AMD Phenom II triple-core and quad-core

AMD’s exclusive rival on X86 microprocessor, Intel launched Core i7 Series Processor last week in a big way. Core i7 becomes a quad-core processor, but it doesn’t suppress its competitor by numbers, even though it supports Hyper-threading. AMD doesn’t think much about this, but users will do.

Phenom II Processor’s code name is “Deneb”. It will be the first triple-core processor backed by 45nm technology. AMD Phenom II triple-core and quad-core will be named in a new way. Triple-core will come out as Phenom II 700 Series, and quad-core products include Phenom II 800 and 900 Series with 6MB and 8MB of total L2 and L3 cache respectively.

Phenom II Series will come to us with 920 and 930 models firstly. The naming scheme is the same as Core i7. Their release date is scheduled to be Jan 18th, but according to latest information, it might be postponed till March 2009. The frequency of Phenom II 920/940 is 2.8GHz and 3.0GHz. They feature AM2+ socket, supporting DDR2-1066, not DDR3. Their TDPs are as high as 125W.

Besides improved L2+L3 cache capacity, slightly upgraded frequency and additional DDR3 support (920/940 only support DDR2), we can say 45nm Phenom II processor hardly bring something new to us. I am afraid that AMD will need to worry about its situation in 2009.

source en.expreview.com

Phenom X4 9950 hits 4.5Ghz

This entry has just been submitted to the cpu-z database: 9950 at 4.5GHz using 1.86v and LN2. Has yet to be confirmed valid, although it all seems pretty solid. Hooray for AMD yet again?

Core 2 processors with TDP desktop systems

Despite the recent debut of solutions based on Nehalem architecture, marketed under the brand name of Core I7 few days, Intel seems not willing to stop the development of solutions Core 2 Duo systems for Socket 775 LGA least for the first part of 2009 .

The debut of some new cpu with Intel quad core architecture characterized by low levels of consumption of particular content, with maximum TDP in 65 Watt said.

The models are to debut Core 2 Quad Q9550, with clock frequency of 2.83 GHz and L2 cache of 12 Mbytes, Core 2 Quad Q9400 with clock of 2.66 GHz and 6 MB of L2 cache and Core 2 Quad Q8200 with clock of 2.33 GHz and L2 cache of 4 MB. For all these cpu are the same value as TDP quad pumped bus and by 1333 for MHz clock.he prices are respectively 369, 320 and 245 U.S. dollars excluding taxes.

The following versions of the processor that will be presented by Intel during the month of November.
Core 2 Extreme QX9300
Core 2 Quad Q9100
Core 2 Extreme X9100
Core 2 Duo T9600
Core 2 Duo P9500
Core 2 Duo T9400
Core 2 Duo P8600.

AMD Phenom II overclocked to 6.3GHz

After initial disappointment with the original Phenom processors, AMD showed off its upcoming 45nm ‘Deneb’ desktop chip – now confirmed as Phenom II – for reviewers at an event in Texas this week, and overclocked the second-generation quad-core part to what some observers said was 6.3GHz.The company reached such clock speeds by using liquid nitrogen at an amazing -196C to cool the processor – apparently the new AMD design works flawlessly from -200C to +100C.

Of course not many people have access to such extreme cooling methods but the demo should at least show that the new Phenom II processors are scalable when it comes to clock speeds and quite stable at high frequencies.

The Phenom II parts were also able to hit 4GHz with air cooling and 5GHz with dry ice cooling. By comparison, Intel's top Core i7 processor listed as a 3.2 GHz part has been overclocked to 4.5 GHz on air cooling alone and some claim to have taken it to 5.7GHz using liquid nitrogen. The top Phenom II chip, due out sometime in the first quarter of 2009, will reportedly list as 3.0 GHz off the shelf.

AMD Phenom II, Overclocks To 5+GHz

Dragon platform is a combination of an AMD Phenom II X4 processor, Radeon 4800 Graphics cards and an AMD 7 series chipset based motherboard.

However, today’s discussion was keenly focused on AMD's upcoming Phenom II X4 processor, two models of which will launch in early January that will be socket AM2+ compatible. In addition, some time in Q1, AMD will launch new AM3 socket Phenom II X4 processors with support for DDR3-1333 memory. In the short term, (read CES ’08 time frame release) specifically, there will be two chips available with clock speeds starting at 2.8GHz but with a lot of headroom for future clock speed ramps as well as some heavy duty overclocking. In addition, with the transition to 45nm fab process technology for Phenom II, AMD is claiming a 30 – 40% power consumption reduction under full load and up to a 50% reduction under idle conditions.

Things certainly seem to be heating up in Austin and the transition to 45nm for AMD seems to be progressing quite well. We’ll be offering a full performance evaluation and showcase of AMD’s new Phenom II processor in the weeks ahead, so stay tuned.
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Intel Core i7 CPUs make their official debut

Top silicon maker and breaker, Intel Corporation has now officially launched the first processors based on the Nehalem architecture. Coming to take over the high-performance desktop segment, the Core i7 CPUs make use of a new Socket - LGA1366, are paired up with a new chipset (X58) and feature a heap of more or less new features.

"Intel has delivered the fastest desktop processor on Earth to the most demanding users on Earth, the ones who are using their PCs for video, gaming and music," said Patrick Gelsinger, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's Digital Enterprise Group. "When you couple what is Intel's biggest leap in chip design with other incredible innovations like Intel's solid state drives, the Core i7 processor has redefined the computer of tomorrow."

Going from 2.66 GHz (Core i7 920), through 2.93 GHz (940) and topping 3.2 GHz (Core i7 965 Extreme Edition), the new 45nm CPUs have four cores and eight threads, integrated triple channel DDR3 memory controller, 8MB of L3 cache, a TDP of 130W and can brag with the auto OC technology called Turbo Boost. As pretty much every performance preview/review has confirmed, the Core i7s are fast as heck but to get them you'll have to dig relatively deep in your pockets as the 'cheapest' model, the Core i7 920, has a price tag of $284 while your average X58 motherboard costs even more (and we didn't include the DDR3 kit). As confirmed by Intel, the Core i7 940 is priced at $562 while the 965 EE is at $999.

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AMD roadmaps revealed till 2012

During the Financial Analyst Day, AMD has unveiled several of the roadmaps for the years to come. Because of the increasing competition in the notebook area, as well as the increasing demand for netbooks, AMD will have to work really hard to keep its market share.

