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Intel's Quad Core plans

by Steve Kerrison on 26 September 2006, 17:10

Tags: Intel (NASDAQ:INTC)

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Live from San Francisco, the Boss, David Ross reports on Intel's plans for its quad core processors.

Intel are going to launch Kentsfield in the following timeframes.

In November we'll see a Core2 Extreme part, clocked at 2.67GHz, with a model name of QX6700. Come Q1 of 2007 Core2Quad mainstream parts will make an appearance, with 2.16GHz and 2.4GHz parts appearing.

In camp Xeon, there'll be a mass market Xeon 5300 available about the same time as QX6700. In Q1 of next year, a 50W Xeon will become available. That's 40% lower power consumption than this year's part.

Kentsfield isn't a true quad-core CPU in the sense that there won't be four cores on a single die. Instead, it'll be two dies, stuck together on the same packaging. Each core will have 2MiB of cache to play with. The QX6700 will have a TDP of 130W (eek), although the tamer parts will be closer to 100W.

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Posted by DeSean - Wed 27 Sep 2006 01:52
AMD will be sobbing at stories like this I think.

I've heard that 4x4 will not match up to this Kentsfield beast, is that what we should expect?
Posted by Clunk - Wed 27 Sep 2006 02:32
i wonder how much one of those extreme ones will cost then? and i wonder how soon in Q1 they will arrive?
Posted by Funkstar - Wed 27 Sep 2006 08:57
I've not been following the Quad core thing too closely (Dual core is pretty new to me, not used my AM2 in anger yet). Are these drop in replacements for Core2Duo parts? if so, isn't memory bandwidth going to be a complete nightmare?

Despite my new box being a dual processor machine of sorts (something i have wanted for years and years), i still want a dual socket system with dual core or quad core chips :D
Posted by chrestomanci - Wed 27 Sep 2006 09:21
Funkstar
I've not been following the Quad core thing too closely (Dual core is pretty new to me, not used my AM2 in anger yet). Are these drop in replacements for Core2Duo parts?
Yes, subject to the usual caveats about compatible motherboards, power supply and a BIOS reflash.

Funkstar
… if so, isn't memory bandwidth going to be a complete nightmare?
It is possible to avoid most memory bandwidth issues by increasing the amount of cache on the CPU die, that is why Intel CPUs have had much more cache than competing AMD models in recent years.

Think of it another way, in any computer there is the CPU, and a chain of memory devices of varying speeds and capacities. Data is transferred from the largest and slowest device (The hard disc), through a series of other memory devices (RAM, L2 Cache, L1 Cache, CPU registers), transformed by the CPU before being sent back down the chain.

The Speed ratio between each pair of devices on the chain dictates how large each needs to be for the most cost effective computing performance. For example, if your hard disc interface is fast, then you can save money on RAM by using virtual memory instead. In Intel’s case, the interface between the L2 cache and RAM is comparatively slow, so they have more L2 cache to compensate. The extra L2 cache costs more than the smaller amount on a competing AMD chip, but it is not a fatal performance problem except in synthetic benchmarks, just a small extra cost.


Funkstar
Despite my new box being a dual processor machine of sorts (something i have wanted for years and years), i still want a dual socket system with dual core or quad core chips :D
You will be needing one of these Prices start at only $25,995 :mrgreen:
Posted by Funkstar - Wed 27 Sep 2006 09:43
chrestomanci
You will be needing one of these Prices start at only $25,995 :mrgreen:
sweeeeeeeet! Well thats only £13,773….i'll get two :)

But seriously, something like this with two quad core parts (lets not argue about whether they would work just yet :) ) is definitely feasable.
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=377772

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