Folding@Home on Intel Arc: Fixable by driver update, or impossible on Alchemist? (Double precision)

[NisplayDame]

I'd really like to be able to use my A750 for Folding@home, especially in the winter when I'm paying for heating anyways, so I might as well be doing something productive with the electricity instead of just resistive heating. I am aware that Folding@home requires double precision float support in order to work:

• https://foldingforum.org/viewtopic.php?t=38605 
• https://foldingforum.org/viewtopic.php?t=38527 
• https://www.reddit.com/r/IntelArc/comments/zyec8v/foldinghome_on_arc/ 

But my question is: Is double precision something that can potentially be added as a driver update, or is it completely impossible with the current architecture? If the addition of double precision support is something that Intel could add in a driver update, then we can ask them nicely to add it in the future, so that maybe I'll eventually be able to run Folding@home on my A750. However, if it's impossible for Alchemist to ever do double precision, i.e. if they'd need to redesign the architecture in order to support it, then I don't need to get my hopes up.

[Andres_Intel]

Hello NisplayDame,

Thank you for posting on the Intel communities. Since you want to know if double precision is something that can potentially be added as a driver update, or if it is completely impossible with the current architecture of the Intel® Arc™ Graphics.

I will start with an investigation and as soon I have further details I will let you know.

Regards,  

Andres P. 

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Andres_Intel]

Hello NisplayDame,

Thank you for your time.

I have been working on the investigation to answer your question. As you mentioned Intel® Arc™ A-Series does not support Double Precision calculations. There are no plans to change this in the current hardware.

Let me know if you have further questions.

Regards,  

Andres P. 

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Andres_Intel]

Hello NisplayDame,

I just want to remind you that Intel® Arc™ A-Series does not support Double Precision calculations. There are no plans to change this in the current hardware.

Let us know if you still need assistance.    

Best regards,   

Andres P.   

Intel Customer Support Technician 

[Andres_Intel]

Hello NisplayDame,

We have not heard back from you, so we will close this thread. If you need any additional information, please submit a new question as this thread will no longer be monitored.  

Best regards, 

Andres P. 

Intel Customer Support Technician

[NisplayDame]

Hi Andres,

Thanks for the response. I didn't see a notification that you replied to the thread. I'm glad to at least know that it's not planned for Alchemist so there's no reason to get my hopes up for F@H support in the future on this card.

Are there plans to add double precision support in future architectures (Battlemage, Celestial, etc.) or is it too early to say one way or the other now?

Thanks!