Hardware-Trends

Hardware Trends Shaping the Next Decade Hardware design is evolving. In the coming decade, devices will be faster, smaller, and more capable while using less energy. The big driver is smarter hardware: chips that do more work with less power. This shift changes how we build phones, cars, factories, and data centers. AI accelerators and specialized chips are common now in phones, servers, and edge devices. They deliver higher performance per watt than general purpose processors. That means apps can run locally, improving privacy and cutting the load on data centers. As a result, developers can design smarter features without waiting for cloud round-trips. ...

AI Accelerators: GPUs, TPUs and Beyond AI workloads rely on hardware that can perform many operations in parallel. GPUs remain the most versatile starting point, offering strong speed and broad software support. TPUs push tensor math to high throughput in cloud settings. Beyond these, FPGAs, ASICs, and newer edge chips target specific tasks with higher efficiency. The best choice depends on the model size, the data stream, and where the model runs—on a data center, in the cloud, or on a device. ...

The Fundamentals of Computer Hardware Design This article explains how the physical parts of a computer are chosen and arranged to run software. It covers the main ideas, not every detail, so beginners can follow the logic behind decisions like speed, power use, and cost. Core components Processor (CPU): executes instructions, often with multiple cores Memory: fast storage for active data (L1/L2/L3 caches and DRAM) Storage: long-term files via SSD or HDD Input/Output: devices and controllers for keyboards, displays, networks Interconnects: buses and links that move data across chips Power and cooling: the system must stay within safe temperatures Design goals and trade-offs Performance vs. power and heat Cost vs. capability and reliability Scalability and future needs Reliability through error checking and protection Key concepts Clock and timing: all parts sync to a clock Parallelism: cores, vector units, and pipelines Memory hierarchy: caches, main memory, storage Interfaces: PCIe, USB, memory buses A simple example Imagine a small board with a quad-core CPU, 8 GB of DRAM, and a fast SSD. The design choices include cache size, memory channel width, and a cooling solution. The performance comes from keeping frequently used data close to the CPU and from a quick path to I/O. ...