Intel Six-core Processor Into 65 Watt Power Envelope

San Francisco (CA) - Intel is currently preparing the launch of its final Core-architecture processor design, the six-core server CPU Dunnington. Sources indicate that Intel was able to create product versions for all major power envelope levels in this segment, including a low-power 65 watt chip: Six cores and 65 watts sounds like a winner to us.

If there were still any doubts that over the scalability of the Core architecture, Dunnington should put any of those to rest. Like the quad-core Harpertown design, the multi-socket Dunnington will be targeting all three major server segments, covering the 130 watt, 95 watt and 65 watt power envelopes.

Considering that some Harpertown CPUs were rated at a 150 watt power envelope recently (updated to a 120 watt rating last week) and the fact that the 45 nm Dunnington will add two more cores, 9 MB L2 cache and a massive 16 MB L3 cache, the power achievement is impressive by any standard.

The Dunnington flagship, the X7460 model, will run at 2.66 GHz and will carry a thermal design power of 130 watt. The 65 watt version, which could become a major hit in blade-server designs will be clocked at 1.83 GHz. All Dunnington processors will be using FSB1066.