MIPS推新核心Aptiv，逆袭ARM的4个理由

美普思科技(MIPS Technologies)本周一推出了新一代微处理器核心，命名为 Aptiv 。与 ARM 的中阶 A15 核心相比， MIPS 新核心的芯片尺寸和消耗能源都更小。 MIPS 希望能藉由推出新核心，让公司回到正常发展轨道。在竞争激烈的微处理器IP市场中，“我们将再次获得领先地位”，MIPS 营销副总裁Gideon Intrater说。 然而，MIPS现在仍伫足在十字路口前。部份分析师认为， Aptiv 问世的时程是有点晚了。 事实上，一直到本周推出新产品，MIPS已经有两年没有推出新的核心了。但在这款期间内，其竞争对手ARM 则不断地忙于推出一系列的新微处理器核心。 为何MIPS迟迟未推出产品？是这个技术领先者开始落后了吗？有一种解释，认为MIPS在2007年收购模拟混合讯号IP供货商ChipIdea之后，这笔交易显然让MIPS产生了巨大的分歧。依照MIPS的规划，该公司打算藉由建构强大的IP工厂(IP arsenal)，为客户提供”虚拟SoC”──最终MIPS希望超越微处理器核心范畴，进一步对ARM发起挑战。然而，经过十八个月，MIPS与 ChipIdea的婚姻宣告终结。“当我们决定在2009年出售Chipidea时，我们就已经确定把微处理器核心作为我们的发展重点，”Intrater说。 此外，MIPS也面临着另一个更大的动荡因素：该公司出售的可能性。业界近来频频推测MIPS可能会出售，对于这些揣测，MIPS既不证实也不否认。The Benchmark Company的资深研究分析师Gary Mobley认为，MIPS公司出售“是非常有可能的，”因为过去十年来，MIPS已经被许多买主探询过。 在这样的背景条件 下，MIPS将赌注押在Aptiv上，试图藉此扭转乾坤。Aptiv系列包含了高性能的 proAptiv 、多执行序的 interAptiv ，以及高效率的 microAptiv，是该公司过去三年来投注在研发上的努力成果。Aptiv系列能满足移动、家庭娱乐、网络和嵌入式应用等跨产业需求，其中，MIPS 最关注的焦点，就是移动市场。 “我们都看到手机市场的规模如此庞大，这个市场的重要性不言可喻，”Intrater说。“即使我们仅在其中获得极小的占有率，但对我们来说，它使一个很大的区别。” 然而，一个与$64,000美元关联最大的问题就是：如果你已经拿到了ARM的授权(如果你也身处移动市场，这非常有可能)，那么，你现在为何还要考虑MIPS的授权？ MIPS的Intrater指出，“许多公司都一直在升级他们的核心。我们认为，Aptiv能为他们提供转换到MIPS核心的足够理由。” 《EE Times》为此询问了部份界人士，请他们分析MIPS能否藉由推出新核心扭转局面，以及最主要的理由又是什么。

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本文下一页：MIPS可以翻身的四个理由 本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载

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{pagination} 1. 业界需要维持健康的竞争 Linley集团资深分析师J. Scott Gardner解释道：“CPU核心授权供货商之间的良性竞争，对SoC开发人员而言是必要的。在大多数应用中， MIPS 都是ARM的最可行替代方案。” “尽管ARM的规模已经远大于MIPS，但无疑地，MIPS的Aptiv核心确实可作为客户与ARM谈判的一种筹码。” Jon Peddie Research公司总裁Jon Peddie表示，“你会需要第二供货来源。”但他也指出：“这将取决于你使用的平台。手机对MIPS而言难度很高；平板电脑稍好一些，而游戏机、机上盒、工业控制、路由器、汽车等对MIPS来说机会比较大。” 2. 重点是电源效率和成本 根据EEMBC CoreMark的测试性能预估，Aptiv系列“应该能提供优于ARM目前提供之任何一款核心的每MHz性能，”Gardner说。“ProAptiv 的CoreMark/MHz性能要比Cortex-A9高出50%，而微处理器报告(Microprocessor Report)也预计，ProAptiv的CoreMark/MHz分数也将优于Cortex-A15。更高的IPC应该能操作在比ARM核心更低的频率 功率条件下。针对这些应用，电源效率和成本已经成为产品差异化的关键因素。” 换句话说，“在与采用Cortex-A15的SoC的系统相比时，采用MIPS Aptiv的SoC设计师应该能在相同的硅芯片面积和功耗预算条件下整合近乎两倍的CPU核心，”Gardner说。 3. 辉煌的历史与齐全的产品线 在 Peddie的心中，MIPS“强大的指令集，以及该公司是首家提供64位工作站与服务器产品的昔日荣耀”仍然是今天MIPS产品应该被开发人员考虑的主要原因之一。此外，“MIPS也是唯一一家为Sony PS2的Emotion引擎提供128位处理器的公司，”他说。MIPS同时提供从8位到64位的完整产品线。 4. 中国因素 另一个必须考虑MIPS的理由，或许是当前MIPS核心在中国的影响力。Peddie指出，“中国本土的Loongson（龙芯）处理器正是采用MIPS核心。如果你也和我一样，认为指令集的兼容性非常重要，那么，MIPS赢得中国市场就不是没有道理的。” 编译： Joy Teng 本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载 参考英文原文： Four reasons why MIPS new cores may make it relevant again ，by Junko Yoshida

