Intel 45nm Penryn Details Announced

mwswami · January 27, 2007 3:11AM

Intel has released some details of the 45nm "shrink and tweak" of the Core 2 micro-architecture:

Dual core Penryn will have 410 million transistors on a 111mm^2 die (compared to 298 million trasistors for Conroe on a 155mm^2 die)

New SSE4 instructions that give double digit % performance gains for Multimedia applications.

Increase in L2 cache to 6MB for dual core

Use of high-k dielectrics and metal gate transistors resulting in 30% reduction in power requirements, and 20% improvement in processor speed. How about a 3.2GHz 85W quad-core in Mac Pro? or a 2.8 GHz 28W dual-core in MBP?

The first 45nm Penryn based quad core will be a multi-die package similar to Kentsfield/Clovertown with 2x6MB cache and 1066/1333 FSB

Penryn is supposed to be released in the 2nd half of 2007. I assume it will be timed around release of Barcelona to keep up the pressure on AMD - so maybe around July??

Nehalem , the next generation micro architecture (based on 45nm) will be released in 2008.

See Intel's press release here.

xsmi · January 27, 2007 5:49AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwswami

Intel has released some details of the 45nm "shrink and tweak" of the Core 2 micro-architecture:

Dual core Penryn will have 410 million transistors on a 111mm^2 die (compared to 298 million trasistors for Conroe on a 155mm^2 die)

New SSE4 instructions that give double digit % performance gains for Multimedia applications.

Increase in L2 cache to 6MB for dual core

Use of high-k dielectrics and metal gate transistors resulting in 30% reduction in power requirements, and 20% improvement in processor speed. How about a 3.2GHz 85W quad-core in Mac Pro? or a 2.8 GHz 28W dual-core in MBP?

The first 45nm Penryn based quad core will be a multi-die package similar to Kentsfield/Clovertown with 2x6MB cache and 1066/1333 FSB

Penryn is supposed to be released in the 2nd half of 2007. I assume it will be timed around release of Barcelona to keep up the pressure on AMD - so maybe around July??

Nehalem , the next generation micro architecture (based on 45nm) will be released in 2008.

See Intel's press release here.

Mac Pros are based on the xeon class processors. This appears to be a a core2 duo upgrade ie iMacs, MBP, MB, and minis.

mwswami · January 27, 2007 6:34AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xsmi

Mac Pros are based on the xeon class processors. This appears to be a a core2 duo upgrade ie iMacs, MBP, MB, and minis.

All the newer single, and dual socket Xeon CPUs (including the Xeon 51xx aka Woodcrest series in Mac Pro) are based on Core 2 micro-architecture. Penryn is the 45 nm shrink and tweak of this architecture.

Intel today showcased 5 systems including a laptop and a quad-core workstation running Penryn. Note that it is A0 revision silicon, so the speed is only at 1.83GHz.

backtomac · January 27, 2007 7:09AM

Nice but I'll I'll wait for the 3 ghz quad core MBP before I give my 2.16 ghz C2D MBP to my kids.

programmer · January 27, 2007 8:37AM

Welcome to Intel's roadmap. Core and Core 2 were just the on-ramp, now we're starting to see where the big value really is. AMD is already having trouble keeping up, and this is going to make it a lot harder on them. IBM... well, they aren't providing the breadth of products that Intel is, that's for sure. Historically I've not been a fan of Intel, but these days I sure am looking forward to owning some of their chips.

ksec · January 27, 2007 9:07AM

Intel has changed. In a good way. All thanks to AMD.

And everyone can see now why Apple ( or Steve Jobs ) choose to go with Intel transition.

Low Power and High Performance. I am surprise to see these kind performance update in between now and 08 where all the real Intel new tech comes out to play ( Intergrated memory controller, CSI etc )

Hopefully that means better value mac ??

joe_the_dragon · January 27, 2007 10:39AM

by 08 HTX cards may be a big thing and intel may be fored to use amd HT bus.

trendannoyer · January 27, 2007 11:12AM

sweet sweet goodness to look forward to

alexluft · January 27, 2007 11:58AM

This is all great and jolly, but

I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE ABILITY TO PLAY DECENT 3D GAMES ON MY INTEL INTEGRATED GMA 950 pos in the MacBook.

