Abstract: A crossbar switch is optimized for area, performance, and power by grouping the data lines that comprise the input ports and output ports of the switch into a plurality of separate cross-point blocks. Each cross-point block contains a complete set of input and output ports but the number of data lines comprising the input and output ports of each separate cross-point block is reduced to fraction of the number of data lines contained in each port of the crossbar switch. This fraction is equal to one divided by the number of separate cross-point blocks. Area, performance, and power of the crossbar switch are improved provided the area of the crossbar switch without grouping of data lines into separate cross-point blocks is determined by the pitch of the data lines rather than the area of the cross-point circuits. The number of blocks can be selected to optimize area, performance and power.