GPUs (TX1) are ~10W, typical FGPAs ~1W, versus 70mW for TrueNorth!
These numbers are meaningless. If you want to compare power consumption for different chips, you need to make sure they:
1. Perform the same task: running the same algorithm on the same data
2. Use the same precision (number of bits) in both data storage, and computation.
3. Achieve the same accuracy on the benchmark.
4. Run at the same speed (finish the benchmark at the same time). In other words, look at energy per task, not per time.
If even a single one of these conditions is not met, you're comparing apples to oranges. No valid comparisons have been made so far, that I know of.
p.s. The numbers you provided are off even ignoring my main point: typical power consumption of an FPGA chip is 10-40W, and I don't know where you got 70mW for TrueNorth, and what it represents.
These numbers are meaningless. If you want to compare power consumption for different chips, you need to make sure they:
1. Perform the same task: running the same algorithm on the same data
2. Use the same precision (number of bits) in both data storage, and computation.
3. Achieve the same accuracy on the benchmark.
4. Run at the same speed (finish the benchmark at the same time). In other words, look at energy per task, not per time.
If even a single one of these conditions is not met, you're comparing apples to oranges. No valid comparisons have been made so far, that I know of.
p.s. The numbers you provided are off even ignoring my main point: typical power consumption of an FPGA chip is 10-40W, and I don't know where you got 70mW for TrueNorth, and what it represents.