AC5300 Broadcom CPU

[GeoS]

Is the Broadcom CPU on this device similar to MIPS or ARM?

 

[tim]

ARM based CPU

 

[sfx2000]

Dual Core 32-bit ARMv7 (Cortex-A9) @ 1.4GHz if I recall correctly...

 

[thiggins]

Broadcom BCM4709C0KFEBG dual-core @ 1.4 GHz. ARM Cortex A9, as SFX noted.

 

[RMerlin]

Broadcom BCM4709C0KFEBG dual-core @ 1.4 GHz. ARM Cortex A9, as SFX noted.

Are the BCM4709C0 and BCM47094 the same thing? I see both model names mentioned on the web, however BCM's own website only mention the BCM47094.

 

[hggomes]

https://www.broadcom.com/products/Wireless-LAN/802.11-Wireless-LAN-Solutions/BCM4707-4708-4709

 

[RMerlin]

https://www.broadcom.com/products/Wireless-LAN/802.11-Wireless-LAN-Solutions/BCM4707-4708-4709

That product page states this is 1 GHz CPU. The BCM4709C0 mentionned above is a 1.4 GHz CPU.

 

[hggomes]

Yeah it is, they had overclock it.

You can test whatever Broadcom CPU you want, BCM4708, BCM4709, BCM4709C0 or even BCM47094, if they are set at same clock speeds (1.4GHZ) they will perform the same, tests results don't lie.

Now if theres any other new "feature" from newer models (which i doubt) the only way is to check the datasheet, like i said several times before this BCM4709C0/BCM47094 are "more of the same" or "sand to the eyes", simply overclocked and renamed CPUs.

 

[RMerlin]

Yeah it is, they had overclock it.

You can test whatever Broadcom CPU you want, BCM4708, BCM4709, BCM4709C0 or even BCM47094, if they are set at same clock speeds (overclock at 1.4GHZ) they will perform the same, tests results don't lie.

Now if theres any other new "feature" from newer models (which i doubt) the only way is to check the datasheet, like i said several times before this BCM47094 it's "more of the same" or "sand to the eyes", simply overclocked and renamed.

You need to stop thinking of the BCM470x as being "just a CPU". Yes, those variants ALL use a Cortex A9 - Broadcom never said otherwise. But this chip is a complete SoC. The rest on the chip isn't the same.

So no, it's not "just an overclocked BCM4708". That SoC also contains the USB host, the Ethernet switch, Broadcom's Flow Accelerator engine, the PCI-e bus, memory controller, and so on. These components are just as important, and they do get upgraded.

 

[hggomes]

RT-AC88U/RT-AC3100 (BCM4709C0) CPU:

RT-AC5300 is the one using BCM47094.

• Tri-band (Xstream) AC5400 router support with three BCM4366 4x4 radios.

 

[hggomes]

You need to stop thinking of the BCM470x as being "just a CPU". Yes, those variants ALL use a Cortex A9 - Broadcom never said otherwise. But this chip is a complete SoC. The rest on the chip isn't the same.

So no, it's not "just an overclocked BCM4708". That SoC also contains the USB host, the Ethernet switch, Broadcom's Flow Accelerator engine, the PCI-e bus, memory controller, and so on. These components are just as important, and they do get upgraded.

I know that, but i was only refeering to the CPU performance on them, it doesnt bring anything new, simply more clockspeed. I simply deal with the facts, testing RT-AC68U/RT-AC87U vs RT-AC88U doesnt convince me at all, the only advantage is the USB speeds (due to SDK7 usage) and extra memory on it, as you know you can see the same USB speeds on RT-AC87U once its under SDK7 aswell, and if they would upgrade also older models RT-AC56U and RT-AC68U to SDK7 you would see the same performance increase, its not the hardware but the software.

 

[RMerlin]

RT-AC88U/RT-AC3100 (BCM4709C0) CPU:

Thanks for the visual confirmation. This makes me wonder other things now regarding the RT-AC68U HW revision C1...

 

[RMerlin]

I know that, but i was only refeering to the CPU performance on them, it doesnt bring anything new, simply more clockspeed. I simply deal with the facts, testing RT-AC68U/RT-AC87U vs RT-AC88U doesnt convince me at all, the only advantage is the USB speeds (due to SDK7 usage) and extra memory on it, as you know you can see the same USB speeds on RT-AC87U once its under SDK7 aswell, and if they would upgrade also older models RT-AC56U and RT-AC68U to SDK7 you would see the same performance increase, its not the hardware but the software.

Offloading the radio to the BCM4366's own CPUs should help with high client load performance on the latest generation of routers.

 

[hggomes]

You are very welcome.

 

[sfx2000]

Are the BCM4709C0 and BCM47094 the same thing? I see both model names mentioned on the web, however BCM's own website only mention the BCM47094.

Electrically - it's the same chip - different model number/SKU to support different markets...

Some bin-sorting, as not all dies on the Wafer clock at the same speed - the ones on the edge typically are slower, but not always...

there was another discussion similar to this with BCM4360 vs. another model number on the Syno RT1900ac...

 

[sfx2000]

Offloading the radio to the BCM4366's own CPUs should help with high client load performance on the latest generation of routers.

it'll help a bit - but performance is getting a bit inverted - we've seen fantastic levels of development on WiFi SoC's, but we're at a point where the Router SoC's are getting saturated with higher bandwidth needs on both the WAN and LAN sides, along with more application loading on the cores inside the Router itself...

Not sure who makes the first move to either ARMv8, or to better ARMv7 cores (QCA is already there with their Krait's on their IPQ's), either Cortex-A15, or one of the 64 bit variants...

Cortex-A9 isn't a bad chip, but it's getting along in years... been a good run for that core...

 

[RMerlin]

it'll help a bit - but performance is getting a bit inverted - we've seen fantastic levels of development on WiFi SoC's, but we're at a point where the Router SoC's are getting saturated with higher bandwidth needs on both the WAN and LAN sides, along with more application loading on the cores inside the Router itself...

Not sure who makes the first move to either ARMv8, or to better ARMv7 cores (QCA is already there with their Krait's on their IPQ's), either Cortex-A15, or one of the 64 bit variants...

Cortex-A9 isn't a bad chip, but it's getting along in years... been a good run for that core...

Broadcom already announced going with a quad of Cortex A53 for their latest SoC.