The "Puma" platform, with the "Griffin" CPU's, will be replaced in 2009 by the "Tigris" platform, with its "Caspian" processors. The socket S1g2 will be changed to S1g3, a transition that is parallel to that of the desktop-socket, which will change from AM2+ to AM3. The "Caspian" processors will be the first 45nm AMD notebook processors. Apart from the several "Tigris" models, the company will also launch its "Congo" platform with the "Conesus" processor, as well as the "Yukon" platform with the single core "Huron" processor to serve the netbook market.

The current RS780M chipset will be moved to "Congo" in the ultraportable segment. The southbridge will be slightly improved and renamed SB710. The same SB710 will also be used in the "Tigris" platform, combined with an improved RS880M chipset.

In 2010, AMD's first quadcore notebook will appear, it will be part of the 'Danube' platform and the processors will be codenamed 'Champlain'. DDR3 memory will also be introduced in AMD's notebooks. "Nile" will form a compact platform for the dualcore "Geneva" processors, also sporting the DDR3 memory support. The image above shows the roadmap for AMD's processors. In 2011, they will transit the production to 32 nm for all processors. Another interesting thing is that AMD has the same "Liano" processor planned for both desktops and notebooks. The "Orochi" will be AMD's high-end processor, possibly featuring eight cores and over 8 MB cache.

Source: Computerbase

Dell Core i7-ready Studio XPS desktop PC

Dell's Studio desktops liked intel Nehalem and studio XPS is here and it has already been added to Dell's offer. The new desktop PC has a starting price of $949 and it includes an X58 motherboard, a Core i7 processor, up to 12GB of DDR3 1066 MHz memory, a maximum of 1TB of storage space , and either a Radeon HD 3450 or HD 4850 graphics card.

The Studio XPS also features a 16x DVD writer, 7.1 channel audio, Gigabit Ethernet and comes with Windows Vista Home Premium Edition 64bit SP1 pre-installed. More info about Dell's Studio XPS can be found on Dell's website.

Alienware Core i7 Area-51 X-58 desktop

Alienware has just introduced the Core i7-powered Area-51 X-58 and ALX X-58 gaming systems. Starting at $1,349, the Area-51 X-58 can be equipped with Core i7 920 (2.66GHz), 940 (2.93GHz) or Core i7 Extreme (3.2GHz) Core i7 CPUs, a X58 motherboard, up to 12GB DDR3 1066 MHz memory, at least a Radeon HD 4670 graphics card, 2TB of storage and even a 4x Blu-Ray writer.

At $3,699, the ALX X-58 has the same CPU and memory options but comes with at least one Radeon HD 3870 X2 or two GeForce 9800 GTX cards, 2TB via two 7,200 RPM drives or 600 GB through two 10,000 RM HDDs, and a Blu-Ray burner.

Alienware Core i7 Area-51 X-58 desktop

DELL GAMING LAUNCHES THREE ALL-NEW SYSTEMS FEATURING INTEL® CORE™ i7 AND CORE i7 EXTREME PROCESSORS

· Alienware Area-51® X-58 – Starting at $1,649
· Alienware Area-51® ALX X-58 – Starting at $3,699
· Dell XPS 730x – Starting at $1,999
Miami – Nov. 17, 2008 – Dell Gaming brings unprecedented speed and performance with the launch of the Intel® Core™ i7, offering users the world's most powerful processors on three all-new extreme gaming desktops; the Alienware Area-51® X-58, Alienware Area-51 ALX X-58 and the Dell XPS 730x. By incorporating Intel's breakthrough new microarchitecture into these three dynamic systems, Dell Gaming delivers a revolutionary leap in in-game performance. The Intel Core i7 processor generates a greater number of instructions per clock cycle, enhancing the systems' simultaneous processing capabilities. This translates into improved physics, greater environmental interactivity, more intelligent AI and an overall boost in the immersive, real-to-life experience hardcore gamers demand.

The News
· Available today at www.alienware.com/X58 and www.dell.com/gaming, the Alienware Area-51 X-58 and ALX X-58 feature up to 12GB of triple channel DDR3 memory, while the XPS 730x offers up to 6GB. All three systems utilize the all-new Intel QuickPath Architecture to speed up communication between the processor and components throughout the systems. This delivers faster load times between game levels without sacrificing background applications such as game utility packages, surfing the Net or downloading movies and music. With a performance increase of over 20 percent compared to the previous generation platform, Intel Core i7 processors help these rigs crank out maximum benchmarks at peak game settings.
· In addition to this aggressive performance, the Area-51 X-58, Area-51 ALX X-58 and XPS 730x feature Dell Gaming exclusives such as:
o Alienware AlienFX® customizable lighting controls: Allows gamers to customize the system looks with software-controlled multi-zone lighting. Includes event-driven activities, like changing automatically when programs are launched or email is received.
o Alienware Command Center: Advanced user controls in a centralized, user- friendly access port for exclusive applications such as AlienFX® lighting, AlienFusion power management, and AlienSense facial recognition security features. (Alienware Only)
o XPS internal theater lighting for "under the hood" activities: a series of battery powered LEDs automatically light the interior when the side panel is removed. (XPS Only)
o Dell Gaming's bold, signature case designs, giving gamers maximum customization and an intense, immersive user experience.
· Gaming enthusiasts will be able configure Dell gaming systems to meet their unique specification with options like:
o Air-cooled or AlienIce™ or H2C high-performance cooled CPUs and chipsets
o Video card solutions from both ATI and NVIDIA, and all systems are ATI CrossfireX™ and NVIDIA SLI-ready.
o Multiple single and dual hard drive options, with support for RAID 1, 0, and 1+0 (up to 2TB on XPS, 4TB on Alienware).
o Choice of 750, 1000, 1200-watt power supply (Alienware only)
With Intel Core i7 processors, you get the advantage of:
· Intel 45nm Technology – delivers higher speeds, enhanced efficiency and improved thermal management
· Intel QuickPath Architecture – utilizes an on-board memory controller to move beyond the capabilities of the FSB and enjoy the full benefits of multi-core and microarchitecture-based CPUs
· Intel Hyper-Threading – enables Windows to deliver eight-threaded performance capability on four cores
· 64-Bit OS Ready – processes double the information of 32-bit-based systems, increasing responsiveness and maximizing your hardware's potential
· Intel Turbo Mode – shifts the processor into a higher gear for mind-blowing performance without a heat penalty
The Quotes
"By incorporating the revolutionary capabilities of Intel Core i7 and Core i7 Extreme Edition processors into the Alienware and XPS lines of gaming systems, Dell Gaming continues to lead the industry in delivering performance levels and in-game benchmarks that shatter all previously perceived limitations," says Arthur Lewis, head of Dell gaming group.

