256-bit computing

In today's world, 256-bit computing is a topic that has captured the attention of numerous people in different fields. Over time, this topic has generated numerous debates, controversies and investigations that have allowed us to delve deeper into its meaning and scope. Since its origin, 256-bit computing has aroused curiosity in society, generating growing interest that has led to studies and analyzes that seek to understand its implications in different areas. In this article, we will explore different perspectives on 256-bit computing and its influence on various aspects of everyday life.

Computer architecture bit widths
Bit
Application
Binary floating-point precision
Decimal floating-point precision

In computer architecture, 256-bit integers, memory addresses, or other data units are those that are 256 bits (32 octets) wide. Also, 256-bit central processing unit (CPU) and arithmetic logic unit (ALU) architectures are those that are based on registers, address buses, or data buses of that size. There are currently no mainstream general-purpose processors built to operate on 256-bit integers or addresses, though a number of processors do operate on 256-bit data.

Representation

A 256-bit quantity can store 2256 different values. The range of integer values that can be stored in 256 bits depends on the integer representation used.

The range of a signed 256-bit integer is from −57,​896,​044,​618,​658,​097,​711,​785,​492,​504,​343,​953,​926,​634,​992,​332,​820,​282,​019,​728,​792,​003,​956,​564,​819,​968 to 57,​896,​044,​618,​658,​097,​711,​785,​492,​504,​343,​953,​926,​634,​992,​332,​820,​282,​019,​728,​792,​003,​956,​564,​819,967.

256-bit processors could be used for addressing directly up to 2256 bytes. Already 2128 (for 128-bit addressing) would greatly exceed the total data stored on Earth as of 2018, which has been estimated to be around 33.3 ZBs (over 274 bytes).[1]

History

Xbox 360 was the first high-definition gaming console to utilize the ATI Technologies 256-bit GPU Xenos[2] before the introduction of the current gaming consoles especially Nintendo Switch.

Some buses on the newer System on a chip (e.g. Tegra developed by Nvidia) utilize 64-bit, 128-bit, 256-bit, or higher.

Hardware

Laptop computer using an Efficeon processor

CPUs feature SIMD instruction sets (Advanced Vector Extensions and the FMA instruction set etc.) where 256-bit vector registers are used to store several smaller numbers, such as eight 32-bit floating-point numbers, and a single instruction can operate on all these values in parallel. However, these processors do not operate on individual numbers that are 256 binary digits in length, only their registers have the size of 256-bits. Binary digits are found together in 128-bit collections.

Modern GPU chips may operate data across a 256-bit memory bus (or possibly a 512-bit bus with HBM3[3]).

The Efficeon processor was Transmeta's second-generation 256-bit VLIW design which employed a software engine to convert code written for x86 processors to the native instruction set of the chip.[4][5]

The DARPA funded Data-Intensive Architecture (DIVA) system incorporated processor-in-memory (PIM) 5-stage pipelined 256-bit datapath, complete with register file and ALU blocks in a "WideWord" processor in 2002.[6]

Software

  • 256 bits is a common key size for symmetric ciphers in cryptography, such as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).
  • Increasing the word size can accelerate multiple precision mathematical libraries. Applications include cryptography.
  • Researchers at the University of Cambridge use a 256-bit capability pointer, which includes capability and addressing information, on early implementations of their CHERI capability system.[7]
  • SHA-256 hash function.
  • Smart contracts use 256- or 257-bit integers; 256-bit words for the Ethereum Virtual Machine. "We realize that a 257 bits byte is quite unusual, but for smart contracts it is ok to have at least 256 bits numbers. The leading VM for smart contracts, Ethereum VM, introduced this practice and other blockchain VMs followed."[8]
  • The Zig programming language has built-in support for signed and unsigned arbitrary bit-width integers for all supported platforms, including 256-bit.[9] The calling convention for exported functions using such integers however, has not been specified in ABIs.

See also

References

  1. ^ Reinsel, David; Gantz, John; Rydning, John (November 2018). The Digitization of the World (PDF). IDC. p. 6. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  2. ^ "Xbox 360 review: Xbox 360". CNET. February 15, 2006.
  3. ^ Harding, Scharon (15 April 2021). "What Are HBM, HBM2 and HBM2E? A Basic Definition". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  4. ^ "Transmeta Efficeon TM8300 Processor" (PDF). Transmeta Corporation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 February 2019.
  5. ^ Williams, Martyn (29 May 2002). "Transmeta Unveils Plans for TM8000 Processor". PC World. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010.
  6. ^ Draper, Jeffrey; Sondeen, Jeff; Chang Woo Kang (October 2002). Implementation of a 256-bit WideWord Processor for the Data-Intensive Architecture (DIVA) Processing-In-Memory (PIM) Chip (PDF). International Solid-State Circuits Conference. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 August 2017.
  7. ^ Watson, Robert N. M.; Neumann, Peter G.; Woodruff, Jonathan; Anderson, Jonathan; Anderson, Ross; Dave, Nirav; Laurie, Ben; Moore, Simon W.; Murdoch, Steven J.; Paeps, Philip; Roe, Michael; Saidi, Hassen (3 March 2012). "CHERI: a research platform deconflating hardware virtualization and protection" (PDF). Unpublished workshop paper for RESoLVE’12, March 3, 2012, London, UK. SRI International Computer Science Laboratory.
  8. ^ Borisenkov, Dmitriy (23 October 2019). "[llvm-dev] RFC: On non 8-bit bytes and the target for it". Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  9. ^ "Primitive Types". ziglang.org. Retrieved 2024-07-05.