I'm guessing this won't help it a bit, will it?

Where is a decent built-in graphics processor Intel? Where?

joe_the_dragon · January 27, 2007 12:17PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexluft

This is all great and jolly, but

I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE ABILITY TO PLAY DECENT 3D GAMES ON MY INTEL INTEGRATED GMA 950 pos in the MacBook.

I'm guessing this won't help it a bit, will it?

Where is a decent built-in graphics processor Intel? Where?

what about more pci-e lanes in severs / workstations. 20-24 sucks next to NForce pro.

onlooker · January 27, 2007 12:22PM

I'm not a fan of the built in graphics as they are now, and I hope they either increase x5 real soon, or Apple moves them out of everything but the mini. THe best part of having a removable graphics card was that a person could get a regular MB, and switch out the card if they wanted.

I'm not a Laptop owner yet (dreams of apple tablets) but If I were, the graphics processor would have to be astounding. If anything I would probably go with an Alienware. #1 I love my alienware workstation, and #2 they have some of the best graphics options in notebooks that you can get.

my 2¢

marcuk · January 27, 2007 12:23PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexluft

This is all great and jolly, but

I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE ABILITY TO PLAY DECENT 3D GAMES ON MY INTEL INTEGRATED GMA 950 pos in the MacBook.

I'm guessing this won't help it a bit, will it?

Where is a decent built-in graphics processor Intel? Where?

apparently its coming, Intel are starting up their own discreet graphics division.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070123-8680.html

macronin · January 27, 2007 12:24PM

I was just headed over here to post about these chips, and I appear to be late to the party?

So, looks like some exciting stuff coming out in 2007, question is, will Apple manage to get a good quantity before the 'official' release timeframe and have a special Apple/Intel sleeping together in the big bed exclusive early release, say at least a month ahead of speculated 'official' schedule??!?

And why torture us with sneak peeks at stuff half a year os so down the pipe? I need to buy a new (tower-based, aka MacPro running OS X Server) server and a new workstation now! But on the server side, there is the allure of Leopard Server; will that make it out for public consumption before I absolutely have to purchase? I don't think so?

And as for the only true workstation choice from Apple, the MacPro is just to much $$$ for me to justify to my employer, especially since I would need at least the 23" ACD to go with it, and that little number is a cool US$999.00 these days? Meanwhile, and with the full belief/knowledge fueled by my passion for Apple that the ACDs are the superior displays, Dell is giving away their 24" flat-panel displays if your purchase one of their 'low-end' sub-3000 dollar single (yet, dual or quad core) CPU workstations. And Dell offers several flavors of 'real' workstation-class OpenGL vid cards, while Apple forces one to jump straight to the high-end with a whopping $1,700.00 surcharge for a nVidia QuadroFX4500 vid card. My only other chice is the stock 7300GT, or the X1900?

My 'Awesome' workstation config runs me US$9,000.00 from Apple. No way in hell the boss is gonna spring for that package!

My 'Total Compromise' workstation config still comes in at US$3,500.00 from Apple, leaving me with a 20" ACD, the aforementioned X1900 and not even a second HDD for Time Machine frivolousness?

So, long story one sentence longer, my 'SellOut' workstation config becomes a 24" iMac, which could suffer budget cuts (gotta get a new tape back-up system also, and the tapes are not cheap) and turn into a 20" iMac. Should do for basic Photoshop, SketchUp, Office (bleech!) & email usage?

But I really want the bigger screen of the 24" iMac, and the vid card would be nice in SketchUp?

And I want Leopard to ship on my new purchases!

And I want the CPUs to be socketed or whatever, so I can get the 'new hotness' down the road, rather than try and convince my bosses that I need a new computer after less than a year or so?!

Damn you, Steve Jobs!