"Intel Core i7 processors represent the next stage in the evolution of desktop performance," says Doug Parker, Intel's Director of Marketing for America's Sales and Marketing Group. "By combining this dramatic technology with the expert engineering of Alienware and XPS systems, Intel and Dell are redefining gamers' expectations for power and efficiency."
For more information on Intel Core i7 processors in Alienware and XPS systems, please visit: www.alienware.com/X58 and www.dell.com/gaming.

Phenom II naming scheme and launch plans

AMD has dropped the plan of releasing any 45nm Phenoms before the end of this year but is readying a full line-up of processors for next year. Set to debut at CES, the Phenom II family includes the X4 900, 800 (Deneb) and 600 (Propus), X3 700 (Heka) and 600 (Rana) plus the X2 200 (Regor) series CPUs.

In Q1, AMD is expected to introduce no less than 8 processors, two of them, the Phenom II X4 940 Black Edition (3.0 GHz) and 920 (2.8 GHz) being AM2+ parts. The DDR3-supporting AM3 line-up will debut with the X4 925 (2.8 GHz), 910 (2.6 GHz), X4 810 (2.6 GHz), 805 (2.5 GHz), X3 720 (2.8 GHz) and 710 (2.6 GHz). The prices of these models are still unknown but hopefully their'll be very competitive.

The Phenom II X3 600 and X2 200s are set to become available in Q2.

Intel Core i7 priced

Dean Pullen the Inquirer, Monday 17 November 2008. 09:00:00 Available in the UK INTEL'S NEW PROCESSOR brand is now out, in stock, and available in the UK. The new fangled CPU code-named Nehalem, but now branded Core i7, can be picked up at a variety of online distributors for a range of different prices....

AMD to release Phenom II in January

AMD told analysts yesterday that Phenom II X4 would be launched at CES 2009 in January. This Shanghai-based desktop product of the Deneb core, will serve as a launching platform for AMD's new industry focus, which is on value and mainstream and markedly away from enterprise. AMD's executives also stated that Intel's Nehalem-based Core i7 is out of touch with the marketplace.

The Dragon platform

The Phenom II X4 will be released along with an enthusiast platform called "Dragon." Like the server version announced yesterday, the desktop Phenom II will be a quad-core processor with 8 MB cache (6 MB shared L3, 512 KB L2 per core), support for DDR2 and DDR3 memory. Dragon will provide a range of graphics options from low-end to a "terascale graphics engine," overdrive CPU control and a Fusion optimization tool.

AMD comments on Intel Core i7

AMD's Bob Grim, senior manager of product marketing for AMD's desktop group, categorized Intel's Core i7 as being out of touch with the marketplace. He said, "Expensive motherboards, expensive memory...all expectations says that the processor will be expensive as well." Intel's Core i7 processors priced at $294 for 2.66 GHz, $562 for 2.93 GHz and $999 for 3.20 GHz. See Intel's pricing page.
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Shanghai Chips from AMD now available

AMD has released its new Shanghai platform, signaling a move to 45nm. The first chips out the door are quad-core Opteron parts, which AMD claims will deliver up to 35 percent more performance and up to a 35 percent decrease in power consumption when idle.Acording to CNet, a desktop platform (codenamed Dragon) consisting of 45nm Shanghai desktop CPUs along with AMD 700 series chipsets and ATI Radeon HD 4000 graphics will also see the light of day in the same time frame and attempt to compete with Intel's Core i7 platform.

"This enhanced AMD Opteron processor represents the most dramatic performance and performance-per-watt increases for AMD products since the introduction of the world's first x86 dual-core processors nearly four years ago," Randy Allen, AMD senior VP for Computing Solutions Group, said in a statement. "Simply put, the quad-core AMD Opteron is the right technology at the right time."Shanghai, which is essentially a refresh of Barcelona and not an entirely new architecture, supports DDR2-800 memory and comes with a tweaked Direct Connect Architecture. The current batch of 75-watt Shanghai chips will be followed up by a launch of 55-watt Opteron and an SE 105-watt part in Q1 2009.

Shanghai Chips from AMD now available

AMD pushes Fusion platform to 2011

AMD's executives gave an update of th company's progress toward profitability, products, marketing, manufacturing and operational initiatives on Thursday at the company's 2008 Financial Analyst Day in Sunnyvale, Calif.AMD has changed its original plans to introduce chips that combine CPU and and graphics cores to 2011, at a time where the when it will roll its first 32 nm products.

AMD pushes Fusion platform to 2011

The company has canceled its plans to release in 2010 its first dual-core 45 nm processor that would combine graphics and x86 cores. Instead, AMD will inntroduce in 2010 a four-core notebook processor in a BGA package.

AMD's "rival" Intel is expected to release a notebook processor that includes a graphics core in the end of 2009.AMD's first 32 nm processors will be delivered in 2011. The Orochi (UMPC/notebook) and Llano (mainstream desktop/notebook) chips will be the first to use AMD's next-generation Bulldozer core. The desktop chips will have four x86 cores and support four to eight Mbytes cache and DDR3 memory. The Llano chip will also include a graphics core.

Also in 2011, AMD will deliver Ontario, a 32nkm notebook chip with two x86 and one graphics core, supporting DDR3 memory.
Desktop/notebook Roadmap 2009-2010

AMD also provided details bout the CPU roadmap for mobile and desktop PCs for 2009/2010.

In 2009, the 45nm quad-core "Deneb" CPU (8m cache, DDR2/3) will power the entusiast desktop platforms. The "Propos" quad-core chips will be also available at that time featuring 2MB of cache and they will be found at mainstearm desktop PCs.

In the notebook segment for clients, AMD will release in 2009 the new 2-core "Caspian" CPU (2MB cache, DDR2) followed by the quad-core "Champlain" CPU (2MB cache, DDR3) in 2010. For ultramobiles, AMd prepares the "Conesus" (2-core, 1M cache, DDR2) chip for 2009 and the "Geneva" (2-core, 2M cache, DDR3) chip one year later.

AMD's 45nm desktop CPUs to be named Phenom II?

