The VIA x86 core is smaller and cheaper to produce. As can be seen in this table, almost four C7 cores could be manufactured in the same area as a one-
431:
advocates, who claim that a smaller set of instructions, better optimized, can deliver faster overall CPU performance. The C3 design cannot be considered a pure RISC design because it accepts the x86 instruction set which is a
416:
The pipeline is arranged to provide one-clock execution of the heavily used register–memory and memory–register forms of x86 instructions. Several frequently used instructions require fewer clock cycles than on other x86
902:
362:
Centaur's design philosophy was always centered on "sufficient" performance for tasks that its target market demands. Some of the design trade-offs made by the design team ran contrary to accepted wisdom.
459:
VIA C7 Esther (C5J) as an evolutionary step after VIA C3 Nehemiah+ (C5P), in which
Centaur followed their traditional approach of balancing performance against a constrained transistor/power budget.
1146:
355:
Centaur's chips historically have been much smaller than comparable x86 designs at their time, and they are thus cheaper to manufacture and consume less power . This made them attractive in the
424:
and emulated as combinations of other x86 instructions. This saves die space and contributes to low power consumption. The impact on the majority of real-world application scenarios is minimal.
517:
1166:
544:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
910:
529:
1171:
489:
The development of the VIA Nano focused on radically improving the performance side of the performance-per-watt equation while still maintaining a similar
507:
compatible with Intel motherboards. The CNS CPU cores were made on the TSMC 16 nm node. Some of the advancements made on CNS were later used in some
984:
486:
VIA Nano Isaiah (CN) is a combination of a number of firsts from
Centaur, including their first superscalar out-of-order CPU and their first 64-bit CPU.
1151:
826:
804:
42:
129:
108:
470:
The VIA C7 successfully further closes the gap in performance with AMD/Intel chips, since clock speed is not thermally constrained.
1022:
1017:
1007:
776:
433:
89:
61:
1032:
1027:
977:
46:
343:
In late 2019, Centaur announced the "World’s First High-Performance x86 SoC with
Integrated AI Coprocessor", the CNS core.
283:
224:
174:
68:
402:
287:
1161:
75:
35:
1156:
970:
440:
139:
57:
931:
877:
878:"The Last x86 Via Chip: Unreleased Next-Gen Centaur CNS Saved From Trash Bin, Tested | Tom's Hardware"
852:
366:
Centaur/VIA was among the first to design processors with hardware encryption acceleration in the form of
337:
302:
a new design, developed from scratch, of an x86 processor core optimized differently from Intel's cores;
952:
1012:
490:
406:
397:
Because memory performance is the limiting factor in many benchmarks, VIA processors implement large
375:
149:
371:
356:
82:
309:
While funded by IDT, three different
Centaur designs were shipped under the marketing name of
993:
314:
267:
260:
248:
234:
903:"Detailed Platform Analysis in RightMark Memory Analyzer. Part 12: VIA C7/C7-M Processors"
716:
317:, a Taiwanese company. Since then, five designs have shipped with the marketing name of
1058:
1120:
957:
932:"The Last x86 Via Chip: Unreleased Next-Gen Centaur CNS Saved From Trash Bin, Tested"
211:
205:
164:
160:
1099:
1089:
367:
24:
332:
The VIA Nano design has been further refined and improved in chips produced by
298:
processors and consumed less power. There were two main elements of the plan:
274:
covered the early history of the company. The company was broken up in 2021.
266:
design company started in 1995 and subsequently a wholly owned subsidiary of
1073:
758:(Documentary), John Carls, Darius Gaskins, Suresh Hariharan, Cognitive Films
720:
535:
421:
398:
827:"VIA To Offload Parts of x86 Subsidiary Centaur to Intel For $ 125 Million"
128:
1053:
1048:
550:
480:
326:
753:
286:, Terry Parks, Darius Gaskins, and Al Sato. The funding was provided by
1104:
732:
508:
503:
333:
310:
370:, starting with a 2004 VIA C7 release. Intel and AMD followed up with
1068:
1063:
453:
391:
379:
322:
318:
962:
805:"Centaur Unveils Its New Server-Class x86 Core: CNS; Adds AVX-512"
712:
305:
a novel management approach designed to achieve high productivity.
295:
194:
428:
966:
439:
In addition to x86, these processors support the undocumented
291:
263:
237:
18:
511:
Semiconductor CPUs in which VIA is in a joint venture with.
777:"Via Shutters Centaur Technology Site, Sells Off Equipment"
427:
These design principles are derivative from the original
290:, Inc (IDT). The business goal was to develop compatible
853:"Intel pays VIA $ 125m to acquire its x86 design talent"
313:. In September 1999, Centaur was purchased from IDT by
282:
1147:
Defunct semiconductor companies of the United States
413:
performance in several common application scenarios.