;^p

ireland · January 27, 2007 4:25PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwswami

Intel has released some details of the 45nm "shrink and tweak" of the Core 2 micro-architecture:

* Dual core Penryn will have 410 million transistors on a 111mm^2 die (compared to 298 million trasistors for Conroe on a 155mm^2 die)

* New SSE4 instructions that give double digit % performance gains for Multimedia applications.

Double digit increase? I reached double digits when I was 10 years old, let's hope they meant 80%.

mwswami · January 27, 2007 6:45PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe_the_dragon

by 08 HTX cards may be a big thing and intel may be fored to use amd HT bus.

Yes, it's possible but Intel is a huge market force by themselves. Any acceptable standard (CSI) they can come up with should become popular. But HT is good already, I think they should license it ... maybe they can't ... maybe it's the pride thing ... or maybe they already have worked this out and are happy with the solution.

Intel may get some help from Sun here. According to Pat Gelsinger (comment made towards the end of this podcast) , the Sun/Intel partnership announced last week is suppose to include "engineering collaboration to help Intel's reach in the higher segment of the market" (paraphrased a bit). I would think the comment points to >4P systems which definitely needs better modular scalable approach vs the point solutions that Intel has so far come up with in the Chipsets (e.g. quad independent buses in the Caneland platform used by the 4 socket Tigerton.)

Btw, do you know of any HTX cards that are available or under development? Thanks!

mwswami · January 27, 2007 6:56PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe_the_dragon

what about more pci-e lanes in severs / workstations. 20-24 sucks next to NForce pro.

The upcoming (Q2'07?) Intel Stoakley workstation platform, designed for Woodcrest/Clovertwon and the new Penryn based Xeons, should solve this for you.

"The Stoakley platform is based on a 90-nano shrink of the Bensley architecture. Bensley's dual 1,066/1,333MHz front side busses return, this time with support for upcoming 45-nano Penryn chips. Stoakley also features plenty of PCI Express, with 44 lanes of PCIe joined by a pair of second-generation PCIe x16 links. Generation one PCIe links can be used to hook into a variety of peripheral chips ...."

There is speculation that the quad-core Mac Pro is waiting to include this.

mwswami · January 27, 2007 7:01PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireland

Double digit increase? I reached double digits when I was 10 years old, let's hope they meant 80%.

So you are 80 now?

Steve Smith, Intel Vice President Digital Enterprise Group, when asked about the effects of SSE4 on Penryn, claimed that "We're seeing excellent double digit performance [percentage] gains on multimedia applications." Hopefully that satisfies you.

ireland · January 27, 2007 8:08PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwswami

So you are 80 now?

No you so and so. My point is that the numbers 10 and 80 are both double digits.

mwswami · January 27, 2007 9:18PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireland

No you so and so. My point is that the numbers 10 and 80 are both double digits.

Even a low double digit gain is nothing to sneeze at. CPUs sometime can cost double for increase in performance like that. For example, the 2.0GHz Merom retails for about $300 vs $650 for the 2.33GHz version.

Anyway, Penryn CPUs are going to be offered at much higher processor speeds, and there are supposed to be additional minor architectural changes that haven't been disclosed as yet. There is talk about HyperThreading coming back but I don't think that we will see it till Nehalem.

joe_the_dragon · January 27, 2007 9:24PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwswami

The upcoming (Q2'07?) Intel Stoakley workstation platform, designed for Woodcrest/Clovertwon and the new Penryn based Xeons, should solve this for you.

"The Stoakley platform is based on a 90-nano shrink of the Bensley architecture. Bensley's dual 1,066/1,333MHz front side busses return, this time with support for upcoming 45-nano Penryn chips. Stoakley also features plenty of PCI Express, with 44 lanes of PCIe joined by a pair of second-generation PCIe x16 links. Generation one PCIe links can be used to hook into a variety of peripheral chips ...."

There is speculation that the quad-core Mac Pro is waiting to include this.

But will it be able to do cross fire? SLI?

mwswami · January 27, 2007 9:28PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe_the_dragon

But will it be able to do cross fire? SLI?

That I don't know ... its designed for the workstation segment ... I don't know how popular SLI/crossfire is outside of gaming ...

Intel 45nm Penryn Details Announced

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