The mainstay of the 45nm process is the Lynnfield quad-core architecture, released in September, and destined to run through 2010.
The current dual-core chips are based on the Core 2 design, and they will be replaced by the Clarkdale (desktop) and Arrandale (mobile) cores that are hewn from the upcoming 32nm Westmere architecture.
Aside from using the latest process technology, the new chips will feature integrated graphics on the same package as the CPU.
Looking at it at a high-level, Clarkdale, then, is a 32nm dual-core, four-threaded (hyperthreaded) chip that's internally QPI-connected to separate piece of 45nm silicon that houses the GPU and dual-channel memory-controller - in the same package.
Due to be launched in Q1 2010, and branded under the Core i3/i5 banner, the fastest Clarkdale chip will clock in at 3.46GHz. Good enough to worry AMD, no doubt, but how high will the new process go using basic air cooling?
The folks over at lab501.ro have managed to snag an engineering-sample Core i5-650, attached a big-ass Noctua NH-U12P cooler, and cranked it all the way up to 4.7GHz.
Picture courtesy of lab501.ro (click to enlarge)
Stable for 30m under Prime95 load, the 32nm process appears to have plenty of headroom. Worrying for AMD, the integrated graphics are significantly better than anything Intel has produced thus far, so 2010 may well prove to be a difficult year from the CPU perspective.
We're very keen to see what price Intel attaches to Clarkdale chips and what AMD does to respond. Should the recent price-adjustment exercise be anything to go by, we'll be seeing a greater number of quad-core chips at under £100.
