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博通发布芯片,给了英伟达一重拳
半导体行业观察· 2025-07-16 00:53
Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the competitive landscape in the GPU and high-performance computing (HPC) market, focusing on the advancements of Broadcom's Tomahawk Ultra technology compared to Nvidia's NVLink and the emerging UALink protocol [3][4][5]. Group 1: Technology Comparison - AMD and other chip suppliers are narrowing the performance gap with Nvidia in terms of GPU FLOPS, memory bandwidth, and HBM capacity, but lack high-speed interconnects like NVLink and NVSwitch, limiting their scalability [3]. - Broadcom is promoting its Scale-up Ethernet (SUE) technology, claiming it can support systems with at least 1024 accelerators on any Ethernet platform, while Nvidia's NVLink can support up to 576 accelerators [4][5]. - The Tomahawk Ultra switch from Broadcom offers a bandwidth of 51.2 Tbps, which is higher than Nvidia's 28.8 Tbps for its fifth-generation NVLink switch, allowing for a vertical scaling architecture with 128 accelerators [7]. Group 2: Performance and Features - Tomahawk Ultra is designed for low latency, achieving as low as 250 nanoseconds, and is optimized for handling smaller data packets common in HPC systems [6]. - The switch includes congestion control mechanisms and supports collective operations, enhancing network efficiency compared to Nvidia's NVLink [6][7]. - Broadcom's Tomahawk Ultra ASIC has begun shipping to customers, and its compatibility with existing switch chassis is expected to facilitate adoption [7]. Group 3: Market Dynamics - The UALink protocol, while still in development, is being integrated into AMD's Helios rack systems, which will utilize both UALink and Ethernet for their expansion architecture [9]. - There are concerns regarding the feasibility of achieving UALink's target latency of 100-150 nanoseconds when transmitted over Ethernet, which may hinder AMD's competitive position against Nvidia's advanced systems [10].