1082:
1041:
1000:
244:
230:
218:
200:
189:
181:
170:
155:
145:
135:
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
420:Rarely used x86 instructions are implemented in
1167:Defunct computer companies of the United States
502:Centaur announced a new x86-64 "CNS" CPU with
978:
958:Rise of the Centaur (2015) - Documentary Film
8:
121:
820:
818:
325:processor and their latest 64-bit CPU, the
985:
971:
963:
562:
177:, Terry Parks, Darius Gaskins, and Al Sato
127:
120:
1142:Computer companies disestablished in 2021
1137:American companies disestablished in 2021
321:, as well as a number of designs for the
294:processors that were less expensive than
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
744:
513:
1132:Computer companies established in 1995
1127:American companies established in 1995
851:Dobberstein, Laura (8 November 2021).
715:Morgan core (106 mm²) with a 64K
799:
797:
7:
47:adding citations to reliable sources
1172:Defunct computer hardware companies
775:Shilov, Anton (December 29, 2021).
14:
193:Broken up, partially acquired by
1152:Companies based in Austin, Texas
543:
528:
516:
23:
825:Smith, Ryan (5 November 2021).
34:needs additional citations for
1:
752:Coots, Carson (2015-11-01),
723:core on 90 nm process.
657:
640:
288:Integrated Device Technology
16:American electronics company
711:Note: Even the 180 nm
270:. In 2015, the documentary
1188:
478:
451:
389:
441:Alternate Instruction Set
126:
523:Unreleased CHA Processor
338:joint venture company
559:Comparative die size
553:of the CHA Processor
376:Intel SHA extensions
58:"Centaur Technology"
43:improve this article
938:. 22 February 2022.
755:Rise of the Centaur
591:VIA Nano 1000/2000
272:Rise of the Centaur
123:
1162:Intel acquisitions
1095:Centaur Technology
811:. 9 December 2019.
576:130 nm (mm²)
351:Design methodology
257:Centaur Technology
122:Centaur Technology
1114:
1113:
901:Besedin, Dmitri.
709:
708:
586:65 nm (mm²)
581:90 nm (mm²)
405:, and aggressive
254:
253:
119:
118:
111:
93:
1179:
1157:VIA Technologies
994:VIA Technologies
987:
980:
973:
964:
940:
939:
928:
922:
921:
919:
918:
909:. Archived from
898:
892:
891:
889:
888:
882:Tomshardware.com
874:
868:
867:
865:
863:
848:
842:
841:
839:
837:
822:
813:
812:
801:
792:
791:
789:
787:
772:
766:
765:
764:
763:
749:
608:VIA C3 / VIA C7
563:
547:
532:
520:
315:VIA Technologies
268:VIA Technologies
249:VIA Technologies
131:
124:
114:
107:
103:
100:
94:
92:
51:
27:
19:
1187:
1186:
1182:
1181:
1180:
1178:
1177:
1176:
1117:
1116:
1115:
1110:
1078:
1037:
1008:Microprocessors
996:
991:
949:
944:
943:
930:
929:
925:
916:
914:
900:
899:
895:
886:
884:
876:
875:
871:
861:
859:
850:
849:
845:
835:
833:
824:
823:
816:
803:
802:
795:
785:
783:
774:
773:
769:
761:
759:
751:
750:
746:
741:
729:
717:secondary cache
585:
580:
575:
570:
561:
554:
548:
539:
533:
524:
521:
500:
483:
477:
456:
450:
394:
388:
353:
280:
221:
214:
208:
115:
104:
98:
95:
52:
50:
40:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1185:
1183:
1175:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1149:
1144:
1139:
1134:
1129:
1119:
1118:
1112:
1111:
1109:
1108:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1086:
1084:
1080:
1079:
1077:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1059:VIA CoreFusion
1056:
1051:
1045:
1043:
1039:
1038:
1036:
1035:
1030:
1025:
1020:
1015:
1010:
1004:
1002:
998:
997:
992:
990:
989:
982:
975:
967:
961:
960:
955:
948:
947:External links
945:
942:
941:
923:
907:Pricenfees.com
893:
869:
843:
814:
793:
781:Tom's Hardware
767:
743:
742:
740:
737:
736:
735:
728:
725:
707:
706:
703:
700:
697:
694:
690:
689:
686:
683:
680:
677:
673:
672:
669:
666:
663:
660:
656:
655:
652:
649:
646:
643:
639:
638:
635:
632:
629:
626:
622:
621:
618:
615:
612:
609:
605:
604:
601:
598:
595:
592:
588:
587:
582:
577:
572:
567:
560:
557:
556:
555:
549:
542:
540:
534:
527:
525:
522:
515:
499:
496:
495:
494:
493:to the VIA C7.
