Ampere has announced the launch of its Altra Dev Kit, an 80-core Arm development kit that offers support for Nvidia RTX GPUs, all at a price point similar to that of high-end conventional systems. The kit is targeted at those looking to prototype hardware or software for edge computing, but its potential uses extend far beyond that niche market.

Ampere launches 80-core Arm dev kit with support for Nvidia RTX GPUs

The Altra Dev Kit, which comes in a simple cardboard box, includes a feature-packed motherboard, an SoC attached to a daughterboard, three heatsinks, and a VGA to HDMI cable. Prices start at $2,003 for the 32-core kit, with the 80-core kit available at $2,621. While Ampere also produces a 128-core SoC, it is currently out of stock.

Based on the Arm Neoverse N1 architecture, Ampere offers four different SoCs designed for data centers. The 32-core model runs at 1.7 GHz, while the 64-core model boasts a 2.2 GHz clock speed. Both the 80-core and 128-core models can reach speeds of up to 2.6 GHz. Each model includes 64 PCIe 4.0 lanes and supports up to 768 GB of DDR4 ECC memory across six channels. Ampere and its parent company, IPI (Industrial Prototyping for IoT), sell these systems to consumers strictly for development and testing purposes.

In addition to the Altra Dev Kit, Ampere offers the Altra Developer Platform, a prebuilt tower that resembles a standard gaming PC with a tempered glass panel and five RGB fans. Though the unbranded 128 GB M.2 stick and mismatched DDR4 slots may make it appear like a midrange machine, the platform starts at $3,250 for the 32-core, 32 GB RAM version, and can be configured up to 128 cores and 128 GB of RAM for $5,658.

One of the standout features of Ampere’s data center SoCs is their advertised support for Windows and consumer Nvidia RTX GPUs right out of the box. The Developer Platform comes with an unspecified discrete GPU as standard, but users can upgrade to an RTX GPU later on, as demonstrated by Ampere’s edge computing head Joe Speed on Twitter. The compatibility with RTX GPUs opens up the possibility of using the Arm chips for AAA gaming. Nvidia already utilizes these chips to stream mobile games in China, in conjunction with its A16 GPUs.

With its powerful capabilities and support for Nvidia RTX GPUs, the Ampere Altra Dev Kit presents an exciting opportunity for developers and enthusiasts alike, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved in edge computing and beyond.

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