Announcing its 45nm Opteron CPUs, AMD said a few things about the upcoming 45nm desktop offer too. First of all, the company has revealed that the CPUs will be part of the successor of the Spider platform which will be known as "Dragon" which will debut in Q1 2009.

The second thing mentioned by AMD was that Dragon will make use of the "new 45nm AMD Phenom II X4 quad-core processors" which, if no typo comes into play, means the Phenom line-up is ready to step up in number and generation. It's yet unknown if both the AM2+ and AM3 45nm parts will bear the "Phenom II" name. We're guessing yes?

AMD launches its 45nm Opteron processors

AMD launches its 45nm Opteron processors

AMD has now announced the official debut of its first 45nm processors, the 'Shanghai' quad-core Opterons. Still making use of Socket F (1207), the 45nm server CPUs feature HyperTransport, the CoolCore technology, which reduces power to unused sections of each processor to further reduce power consumption., 6MB of L3 cache (up from the 2 MB of 65nm Opterons), an integrated DDR2 memory controller, lower power requirements and generally more processing power.

AMD launches its 45nm Opteron processors

"Flawless execution in bringing the 45nm Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor to market early results in new performance leadership on x86 servers," said Randy Allen, senior vice president, Computing Solutions Group, AMD. "In concert with our OEM and solution provider partners, AMD is addressing the need for enterprises to focus on their bottom line while giving them the innovations they need to build for the future. This enhanced AMD Opteron processor represents the most dramatic performance and performance-per-watt increases for AMD products since the introduction of the world’s first x86 dual-core processors by AMD nearly four years ago. Simply put, the Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor is the right technology at the right time."

The first wave of 45nm processors has already reached stores and the offers of server builders and it includes no less than nine models, all detailed below. Prices are for 1000-unit tray quantities.

Intel is planning to launch Xeon 5500 (Nehalem-EP) and Xeon 3500 series

Intel is planning to launch Xeon 5500 (Nehalem-EP) and Xeon 3500 series (Nehalem-WS) server CPUs in the first quarter of 2009, according to sources at server makers.

Intel will launch ten CPUs for the Xeon 5500 series: quad-core W5580 (3.2GHz), X5570 (2.93GHz), X5560 (2.8GHz), X5550 (2.66GHz), E5540 (2.53GHz), E5530 (2.4GHz), E5520 (2.26GHz), E5506 (2.13GHz), E5504 (2GHz) and dual-core E5502 with prices at US$1,600, US$1,386, US$1,172, US$958, US$744, US$530, US$373, US$266, US$224 and US$188 in thousand-unit tray quantities.

For the Xeon 3500 series, Intel will launch three CPUs: quad-core W3570, W3540 and W3520 priced at US$999, US$562 and US$284.

In additional news, Intel is planning to phase out seven notebook CPUs including the Core 2 Extreme X7900 and X7800, and Core 2 Duo T7800 and L7700 in January next year.

AMD launches first 45nm, quad-core Shanghai Opterons, hitting desktops Q1

AMD has been blazing architectural trails well before Nehalem. As EE Times points out, AMD's 65-nm Barcelona was the first quad-core processor with 2MB of shared L3 cache integrated with the Northbridge memory controller. Now AMD has (finally) caught up with its own 45-nm technology under the code-name, Shanghai. AMD's newest quad-core Opteron server chip with 6MB L3 cache now offers up to 35 percent better performance while drawing 35 percent less idle power. Better yet, it's drop-in compatible with Barcelona which should keep IT-types happy as they extend the life of their server farms. Available immediately in 75-watt, quad-core versions running clock speeds from 2.3GHz to 2.7GHz.

"Barcelona was obviously a pretty rough start for them. And that does not appear to be the case for Shanghai," said Dean McCarron, the principal and founder of Mercury Research, a company that tracks chip market movements. "One of the big distinctions was they wanted to be absolutely sure that Shanghai was ready to go."

AMD launches first 45nm

Major customers are brimming with accolades for Shanghai. "We've been very pleased. Thrilled with their execution," said with Paul Gottsegen, vice president of Industry Standard Servers, HP, in an interview.

"We'll have products that will be shipping just after launch. We had high performance expectations for the product and it exceeded our expectations," he said. "We're going to put Shanghai across the meat of our product line. You'll see six different rack servers, three different blades, all up and down parts of our product line."

Shanghai technology ahead of Intel

Much of Shanghai's raw technology is a generation ahead of Intel. In a posting at EE Times, Don Scansen, a semiconductor technology analyst at Semiconductor Insights, said that many of the features that Intel is touting as new are not new to AMD and were initially introduced in AMD's Barcelona processor.

"Intel's Nehalem is due out soon, but many of the features of what has widely been touted as a 'new' architecture are only new to Intel," he writes.

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Atom 330 is benchmarked

Atom 330 is benchmarked, worse than expected

Atom 330 is benchmarked

Intel's dual-core, 1.6GHz Atom 330 coupled with a 7200 RPM SATA hard drive and 1GB of DDR2 RAM,was benchmarked run-through, and they've got some conflicting details to pass on to you. Overall, the testers found the Atom to be, as expected, faster than the N270, but only by 16 percent. In specific tests, the 330 ran Office 2003 slower than both a 2GHz VIA C7-D and the single-core Atom; PC Pro actually performed the test several times just to be sure it wasn't a glitch... and it wasn't. The 330 performed better running 2D graphics, outpacing the N270 by 41 percent, and it also outperformed its competitors in encoding and multitasking.

Atom 330 is benchmarked

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Online retailers start listing Core i7 processors

According to our sources, Intels new Core i7 processors wont appear on store shelves until November 17. That deadline apparently hasnt stopped some e-tailers from putting up early listings for the CPUs and their matching motherboards, though.

PC Connection currently lists the Core i7-920 for $334.02 and the Core i7-940 for $662—both notable markups over the tray prices, which are $284 and $562, respectively, for those two chips (see our review). Meanwhile, PC Mall has listings for a Core i7-920 at $384, a Core i7-940 at $722, and a Core i7-965 at $1,250. PC Mall has none of these chips in stock right now, but PC Connections website says "Limited Quantities Available" in the stock status column.

A search for "Core i7" at PC Connection also lists no fewer than seven motherboards, all based on the Intel X58 Express chipset and priced between $261.38 and $463.98. The cheapest of the bunch looks to be the MSI X58 Platinum, while a Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD5 is already in stock and available for $352.87. The Asus P6T Deluxe we reviewed a few days back is up for $392.09, too, well above the $309 suggested retail price.