487:
479:Main article:
476:
473:
472:
471:
468:
464:
460:
452:Main article:
449:
446:
445:
444:
437:
425:
418:
414:
410:
399:primary caches
390:Main article:
387:
384:
352:
349:
307:
306:
303:
279:
276:
252:
251:
246:
242:
241:
232:
228:
227:
222:
219:
216:
215:
210:
204:
202:
198:
197:
191:
187:
186:
183:
179:
178:
172:
168:
167:
159:April 1995 in
157:
153:
152:
147:
143:
142:
137:
133:
132:
117:
116:
31:
29:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1184:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
1124:
1122:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1087:
1085:
1081:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1046:
1044:
1040:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1005:
1003:
999:
995:
988:
983:
981:
976:
974:
969:
968:
965:
959:
956:
954:
951:
950:
946:
937:
933:
927:
924:
913:on 2017-02-02
912:
908:
904:
897:
894:
883:
879:
873:
870:
858:
854:
847:
844:
832:
828:
821:
819:
815:
810:
809:WikiChip Fuse
806:
800:
798:
794:
782:
778:
771:
768:
757:
756:
748:
745:
738:
734:
731:
730:
726:
724:
722:
718:
714:
704:
701:
698:
695:
692:
691:
687:
684:
681:
678:
676:P4 Northwood
675:
674:
670:
667:
664:
661:
658:
653:
650:
647:
644:
641:
636:
633:
630:
627:
624:
623:
619:
616:
613:
610:
607:
606:
602:
599:
596:
593:
590:
589:
583:
578:
573:
568:
565:
564:
558:
552:
546:
541:
538:CHA Processor
537:
531:
526:
519:
514:
512:
510:
505:
497:
492:
488:
485:
484:
482:
474:
469:
465:
461:
458:
457:
455:
447:
442:
438:
435:
430:
426:
423:
419:
415:
411:
408:
404:
400:
396:
395:
393:
385:
383:
381:
378:in 2013, and
377:
373:
369:
364:
360:
359:marketplace.
358:
350:
348:
344:
341:
339:
335:
330:
328:
324:
320:
316:
312:
304:
301:
300:
299:
297:
293:
289:
285:
277:
275:
273:
269:
265:
262:
258:
250:
247:
243:
239:
236:
233:
229:
226:
223:
217:
213:
212:United States
207:
206:Austin, Texas
203:
199:
196:
192:
188:
185:November 2021
184:
180:
176:
173:
169:
166:
165:United States
162:
158:
154:
151:
148:
144:
141:
138:
134:
130:
125:
113:
110:
102:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67:
63:
60: –
59:
55:
54:Find sources:
48:
44:
38:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
1094:
936:TomsHardware
935:
926:
915:. Retrieved
911:the original
906:
896:
885:. Retrieved
881:
872:
860:. Retrieved
857:The Register
856:
846:
834:. Retrieved
830:
808:
784:. Retrieved
780:
770:
760:, retrieved
754:
747:
710:
693:P4 Prescott
501:
365:
361:
354:
345:
342:
331:
308:
281:
271:
256:
255:
201:Headquarters
140:Incorporated
136:Company type
105:
96:
86:
79:
72:
65:
53:
41:Please help
36:verification
33:
1100:WonderMedia
1090:VIA PadLock
862:11 November
836:11 November
721:P4 Prescott
463:mechanisms.
417:processors.
407:prefetching
368:VIA PadLock
284:Glenn Henry
225:Glenn Henry
175:Glenn Henry
150:Electronics
1121:Categories
917:2007-03-12
887:2022-07-18
762:2024-05-01
739:References
659:Pentium M
642:Athlon 64
625:Athlon XP
571:cache (k)
566:Processor
220:Key people
99:March 2023
69:newspapers
1074:Cyrix III
953:Home page
831:AnandTech
786:March 28,
569:Secondary
422:microcode
382:in 2015.
374:in 2008,
1083:See also
1054:VIA Eden
1049:VIA Nano
1042:Products
1013:Chipsets
727:See also
584:Die size
579:Die size
574:Die size
551:Die shot
536:Decapped
498:CNS core
481:VIA Nano
475:VIA Nano
401:, large
357:embedded
327:VIA Nano
231:Products
171:Founders
146:Industry
1105:Zhaoxin
733:Zhaoxin
509:Zhaoxin
504:AVX-512
436:design.
336:(a VIA
334:Zhaoxin
311:WinChip
278:History
259:was an
240:designs
182:Defunct
156:Founded
83:scholar
1069:VIA C3
1064:VIA C7
611:64/128
454:VIA C7
448:VIA C7
392:VIA C3
386:VIA C3
380:RDRAND
372:AES-NI
323:VIA C7
319:VIA C3
161:Austin
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
1001:Lists
713:Duron
603:63.3
467:made.
296:Intel
245:Owner
195:Intel
90:JSTOR
76:books
1023:Eden
1018:Nano
864:2021
838:2021
788:2023
705:N/A
696:1024
688:N/A
671:N/A
662:2048
637:N/A
620:N/A
594:1024
434:CISC
429:RISC
403:TLBs
190:Fate
62:news
702:110
699:N/A
685:N/A
682:146
679:512
665:N/A
654:77
648:144
645:512
634:N/A
628:256
600:N/A
597:N/A
491:TDP
340:).
292:x86
264:CPU
261:x86
238:CPU
235:x86
45:by
1123::
1107:JV
1033:C3
1028:C7
934:.
905:.
880:.
855:.
829:.
817:^
807:.
796:^
779:.
668:84
651:84
631:84
617:30
614:52
329:.
209:,
163:,
986:e
979:t
972:v
920:.
890:.
866:.
840:.
790:.
443:.
112:)
106:(
101:)
97:(
87:·
80:·
73:·
66:·
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
