What is the running frequency for a typical FPGA application using Virtex 5

Mar 01, 2007 2 Replies
W

Hi, What is the running frequency for a typical FPGA application using Virtex 5?



A friend of mine told me long ago that we could expect to get 1/10 running frequency of the fastest CPU for a fastest FPGA in market.



Now the fastest CPU runs at 4GHz, can a FPGA application using the fastest FPGA chip be expected to run at 400MHz, 1/10 of fastest CPU? Is Virtex 5 the fastest FPGA so far?



For example, DDR2 runs at 333MHz, can a DDR2 application core run normally at 333MHz without any trouble such that there is no need to reduce application core running frequency to meet 333MHz challenge? If so for Virtex 5, it can be claimed that 333MHz is achievable.


1/10 ratio between the fastest CPU and the fastest FPGA chip running frequencies is a reasonable expectation or not?

Thank you.



Weng



Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
R

I expect V5 can be run at 400MHz with careful design fairly easily. It is faster than Virtex4, and I have successfully completed non-trivial V4 designs that run at 400 MHz. Issue 3 of the Xilinx DSP magazine, which should be coming out very soon, has an article in it about a 1.2 GSample/sec Floating point FFT design I did in it. The FFT engines in that design are clocked at 400MHz. The device is a Virtex4 SX55 -11.

Clock rate around 1/10 of fastest CPU seems reasonable, but it will generally take an experienced FPGA designer to achieve that.

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
W

-

Hi Ray, Thank you very much for your good news.

Weng

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required