Image Credit: NVIDIA

Unveiled at the recent GTC event, this platform introduces a host of groundbreaking technologies that promise to usher in a new era of computing capabilities. From enabling trillion-parameter-scale AI models to significantly reducing operating costs and energy consumption, the Blackwell platform could very well be a quantum leap forward in computational power.

The Rise of Blackwell

At the heart of the Blackwell platform lies a revolutionary GPU architecture, equipped with six transformative technologies designed to accelerate computing across various industries.

Image Credit: NVIDIA

One of the most noteworthy advancements is the introduction of the new Blackwell B200 GPU, which boasts an impressive 208 billion transistors and is manufactured using a custom-built 4NP TSMC process. It’s actually not a single GPU, but NVIDIA’s first multi-chip GPU with two GPUs in a single package connected by extremely high bandwidth connections. Similar to AMD’s “chiplet” CPU designs.

This cutting-edge architecture enables the Blackwell platform to support real-time generative AI applications on trillion-parameter large language models, setting a new standard for computational efficiency and speed.


Not Your Grandpa’s Computing

The implications of the Blackwell platform extend far beyond traditional computing. With unparalleled promised processing power, Blackwell is poised to fuel breakthroughs in diverse fields such as data processing, engineering simulation, electronic design automation, computer-aided drug design, and quantum computing.

This means that virtually no aspect of professional computing will be untouched, and if Blackwell can do what NVIDIA says, it may become essential to hop on the Blackwell train as soon as possible.


Everyone Is Signing Up

Speaking of hopping on the train, the widespread adoption of the Blackwell platform by industry giants such as Amazon Web Services, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and others says a lot about its potential.

Through strategic collaborations and co-development efforts, these companies are paving the way for the integration of Blackwell-powered solutions into their existing infrastructure. NVIDIA has blurbs from Sundar Pichai, Andy Jassy, Michael Dell, Mark Zuckerberg, Satya Nadella, and even Sam Altman.


When Does This Trickle Down To Us?

It’s cool to hear NVIDIA and major companies talk about how their “AI Superchip” will transform the world, but when does some of that power come to us?

We have no idea if that full-sized 208B transistor chip will be in any workstation or consumer GPUs, or if we’ll be getting a cut-down version of it. It might even be possible that NVIDIA could branch its GPU lines, with a consumer version tuned more for graphics performance, leaving the bulk of AI acceleration to data centers.

Image Credit: NVIDIA

We expect consumer GPUs based on Blackwell to be the 50-Series of RTX cards, and actual silicon is expected in the final quarter or 2024 to the first quarter of 2025.