I can see the value for people working on porting fundamental software, things like operating systems, programming languages or c libraries. But that’s about it.
On the bright side, it’s cheaper and better than their previous offering, which was $1k. If this is a trend and it continues, it’ll reach sane specifications and pricing.
Pricing of various options for linux capabale alt ISA:
PolarSOC ~ $500USD (600Mhz u540 cores, 2G Ram but get a FPGA)
Sifive Hi-Five Unmatched $665 USD (Unrevealed but clockspeed > 1.5Ghz, 8GB Ram, PCI-Ex8, M2 for Network and M2 For Storage and u740 Cores (not sure if these are the upgraded ones announced last month or not).
RaptorCS Thunderbird ~$1400USD No ram but 4 fast cores (and a probably very loud CPU cooler)
One of the articles mentioned they thought it would be at least that given the process they used. My apologies, I should have said that it was expected to be at least that speed.
I am thinking about the ULX3S too as a slightly cheaper Mister but like the orange crab as it has more RAM.
Clock speed is only one component of performance. The 7-series micro-architecture has a higher IPC, so it’s entirely possible for the chip to be faster, even at a lower clock speed.
We shouldn’t make any assumptions until the speed is actually announced.
The aforementioned iCESugar is my advice to anyone who wants to get started with FPGAs. With peak iCE40 value/price, it uses the newest (UP5K, 5K LUT, icestorm supported) iCE40 chip, and provides 3 double-pmod (one of them shared with usbport/stm32serial) and an onboard RGB led. Embeds an stm32 µC for programming/serialport from the programming USB port. A separate USB port goes straight into the FPGA. Some jumpers can be removed to reclaim shared I/Os.
BlackIce MX is a more serious iCE40 devboard (w/HX4K, 8K LUT on yosys/nextpnr) with lots of I/Os (incl. PMODs), and onboard RAM + STM32F7, at $65.
ULX3S is a very high density devboard which uses a relatively powerful ECP5 (~85K LUT) at ~$130. Amazing never-seen-before value at that price, but I’m still waiting for mine to ship. As it can fit quite a bit, many miSTer cores have been ported, including the Amiga (w/020+AGA) implementation.
Tang Nano (GW1N-1, an interesting chinese chip at ~55nm fab, supported by project apicula, which is less mature than icestorm or trellis) sells at less than $10 shipped (aliexpress). Peak value/price. The more experimental option, but already works (LUTS, flipflops and routing, stll no hard block peripherals nor dual port ram blocks) with open FPGA tooling.
At $666, it’s not exactly compelling.
Sure, it is faster, but I’ll still take the cheap FPGA approach.
PicoSoC on iCE40 all the way. With an iCESugar, it doesn’t break the bank.
I can see the value for people working on porting fundamental software, things like operating systems, programming languages or c libraries. But that’s about it.
On the bright side, it’s cheaper and better than their previous offering, which was $1k. If this is a trend and it continues, it’ll reach sane specifications and pricing.
Pricing of various options for linux capabale alt ISA:
The new board is interesting as it’s < 25% of the cost of the previous iteration and pretty turnkey for putting together a system.
It is of course a question as to whether to get this or wait for one more generation (ie OOO (u840?))
(Edit: Spelling)
What’s your source for this?
I’ll take that. I actually ordered one, but haven’t received it yet.
One of the articles mentioned they thought it would be at least that given the process they used. My apologies, I should have said that it was expected to be at least that speed.
I am thinking about the ULX3S too as a slightly cheaper Mister but like the orange crab as it has more RAM.
u54 runs at 1.5Ghz, and this is supposed to be faster.
Clock speed is only one component of performance. The 7-series micro-architecture has a higher IPC, so it’s entirely possible for the chip to be faster, even at a lower clock speed.
We shouldn’t make any assumptions until the speed is actually announced.
Well, turns out it’s 1.4GHz. FWIW the reasoning I proposed is what people on reddit were speculating, but alas, it was not to be.
For me it’s interesting because I would like a RISC-V “daily driver,” and this could possibly work. But it is a lot of money.
You’re likely better off waiting. The time just isn’t now.
There’ll be more options, faster, cheaper. Possibly even open hardware (this board and chip are not).
uh nice, are there more recommendations for tinkering with some FPGAs that aren’t that costly ?
The aforementioned iCESugar is my advice to anyone who wants to get started with FPGAs. With peak iCE40 value/price, it uses the newest (UP5K, 5K LUT, icestorm supported) iCE40 chip, and provides 3 double-pmod (one of them shared with usbport/stm32serial) and an onboard RGB led. Embeds an stm32 µC for programming/serialport from the programming USB port. A separate USB port goes straight into the FPGA. Some jumpers can be removed to reclaim shared I/Os.
BlackIce MX is a more serious iCE40 devboard (w/HX4K, 8K LUT on yosys/nextpnr) with lots of I/Os (incl. PMODs), and onboard RAM + STM32F7, at $65.
ULX3S is a very high density devboard which uses a relatively powerful ECP5 (~85K LUT) at ~$130. Amazing never-seen-before value at that price, but I’m still waiting for mine to ship. As it can fit quite a bit, many miSTer cores have been ported, including the Amiga (w/020+AGA) implementation.
Tang Nano (GW1N-1, an interesting chinese chip at ~55nm fab, supported by project apicula, which is less mature than icestorm or trellis) sells at less than $10 shipped (aliexpress). Peak value/price. The more experimental option, but already works (LUTS, flipflops and routing, stll no hard block peripherals nor dual port ram blocks) with open FPGA tooling.
https://lobste.rs/s/uqc8vi/cheap_fpga_development_boards
I’m fine with this being here, I want to know about alternative platforms.
agreed. I’m very interested in tracking what’s happening with hardware platforms like this and a big part of hardware platforms is hardware releases
Even though it’s great to see progress on RISC-V dev boards, not a fan of product advertising or reviews here.
I hope this submission isn’t too much like an advertisement. I was just excited to hear more about it, ever since it was announced.
Indeed, it looks too much like an advertisement. It might have been better to just link the product brief.
That would also be too much like an advertisement, in my opinion.