Intel Announces Quad-Core Processors

BuddyJ

Intel officially announced quad-core processors today, debuting the Quad-Core Intel Xeon 5300 and Intel Core 2 Extreme quad-core processor families.

From DailyTech

Four Xeon 5300 series products are launching today. These models include the 1.60 GHz E5310 up to the 2.66 GHz E5355. The new Xeon 5300 series products have 1066 MHz or 1333 MHz front-side buses with an 80 watt or 120 watt TDP. Pricing of the Xeon 5300 series varies from $455 to $1172 in quantities of 1,000. Intel Xeon 5300 series processors will work with current Bensley platform motherboards designed for the land-grid array 771 socket.

Also launching today is Intel’s Kentsfield Core 2 Extreme QX6700. This quad-core processor is catered towards the enthusiast and single processor workstation markets. The Core 2 Extreme QX6700 arrives clocked at 2.66 GHz with 8MB of L2 cache on a 1066 MHz front-side bus. Pricing for the Core 2 Extreme QX6700 is expected around $999—the usual debut price for new Intel Extreme products.

The more pedestrian Intel Core 2 Quad processor should arrive Q1 2007, according to Intel's press release.

Source: DailyTech.com

jhenry

It seems like just yesterday we had the "Dual Core Revolution"...

So what's next? Octacore computing?

Thrax

Probably. Intel's next step is undoubtedly a single-die quad core chip on the 65nm, or (More likely) 45nm process which should be ready to market at the end of '07 for their new architecture. We can expect about the same thermal envelope from the native, single-die quad as we do now from a single-die dual core. Then it's just a matter of stuffing the two quad dies in a single package like the <i>Presler</i> or <i>Kentsfield.</i>

mmonnin

Yep, I would think Intel is planning to do the same transition from dual core to quad core much like transition to dual core, or like the process Thrax mentioned.

RWB

tehe, this is gonna turn into the next Megahurtz war....

"My computer has 72 cores..."
"Yeah well mine has 73!"
"You don't know what you're talking about..."

Enverex

Hmm, I'm looking at upgrading my Athlon64 X2 3800+ at home point because to be honest it doesn't seem that great of an upgrade from my A64 3800+ (technically using a single core it's slower =/). What does anyone recommend? Holding out for something in particular? (if so what and when).

Leonardo

it doesn't seem that great of an upgrade from my A64 3800+

You are probably correct. The beauty of dual core is with multitasking, then it's a huge difference. I know you were looking for advice here. I can't recommend a specific AMD CPU, as I haven't kept up with them very much. Are you interested in going Intel? Clock for clock, the Conroe CPUs are significantly faster than their AMD or Intel single core counterparts. I'm sure you already knew all that, but just thought I'd reply to your query.

Enverex

I'm only interested in upgrading for a large boost to be honest. Dual Core has helped compiling a lot (almost a 2x performance) but lots of things aren't increased. I'm not bothered about sticking with AMD, just whoever is fastest, but as I said, only if it's a big boost.

Datsun-1600

Hexus has a write up about the 3 Kentsfields. The Q6400 looks like my next purchase for F@H.

Datsun 1600

Enverex

I think the Hexus benches point out the painful fact that apps really need to start being truely multithreaded to begin making use of multi-processor machines properly. I guess Linux has the advantage of coming from Unix and being an OS that's normally on multi-processor machines (servers and such) so it's been more supporting of the method for longer so more apps are natively threaded where as Windows apps are normally only used on home PCs which until recently would rarely have more than a single processor.