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...Apple A6 core layout done by hand

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 6:19 am
by VLSmooth
Detailed analysis of Apple A6 core reveals layout done by hand
http://arstechnica.com/apple/2012/09/de ... e-by-hand/

This headline reminds me of the time my partner and I pulled an all-nighter in the ECE cluster to reduce the size of our 18-322 8-bit saturating multiplier by 30%+.

Ah memories...

Also, I'd guess at least coarse hand-optimization is commonplace for most layouts.

Re: ...Apple A6 core layout done by hand

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 5:24 pm
by Jonathan
http://arstechnica.com/apple/2012/09/de ... t-23312090

As the article notes, the way you get from RTL to a design varies, even within an SOC, according to your time, area, frequency, and metal constraints.

Re: ...Apple A6 core layout done by hand

Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 11:06 pm
by Jonathan
Also, there's definitely a difference between what we did in 322 and what a designer in the industry will do. It's kind of analogous to students writing assembly by hand to engineers writing HLL in an IDE. Neither one is using synthesis, but one is way more productive than the other.