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{pagination} Four reasons why MIPS new cores may make it relevant again Junko Yoshida NEW YORK – MIPS Technologies rolled out this week a new generation of microprocessor cores called Aptiv. With the new cores’ smaller die size and reduced energy consumption compared to ARM’s midrange core like A15, MIPS is hoping that the new family of cores can put the company back on track. “We will gain leadership again” on the competitive microprocessor IP market, according to Gideon Intrater, vice president of marketing at MIPS. “We believe that Aptiv can beat A15 by a large margin.” MIPS is at a crossroads, however. Some analysts see Aptiv arriving in the market a little too late. Indeed, until this week, MIPS had not introduced new cores for two years. Meanwhile, its rival ARM busily pumped out a series of new microprocessor cores. Why did MIPS, once a technology leader, fall behind? One explanation is MIPS’s acquisition of ChipIdea, an analog and mixed-signal IP supplier, in 2007. This deal apparently posed a huge distraction. MIPS’ plan then was to offer its customers a ‘virtual SoC’ by creating a strong IP arsenal – going beyond microprocessor cores – to mount a challenge to ARM. The marriage ended, however, after 18 months. “Once we decided to sell ChipIdea in 2009, we were able to put an emphasis back on microprocessor core development,” said Intrater. MIPS is also facing an even bigger upheaval: the company’s potential sale. Recent speculation that “MIPS is up for sale” has not died down, and MIPS has neither confirmed nor denied the reports. Gary Mobley, senior research analyst at The Benchmark Company, calls the sale “a distinct possibility,” as MIPS has been shopped around at various times in the past 10 years. But he added: “It is important to note that if the company intends to sell, it better do so soon before potential licensees grow more concerned regarding MIPS’ long-term processor roadmap.” Against this backdrop, MIPS is betting on Aptiv to turn things around. The Aptiv family, consisting of high-performance proAptiv, multi-threaded interAptiv and highly-efficient microAptiv, is the fruit of the company’s substantial investment and development efforts over the last three years. While the Aptiv family addresses distinct performance levels for applications across mobile, home entertainment, networking and embedded, MIPS’s focus is squarely on mobile. “We see the mobile market the most important, because of sheer size,” said Intrater. “Even if we get a small share, it makes a big difference.” But then, the $64,000 question is: If you are already an ARM licensee (most likely you are, if you are in the mobile market), why even consider licensing MIPS now? MIPS’ Intrater said, “Companies are upgrading their cores all the time. We think that our Aptiv can give them compelling reasons to switch to MIPS core.” EE Times asked a few industry analysts for their opinions. 1. Need to keep the competition healthy J. Scott Gardner, a senior analyst at The Linley Group explained: “SoC developers need healthy competition among the suppliers of licensable CPU cores. MIPS is the most viable alternative to ARM for most of these applications. “Even though ARM has grown much larger than MIPS, the ARM licensees will undoubtedly give some consideration to MIPS Aptiv as a way to differentiate products and perhaps gain negotiating leverage with ARM.” Jon Peddie, President of Jon Peddie Research, said, “You need to have a second source.” But he added: “It depends on the platform. Mobile phones will be a tough sell, tablets are better, Game consoles, STBs, industrial controls, routers, automotive, etc. are opportunities for MIPS.” 2. It’s all about power efficiency and cost Based on published EEMBC CoreMark performance estimates, the Aptiv family “should deliver better performance per MHz than any of the cores currently offered by ARM,” according to Gardner. “The ProAptiv has 50% higher CoreMark/MHz than Cortext-A9, and Microprocessor Report expects that ProAptiv will have significantly-higher CoreMark/MHz scores than Cortex-A15. The higher IPC should allow operation at a lower frequency and power than competing ARM cores. For many of these applications, power efficiency and cost have become the primary differentiators.” In other words, “When compared to systems based on Cortex-A15, an SoC designer using MIPS Aptiv should be able to integrate almost twice as many CPU cores into the same silicon area and power budget,” Gardner explained. 3. Heritage and range In Peddie’s mind, MIPS’ “powerful instruction set with a heritage going back to the first 64-bit workstations and servers” should still be one of the big reasons to consider MIPS even today. Further, “MIPS is the only 128-bit processor – Sony’s Emotion engine in the PS2,” he said. MIPS also offers “a good range of products with flexibility from 8-bit to 64 bit,” Peddie added. 4. China factor Not to be missed in considering MIPS is perhaps MIPS cores’ impact in China. Peddie noted that “Chinese home grown Loongson processor is based on MIPS, and if you think having instruction-set compatibility with it is important (and I do) then it’s a slam dunk no brainer.”