AMD to release Atom killer netbook CPUs

We've been hearing rumors of AMD's Atom killer CPUs for over a year now. Unfortunately, vapor doesn't help the bottom line -- it does however explain AMD's conspicuous absence from the deluge of netbooks now trumping laptops for shelf-space. AMD's CEO, Dirk Meyer, has promised on a few occasions (as recently as the Q3 earnings call) to unveil "Bobcat" in November. So seeing the chips on display at tomorrow's analyst conference is pretty much a given. Check back then for all the details.

It will be very interesting to see how AMD approaches the netbook marketplace since just about every netbook announced this year seems to feature an Intel Atom processor. Dell, Toshiba, Lenovo, Acer, Toshiba, Asus and HP seem fully on board with Intel’s solution, which makes me wonder who’s going to be the first manufacturer to adopt AMD’s upcoming netbook processor.

Intel Core 2 Quad

Verdict: These high-end processors deliver maximum performance, but at a heavy price.

The Core 2 Quad and Core 2 Extreme are the most powerful CPUs in Intel's line-up. As the name implies, Core 2 Quad processors all have four physical cores, while the Core 2 Extreme range includes one dual-core processor - the X6800 - as well as the quad-core QX6000 and QX9000 ranges.

Core 2 Quad

The Core 2 Quad range includes both 65nm and 45nm parts, based on the Kentsfield and Yorkfield cores respectively. Internally, they're effectively a pair of Core 2 Duo processors built into one chip. As AMD likes to point out, this is less efficient than the Phenom's fully integrated design, as cores on different dies can't communicate directly at the chip's full internal speed. Instead, they have to pass data back and forth via the slower front side bus.

The proof is in the results. The Core 2 Quad Q6600 costs just £4 more than AMD's flagship Phenom 9600, but includes 8MB of on-die L2 cache, twice the total available to the Phenom. This helped the Q6600 achieve a storming 1.45 in our benchmarks, while AMD's quad-core processor scored only 1.28. In fact, in our tests, every Core 2 Quad processor easily outpaced anything produced by AMD. That's partly down to bigger L2 caches (up to 12MB for the Q9450 and Q9550) and partly thanks to clock speeds that go as high as 2.83GHz on a 1,333MHz front side bus.

Yet as a desktop processor, the Core 2 Quad range faces stiff competition from Intel's own Core 2 Duos. The E8400, for example, achieved a higher overall benchmark score than the Q9300 in our tests, despite costing £42 less. The extra processing power of the Core 2 Quad only shines through in properly multithreaded applications, such as our 3ds Max test: here, the E8400 took 206 seconds to render a scene that the Q9300 completed in 156 seconds. But if you're looking for an all-rounder, the Core 2 Duo is better value.

Broad Software Ecosystem Support from AMD

AMD today announced ecosystem support by leading x86 operating system (OS) and virtualization partners for the new Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor, codenamed “Shanghai.” Built on 45nm process technology, the enhanced processor will offer innovations for AMD software partners like Microsoft, Red Hat, Sun Microsystems and VMware specifically designed to improve OS and virtualization performance. Strategic improvements in comparison to 65nm Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors include a larger L3 memory cache, and features designed to further optimize application performance in virtualized environments. The new AMD Opteron processor is uniquely architected to handle more memory-intensive applications while also enabling customers of all sizes to operate a flexible and scalable IT infrastructure.

“AMD is seeing rapid industry growth and demand for cutting edge technologies such as cloud computing and virtualization,” said Earl Stahl, vice president, Software Development, AMD. “As a result of our ongoing collaboration with software partners, AMD customers can soon easily upgrade to the new Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor. Enterprise customers can leverage the ongoing enhanced performance and features like AMD Virtualization (AMD-V) technology that AMD continues to deliver, while protecting the investments made to their current software infrastructure.”With more companies turning to virtualization to help improve data center efficiency and costs, AMD designed the new AMD Opteron processor to deliver a robust platform that can manage customers’ most demanding workloads, such as web hosting and complex database management, helping to maximize the business benefits of virtualization.

ISV Ecosystem Support

By collaborating with leading OS and virtual infrastructure vendors to help ensure applications are optimized for the new Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor, AMD is providing customers with greater opportunity to utilize the software solutions that best meet the needs of their businesses.

“With the adoption of Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V to address customers’ infrastructure virtualization needs, it’s exciting to see the new Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor coming to market to help improve the performance and scalability of virtualized environments and help provide power savings benefits for customers,” said Mike Schutz, director of product management, Windows Server virtualization at Microsoft. “We look forward to continuing to work closely with AMD to help customers utilize virtualization technologies and enable businesses of all sizes to make the most of their IT investments.”

“Red Hat is committed to bringing performance, reliability and security to our customers as they expand their use of open source virtualization throughout the enterprise,” said Brian Stevens, CTO at Red Hat. “As evidenced by our recent collaboration with AMD on live migration technology, Red Hat continues to deliver business value to customers via high-performance, standards-based virtualization solutions for heterogeneous environments.”

“Sun is committed to working with AMD to include optimization and tuning advancements in the Sun xVM virtualization software portfolio in order to meet the desktop and server virtualization requirements of our customers,” said Jim McHugh, vice president of marketing, Datacenter, Sun Microsystems. “Sun xVM Server, a datacenter-grade server virtualization solution, runs on 45 nm Quad-Core AMD Opteron™ processor-based systems and offers customers the ability to virtualize and manage heterogeneous workloads, including Windows, Linux and Solaris™ operating systems, as guests. Sun xVM Server is an easy-to-use, open source hypervisor that enables a simplified and secure environment for our customers.”

“The VMware platform helps AMD customers to minimize capital and operating costs, increase availability of mission-critical applications, and promote energy efficiencies,” said Shekar Ayyar, vice president of infrastructure alliances, VMware. “The advanced virtualization features in the new Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors, such as AMD Extended Migration and AMD-V with Rapid Virtualization Indexing, can extend those benefits to optimize application performance in VMware virtualized environments.”

AMD also recognizes support for its forthcoming and current Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors from software and virtualization partners such as Parallels, Transitive and Virtual Iron. For more information about the software support of the Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor. source

Intel core i7 CPU BOX

Core i7 920 runs at 2.66GHz, L2 cache 256KB per core, L3 shared cache 8MB, the integrated memory controller supports tri-channel DDR3 memory 800MHz/1066MHz, TDP 130W. Today the CPU’s price is 2450CNY, around 358USD.

