Intel’s CPU roadmap for 2006
It’s interesting to compare Apple’s attitude vs. Intel’s towards developers & the press. Intel details their processor roadmap for the next several years, while we have to guess what Apple will release in the next month. Of course that can backfire when a CPU is delayed or fails to match their promised specs, but it gives their developers a sense of security in their plans for the future.
Here’s a look at Intel’s CPU roadmap for 2006, via Engadget.
Intel’s new processor lineup is focused squarely on reducing power consumption, decreasing heat production, increasing performace per cycle, but most noticeably, multi-core processors. Here are the names and details:
Yonah (mobile)[list]
[*] To be introduced at CES, January 2006
[*] Official wattage consumption not yet available, expected to be far less than 30
[*] At introduction expect-
[*] 1.66GHz to 2.33GHz dual-core chips
[*] 1.5GHz to 1.83GHz low-voltage dual-core chips
[*] 1.06GHz and 1.2GHz ultra-low voltage dual-core chips
[*] 1.66GHz and 1.83GHz single-core chips
[/list] Merom (mobile—post Yonah)
[list]
[*] To be introduced in the 2nd half of 2006
[*] Chips will debut in the low 2GHz range
[*] Should incorporate 64-bit processing
[*] Power consumption is targeted at 5 watts(!)
[/list] Conroe (desktop)
[list]
[*] To be introduced in the 2nd half of 2006
[*] Introductory speeds will be between 2-3GHz
[*] Power consumption is targeted at 65 watts (compared to the P4’s 95 watts)
[/list] Woodcrest and Whitefield (server)
[list]
[*] Woodcrest: dual-core / Whitefield quad-core
[*] Power consumption is targeted at 80-90 watts (compared to the Xeon’s 110 watts)
[/list] Odds & Ends
[list]
[*] Next gen chips will lose HyperThreading at first, and will begin to rely on true dual-core processing
[*] Intel’s expects to yield power-saving processes that will run x86 code at high speeds but with ten times less power than currently—as little as 0.5 watts in the next few years. They showed off some design mockups, earlier.
[*] Intel’s new VIIV spec should have the Yonah, Pentium D, or Pentium Extreme at its core, as well as requiring a 945G, 945P 955X, or Calistoga chipset, HD audio, and run XP MCE with Intel’s Integrated Media Server software. P.S. -It’s pronounced “vive,” as in vivacious.
[*] Prescott-based CPUs will begin to reach 4GHz clock speeds and higher
[*] Xscale chips were also demoed at 1.2GHz
[*] Intel also mentioned their new blade-platform chips, Sossaman. These should run up to four cores, are based on Yonah chips, and consume less than 31 watts.
[/list]
Tags: Intel
