Cache question

The_man27 · May 30, 2004

What good is the L3 cache on EE processors, since it's slower than L2? Couldn't have they just increased the L2 to 2MB or something?

Might be a stupid question... Just doesn't seem logical to me. Maybe cause L2 takes up a lot of space?

MisterEd · May 30, 2004

The_man27 said:
What good is the L3 cache on EE processors, since it's slower than L2? Couldn't have they just increased the L2 to 2MB or something?

Might be a stupid question... Just doesn't seem logical to me. Maybe cause L2 takes up a lot of space?

It is a matter of economics. It is cheaper to add higher latency L3 cache than L2 cache.

NookieN · May 30, 2004

A cache's latency is often proportional to its size. If you make the L2 bigger, you also make it slower. By adding an L3, they can keep the existing benefits of the L2 while adding an additional layer of high-speed memory.

Cache question

The_man27

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MisterEd

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