Core i7 920 retail version.

source:en.expreview.com

Intel Core 2 Duo T7400 and L7400 moving to G-0 stepping next year

Intel has recently announced that three of its Napa mobile processors, the 2.16 GHz T7400 and 1.50 GHz L7400 Core 2 Duos and the Celeron M 530 will be moving to the G-0 stepping, from the current B-2 in Q1 2009. The new revisions will have a new CPUID (06FBh) and a die size that has been optimized for manufacturability but wont feature any thermal changes. Given the new CPUID, new BIOS is required to properly detect the G-0 processors.

Intel is set to start providing samples of the G-0 mobile CPUS next month - from December 3rd for the PGA parts and December 23rd for BGA parts, and will begin shipping them in large numbers from February.

Intel Core i7 Nehalem launching on November 17

Intel provided information about its next-generation micro-architecture (Nehalem) with the Core i7 processors at a media event on Wednesday in Athens, Greece, prior to the worldwide official release of the system on November 17.

Intel Core i7 Nehalem launching on November 17

The event ran under the headline of "the fastest processor on the planet". The two major characteristics of the new i7 architecture are the triple-channel integrated memory controllers and the new interface called Quick Path Interconnect (QPI). Other highlights include the monolithic die to consolidate all four cores in a single piece of silicon, and the shared L3 cache. Further improvements include the use of the Hyper-threading as well as the Turbo Boost technologies. The Core i7 processors are also optimized to operate with Intel's X58 chipset.The Corei7 series will feature three quad-core models: The 2.66 GHz Core i7 920 will aim for the sub-$1000 class of PCs, the 2.93 GHz Core i7 940 for more expensive PCs in the $1500-$2000 range and the 3.2 GHz 965 Extreme Edition at enthusiast PCs.

The prices (1K pieces) of these CPUs are $999 for the Extreme Edition, $562 for the 940 and $284 for the 920.The X58 Express chipset covers both the northbridge/southbridge operations. The X58 IOH supports up to 36 PCIe 2.0 lanes. Depending on the processor model, QPI may run at either 6.4 GT/sec (Core i7-965) or 6.4 GT/sec (Core i7-940, i7-920) to communicate with the X58 Express chipset in each direction. This is twice the bandwidth of Intel's currently available X48 chipset, plus the full-duplex transport instead of the half-duplex. AMD's HyperTransport 3.0 still has an advantage herewith up to 41.6GB/s of bi-directional bandwidth.However, the X58 Express does not support the legacy PS/2 IDE, serial or parallel ports.

Turbo mode

Under the "TurboMode", the utilization of the number of active cores is used to adjust the frequency. For example, if only two cores are active, then there will be much more headroom within the thermal and power envelope and the CPU will be clocked higher. So the "turbo" frequencies of each core depend on the number of cores active. We could say that this is mainly a power saving feature.

Turbo Mode boasts single threaded applications as well as the performance of multi-threaded applications, according to Intel. Below is a graph that Intel showed with the Core i7 Extreme CPU to process in single-core and quad-core configurations, with Turbo Mode enabled. The graph shows the percent performance increase with Turbo Mode enable.
Technorati Tags: core i7, intel i7, chipset, core i7, gadgets, hardware, Intel, Nehalem Chipset, processor

GlacialTech UFO CPU cooler: fan doubled!

GlacialTech is one of Intel’s contractor,suppling bundled CPU cooler for the chip giant. Now they have decided not only focus on OEM business, but also going to branded retail market.

The GPU cooler is one of their top product, utilizing two PWM fan, two 8mm heatpipe and two 6mm heatpipe, providing enough airflow for surrounding components. UFO cooler supports almost all current CPUs including LGA775/1160/1366，Socket 754/939/940/AM2/F.

We still waiting for the final announcement of the product, still not sure about its date and price.

Spec:

Material: Cooper base/Al.fins

Dimension of heatpipe: 6mm / 8mm

dimension of fan: 92×92x20mm3

Fan airflow: 38.1 per fan (max.)

Fanspeed: 800~2500

Bearing type: long life sleeve

fan noise: 28dBA per fan (max.)

Pin type: 4 pins 3pins

Fan control type: PWM

Volt:12V
source

Core i7 with decreased TDP in 2009?

RRumors on Intel's Core i7 are filling the streets. Fudzilla reports that Intel will lower the TDP of its Core i7 processors in 2009.

The claim is based on a quote by an Intel representative. During the IDF in Taipei it would've been mentioned that Intel is working on two processors with a lower TDP than the current 130 Watt. These two are claimed to be scheduled for release in the first half of 2009

Intel mobile processors for higher clock speeds

Intel is transitioning seven small-package Core 2 Duo CPUs as well as one Celeron M processor to new steppings, which will include “speed enhancements” for the Montevina notebook platform and lay the foundation for a higher clock speed, the company said.

The Core 2 Duo SL9300 (1.60 GHz), SL9400 (1.86 GHz), SP9300 (2.26 GHz) and SP9400 (2.40 GHz) will be moved from a C-0 stepping to E-0, while the Celeron M ULV 723 (1.2 GHz), Core 2 Solo SU3300 (1.20 GHz, single-core), Core 2 Duo SU9300 (1.20 GHz), and SU9400 (1.40 GHz) will switch from M-0 to R-0. The effect of both stepping changes is the same – there are speed path improvements, which will enable higher frequency models, according to Intel. There are no electrical, mechanical or thermal changes.

With the exception of the Celeron M model, the conversion affects only small package processors: SP models that focus on performance, SL version that have a greater focus on energy efficiency as well as SU versions that solely focus on energy efficiency. Intel defines SP processors as small-package CPUs with a thermal envelope of 20-29 watts, SL processors with 12-19 watts and SU processors with less than 12 watts. We can’t really remember a time when Intel’s processor descriptions were as confusing as they are today, so here is a quick reminder what those cryptic prefixes mean:

Intel told its customers that samples of the new processors will be available by December 8 of this year. Volume shipments are set to begin on or after March 2 of next year.

The company said that there will not be any form, fit and function changes between the stepping conversions, however, system builders will have to apply a BIOS update. This new BIOS will support the new stepping and the previous stepping. source:tgdaily

Intel shows working 80-core processor

Last year, Intel announced a project to build a processor that would pack no less than 80 cores. While the idea may seem rather futuristic to some, the chip maker is reported to have already demonstrated the CPU at the Gitex Dubai trade show. Reports say that the Santa Clara based company wasn't shy at all at showcasing the processor, with the demonstration being made in the general public area outside of the trade show.

