INFRA Signal 541
Arm reportedly extends page-table entries to 128 bits for larger physical memory addressing
↗
Illustration only Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com M on Unsplash
Arm is exploring 128-bit page-table entries to enable addressing of significantly larger physical memory spaces than current 64-bit limits allow
Physical memory addressing limits are a fundamental constraint in system design. Extending page-table entries to 128 bits would remove a key bottleneck for memory-intensive workloads like large-scale AI, databases, and high-performance computing. However, the change introduces complexity in hardware and software coordination without additional context on implementation trade-offs
Written by elseif from the cluster below · every claim links back to a sourceThe three things worth knowing
128-bit page tables would theoretically allow Arm processors to address vastly more physical memory than 64-bit entries
The shift mirrors earlier transitions from 32-bit to 64-bit addressing but requires new hardware and OS support
No details are available on performance, compatibility, or real-world adoption barriers
THE CLUSTER