--- rtl/baseline/int8_matvec_4x4.sv
+++ rtl/optimized/int8_matvec_4x4.sv
@@ -32,10 +32,11 @@
     logic signed [15:0] p10, p11, p12, p13;
     logic signed [15:0] p20, p21, p22, p23;
     logic signed [15:0] p30, p31, p32, p33;
-    logic signed [31:0] e00, e01, e02, e03;
-    logic signed [31:0] e10, e11, e12, e13;
-    logic signed [31:0] e20, e21, e22, e23;
-    logic signed [31:0] e30, e31, e32, e33;
+    logic signed [16:0] s00, s01;
+    logic signed [16:0] s10, s11;
+    logic signed [16:0] s20, s21;
+    logic signed [16:0] s30, s31;
+    logic signed [17:0] d0, d1, d2, d3;
 
     always_comb begin
         p00 = w00 * x0;
@@ -55,26 +56,23 @@
         p32 = w32 * x2;
         p33 = w33 * x3;
 
-        e00 = {{16{p00[15]}}, p00};
-        e01 = {{16{p01[15]}}, p01};
-        e02 = {{16{p02[15]}}, p02};
-        e03 = {{16{p03[15]}}, p03};
-        e10 = {{16{p10[15]}}, p10};
-        e11 = {{16{p11[15]}}, p11};
-        e12 = {{16{p12[15]}}, p12};
-        e13 = {{16{p13[15]}}, p13};
-        e20 = {{16{p20[15]}}, p20};
-        e21 = {{16{p21[15]}}, p21};
-        e22 = {{16{p22[15]}}, p22};
-        e23 = {{16{p23[15]}}, p23};
-        e30 = {{16{p30[15]}}, p30};
-        e31 = {{16{p31[15]}}, p31};
-        e32 = {{16{p32[15]}}, p32};
-        e33 = {{16{p33[15]}}, p33};
+        s00 = {p00[15], p00} + {p01[15], p01};
+        s01 = {p02[15], p02} + {p03[15], p03};
+        s10 = {p10[15], p10} + {p11[15], p11};
+        s11 = {p12[15], p12} + {p13[15], p13};
+        s20 = {p20[15], p20} + {p21[15], p21};
+        s21 = {p22[15], p22} + {p23[15], p23};
+        s30 = {p30[15], p30} + {p31[15], p31};
+        s31 = {p32[15], p32} + {p33[15], p33};
 
-        y0 = e00 + e01 + e02 + e03;
-        y1 = e10 + e11 + e12 + e13;
-        y2 = e20 + e21 + e22 + e23;
-        y3 = e30 + e31 + e32 + e33;
+        d0 = {s00[16], s00} + {s01[16], s01};
+        d1 = {s10[16], s10} + {s11[16], s11};
+        d2 = {s20[16], s20} + {s21[16], s21};
+        d3 = {s30[16], s30} + {s31[16], s31};
+
+        y0 = {{14{d0[17]}}, d0};
+        y1 = {{14{d1[17]}}, d1};
+        y2 = {{14{d2[17]}}, d2};
+        y3 = {{14{d3[17]}}, d3};
     end
 endmodule