Intel shows working 80-core processor

As we all know, Intel has other multi-core projects in the pipeline, and Larrabee is one of them. However, the showcased processor was not Larrabee, but another CPU. The company is said to have started working on this CPU long before Larrabee came into play. The showcased CPU features 80 small cores, and is able to deliver 1 Teraflops of computing power. The 80-core chip is said to need only 78.35W of power, and that it features a 3.13GHz clock speed.

According to Fudzilla, Intel also detailed several other features of the CPU. The technology it comes with allows for almost all of the cores to be totally shut down when not needed. Also, it seems that the CPU can downclock all the way to 780MHz in such situations, and that the peak Teraflops performance will drop to 0.01. The CPU would only need 6.45W to compute the 4tile, 4x4 matrix mult withcomm equation.The research processor was built under the 65nm process and the company expects it to be ready for the market in the next five or seven years. It seems that Intel will come out with this eighty-core CPU as a part of the future line of sixteen, thirty two, sixty four CPUs, right before a ninety six-core version. The chip manufacturer considers the multi-core as being the near future for the CPU industry, although such an approach might sound rather idealistic.

Since the current multi-core processors are already facing problems concerning the lack of adequate software able to scale on a large number of cores, Intel should also consider conducting a research project in this area as well, so as to allow users to benefit from all the eighty featured cores.

Technorati Tags:intel, cpu, 80-core, processor, gpu, hardware

Intel Centrino 2 refresh said to arrive in April 2009

While the usual g33k is looking forward for the Nehalem-enriched Calpella, Intel is preparing to introduce a little update to its mobile platform before it. Planned for Q2 2009 and now expected to debut in April the Montevina (Centrino 2) refresh will see to the release of a couple of new 45nm Core 2 Duo processors, the T9900 and T8800, and will make use of the upcoming GM47 chipset, as well as the current GM45 and PM45.

The GM47 will be released in Q1 2009 and while most of its features are already found on the GM45, it will include an updated IGP dubbed 4700MHD. The GM47's graphics core is clocked at 640 MHz, as opposed to the 533 MHz of the GM45's IGP. The Montevina refresh may not be spectacular but it should keep laptop makers busy until Calpella will be ready for release.

Phenom 9950 Cracks The 4GHz Barrier On LN2

At the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, members of AwardFabrik.de managed to break 4GHz using liquid nitrogen cooling on an AMD Phenom 9950 processor. CPU-Z did not correctly validate the clockspeed however, and the AwardFabrik team are still unsure why this was the case.

Nevertheless, at a clock speed of 3952MHz, the team broke a SuperPi 1M record for AMD CPUs - 19.954 seconds - which is quite impressive for an AMD system considering SuperPi heavily favors the Core 2 architecture. Other hardware used included a Foxconn A79-S motherboard and an OCZ 1000W power supply.

Intel will soon change the overclocking scene with Core i7. Intel’s platform will finally lose its ancient Front Side Bus and adopt the QuickPath Interconnect for a high-bandwidth, point-to-point connection with the chipset which is dedicated to I/O traffic. The new interconnect will mean enthusiasts currently using Intel systems will have to break old habits and learn new methods to successfully overclock their CPU. This interconnect is reportedly quite temperamental when the reference clock is run much over its default speed of 133MHz, so this may pose problems for overclockers when using CPUs with upwards locked multipliers. Newer BIOS and motherboard revisions should improve stability of the QPI when overclocked.

SuperPi 1M may soon become obsolete with the current world record sitting at 7 seconds and quickly running out of headroom for faster times. Nehalem’s improved single-threaded performance when in Turbo Mode may push that world record further.

Nehalem for notebooks by the end of 2009

While Intel prepares itself for November's Core i7 launch, the first rumors on a mobile version of the quadcore chip have already appeared. Intel reports that the notebook version, codenamed Clarksfield, won't be taken into production until the second half of 2009

It's still unclear whether this date concerns the production of test versions, or the mass production of the final processor. This makes it impossible to say whether the CPU's will be released in the third or the fourth quarter of next year. Like the desktop version, this mobile Core i7 processor will be produced at 45nm and will feature an integrated DDR3 memory controller and advanced energy management. Whether the triple-channel DDR3 feature will make it to the notebooks isn't known yet.

Nehalem will be available for notebooks by the end of 2009

The new quadcore Clarksfield will be the base of the new Centrino platform, which is labeled on the roadmap as Calpella. This new processor will also require another chipset, the most likely being a mobile version of the still to be introduced P55 chipset.
When the Centrino platform was last updated, Intel introduced two 45nm quadcores for notebooks, so it's likely these will last until the mobile Core i7 is ready to follow them up.

Source: PC World

Intel cuts desktop CPU pricesIntel cuts desktop CPU prices

Preparing for i7

Intel has made the first in what may be a round cuts to the prices of its incumbent desktop range in anticipation of the arrival of Core i7 next month.

Its entry level 45nm quad core CPU - the Q8200 - has seen its price cut by 14 percent from $224 to $193. The Q6600, which was priced at $193, has had a tenner knocked off it to make room. Here's a table showing these and all the other price reductions, which we published by Intel last Sunday. Note it also includes a new Core 2 Duo CPU - the E7400:

Model	Previous price	New price	Change
Q8200	$224	$193	-14%
Q6600	$193	$183	-5%
E7400 (2.8GHz)	-	$133
E7300	$133	$113	-15%
E2220	$84	$74	-12%
E2200	$74	$64	-14%
X3220	$198	$188	-5%
X3210	$198	$188	-5%

Phenom 9950 BE 125W review

AMD's Phenom processor has been power hungry since it's release but that was stepped up even more when the Phenom 9950 was released with a 140W TDP, higher than other desktop CPUs on the market. This sent something of a stir into the enthusiast crowd whether justified or not for a processor with such a high power rating. Recently, however, AMD released a 125W version of the Phenom 9950 after improving the manufacturing process to replace the previous 140W version. Both are still on the market now and we thought we'd take a look at this new Phenom 9950 125W and compare it to the original 140W processor.

Model	Phenom 9950 BE 125W	Phenom 9950 BE 140W
Processor	AMD Phenom™ X4 Quad-Core
OPN Tray	HD995ZXAJ4BGH	HD995ZFAJ4BGH
OPN Pib	HD995ZXAGHBOX	HD995ZFAGHBOX
Operating Mode 32 Bit	Yes
Operating Mode 64 Bit	Yes
Revision	B3
Core Speed (MHz)	2600
System Bus Speed (MHz)	4000
Voltages	1.05-1.30	1.05-1.30
Max Temps (C)	61'C	64'C
Wattage	125 W	140 W
L1 Cache Size (KB)	128
L1 Cache Count	4
L2 Cache Size (KB)	512
L2 Cache Count	4
L3 Cache Size (KB)	2048
CMOS	65nm SOI

Mother Board Foxconn 790GX
CPU Various
Video Card Radeon HD 4670
Memory Corsair XMS Dominator 2GB
Hard Drive Western Digital 750GB
Case Tsunami Thermaltake
Display Samsung 20" LCD Westinghouse W4207

Phenom 9950 BE 125W review

Phenom 9950 BE 125W Conclusion:

We came in expecting perhaps a slight difference in power consumption between the 9950 BE 140W and the 9950 BE 125W of maybe 8-10W but ultimately we saw basically no difference between the two and only a slight a few degrees in temperature. Overclocking showed no variables between the two processors either. Though as mentioned this could be a unique case and given which processor to buy we'd still prefer the 125W Phenom 9950 BE over the 140W. That said if you see the 140W for much cheaper I wouldn't be afraid of it as long as your motherboard is rated for 125W processors. Hopefully we can see a larger dive in power consumption with the 45nm Phenoms do in the future but that is a little further down the line.

Phenom 9950 BE 125W Pricing:

The 125W Phenom 9950 BE can be had for $184. This is the cheapest price that we can find for both a 140W Phenom and 125W Phenom so it seems that the 125W Phenoms are quickly replacing the 140W

full review

Intel Core i7 920 940 965 Retail Boxes

source

AMD 45nm CPU Lineup Details to be revealed

At long last, power users have a plethora of performance numbers to ponder now that Intel has lifted its NDA on Core i7 benchmarks. But even though the first batch of benches show the new architecture living up to the hype, AMD isn't packing its bags and going home. On the contrary, the rival chip maker has a slew of 45nm chips coming out, starting this month.

Citing sources at un-named motherboard makers, DigiTimes reports AMD will launch a pair of 45nm quad-core desktop CPUs (Deneb) designed for AM2+ systems this month. The Phenom X4 20550 will come clocked at 3GHz and the 20350 at 2.8GHz. A series of 45nm triple-core chips are also on the way, though these won't start shipping until Q1 2009. These chips include the 14x00, 12x00, and 1xx00e series. On the high end, AMD plans to launch six 45nm quad-core Deneb chips and four entry-level Propus chips in the same time frame.All the new releases could potentially have AMD competing with its upcoming dual-core Athlon X2 processors. To prevent this scenario from playing out, AMD will delay shipping its 45nm AM3-based dual-core parts (Regor) until Q3 2009.

The new processors will also lead to price cuts within AMD's existing product line as the chip maker looks to clear its inventory. If you're an AMD-loyal, keep your eyes peeled for some tantalizing deals on Phenom processors this holiday shopping season and beyond

Intel phases out first 45 nm processors

Intel announced the immediate phasing out of the first 45nm processors, along with several 65nm models. These include Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Duo Mobile and one Core 2 Quad CPU. In addition, due to migration to the Santa Rosa platform and NAND flash technology, Intel has also discounted its 1GB Turbo Memory used in ReadyBoost.

Three 45nm products discontinued

According to Intel, "Market demand ... has shifted to higher performance Intel processors." When discontinuing a product, Intel typically gives its vendors several months to determine future needs and to place orders. Intel will be taking orders for CPUs this round until January 9, 2009, and will continue manufacturing and shipping products as late as May 7, 2010. Turbo memory orders will be taken until March 27, 2009 and shipped until June 26, 2009.

Intel first released 45nm products earlier this year in January. Already they are phasing out both PGA and BGA versions of three 45nm products including:

Q9450 (2.66 GHz 1333 MT/s, quad-core, 95 watt, LGA775, Yorkfield 45nm)
E8200 (2.66 GHz 1333 MT/s, dual-core, 65 watt, LGA775, Wolfdale 45nm)
E8190 (2.66 GHz 1333 MT/s, dual-core, 65 watt, LGA775, Wolfdale 45nm)

Mobile and desktop 65nm products being discontinued include:

E6850 (3.00 GHz 1333 MT/s, dual-core, 65 watt, LGA775, Conroe 65nm)
E6750 (2.66 GHz 1333 MT/s, dual-core, 65 watt, LGA775, Conroe 65nm)
E6550 (2.33 GHz 1333 MT/s, dual-core, 65 watt, LGA775, Conroe 65nm)
E6540 (2.33 GHz 1333 MT/s, dual-core, 65 watt, LGA775, Conroe 65nm)
E4600 (2.40 GHz 800 MT/s, dual-core, 65 watt, LGA775, Allendale 65nm)

T7400 (2.16 GHz 667 MT/s, mobile dual-core, 34 watt, Socket-M, Merom 65nm)
Celeron-M 530 (1.73 GHz mobile, 533 MT/s, single-core, 30 watt, Socket-M, Merom-1024 65nm)

1GB Turbo Memory and solid state drives

Intel first introduced Turbo Memory as a way to help PCs boot faster. During a demonstrating at Fall IDF 2005, a notebook was shown to be nearly instant-on with the technology. It was also rolled into OS technologies like Microsoft's ReadyDrive and ReadyBoost for Vista.Products first arrived in May, 2007. Intel later extended this technology with version 2.0 in July, 2008. Yesterday, Intel announced it will discontinue all 1GB modules. Intel originally introduced 512MB and 1GB modules.
via tgdaily

Core i7 dated for November 17th

Intel will launch its Core i7 processors at a press event in San Francisco on the 17th of this month and already we have pricing estimates sliding off whispering lips. Distributors buying in bulk will pay a modest $284 for the 2.66GHz Core i7-920, $562 for the 2.93GHz 940, and $999 for the 3.2GHz Extreme 965 -- consumers will pay more of course, but we don't know exactly how much. Even the 920 squarely defeated the Core 2 Quad Q9650 in benchmarks, and we'll admit we had fun playing with the 965 over the weekend. As for those of you who haven't been so lucky, your chance to run up that credit card debt is fast approaching.

source:TG Daily

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Amd vs Intel

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