Intel's Six-Core 'Gulftown' processor revealed, possibly headed to Mac Pro
Performance numbers of Intel's new six-core Xeon were prematurely revealed by Polish website PCLab, showing strong increases in performance for the chip rumored to be in the next iteration of the Mac Pro.
Hardmac reported that test and performance results of Intel's new 6-core Xeon chips code-named "Gulftown" were briefly featured on PCLab before being taken down at the request of Intel. According to the test results, the new chips are nearly 50% faster than the previous quad-core Xenon during parallel tasks, and use up to 50% less power.
This chip will, according to sources, be featured in future Mac Pro models that could arrive as early as the first quarter of 2010. The "Gulftown" chip will be sold under the Core i9 name and will be Intel's first six-core, dual-socket processor. The 32 nanometer chips feature 12MB of L3 cache. If paired with another chip, as Apple usually does in its high-end workstations, the processors will offer 12 physical and 24 logical cores.
In a previous story, Hardmac reported that the new Mac Pro will have a modified motherboard with a 10Gbit/second Ethernet port and will support 8GB and 16GB RAM modules, allowing for a maximum of 128GB of RAM. The report also stated that it is likely that Apple would have short-term exclusive use of the i9 processor. Apple has enjoyed short-term exclusivity during the release of the previous two Mac Pro lines.
Hardmac reported that test and performance results of Intel's new 6-core Xeon chips code-named "Gulftown" were briefly featured on PCLab before being taken down at the request of Intel. According to the test results, the new chips are nearly 50% faster than the previous quad-core Xenon during parallel tasks, and use up to 50% less power.
This chip will, according to sources, be featured in future Mac Pro models that could arrive as early as the first quarter of 2010. The "Gulftown" chip will be sold under the Core i9 name and will be Intel's first six-core, dual-socket processor. The 32 nanometer chips feature 12MB of L3 cache. If paired with another chip, as Apple usually does in its high-end workstations, the processors will offer 12 physical and 24 logical cores.
In a previous story, Hardmac reported that the new Mac Pro will have a modified motherboard with a 10Gbit/second Ethernet port and will support 8GB and 16GB RAM modules, allowing for a maximum of 128GB of RAM. The report also stated that it is likely that Apple would have short-term exclusive use of the i9 processor. Apple has enjoyed short-term exclusivity during the release of the previous two Mac Pro lines.
Comments
I am still saving up for last years or is it this years model?? (damn I lost track already)
oh, I forgot i'm going to need it for that rocket ship I'm building in the back... yeah right.
eeesssshh!!!!
Gulftown gives Apple and other vendors the ability to separate the consumer lineup (single socket Quad core) with Professional lines (dual socket Hex core)
I think it's a given that Apple is all over Gulftown with the Mac Pro.
According to the test results, the new chips are nearly 50% faster than the previous quad-core Xenon during parallel tasks, and use up to 50% less power.
You and me both, makes me think of the line from Princess Bride "You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means."
Back on topic, I can just see it come Monday at work, my manager will be bouncing around like a kid with a free shopping spree at Toys R Us when he reads the rumor.
As for the new Mac Pro's coming out? I say awesome. I will probably be buying one. I figure that My old mac pro can be used for a print server. Ha ha. But seriously I replied to a thread about a year ago. A gentleman (1 geostationary) wanted to see if any one knew about the new Mac Pro's that were coming out in 2009. I had posted that the new Mac Pro's would be able to support 128 GB RAM and have 12 Physical Cores. He told me I was wrong and he didn't see it. This guy also acted as if he was the authority on this matter. We did see a new Mac Pro series come out it was not a 12 core and it did not support 128 GB RAM. I did how ever know that the new Cores were in Development. I did know that the New RAM was coming out. I do not see myself bragging but I did see these machine were coming out. They were delayed this year due to the Intel development for a chipset. The 12 core Mac Pro needs 2 things to run those Processors. 1) Power Supply. 2) A new chipset. Intel's manufacturing of the Processor and Chipset are crucial for Apple to make the New 12 core Mac Pro of course. Apple make the best.
Due to their OS X being hacked and dist to the world via deve, Apple has focused not only on their OS but their hardware. Make a bigger better stick and more than the other guy and people who appreciate the bigger better stick will buy it. Apple is very good at producing that. Just wait until you see the Next Unix based OS that Apple is coming up with. It will blow you away. By first Quarter 2012.
Cheers. If you think I'm crazy you may be right.
If a two-core processor is a 'Dual Core' and a four-core processor a 'Quad Core' is not the proper name for a six-core processor a 'Sex Core' ... ? As in 'sextuplet' - a group of six things ...? ... that's some awesome marketing for a six-core Mac Pro !!
actually, sexicore. Which is even better.
Hex is Greek though.
The current one is something like 4 years old at this point, so it's long overdue.
I'm looking for a quad-core MacBook Pro.
I agree that the 32nm Gulftown seems most likely but can we rule out the 45nm Becton with 8 cores and support for up for 4 processors instead of just 2, like in the Gulftown?
Yes, I think we can rule out Becton for the new Mac Pros.
With Apples pricing, they sort of painted themseleves into a corner. Example mac air thus no netbook due to high price.
Now Avid makes about 98% off all tv/ feature films we see as they make editing equipment. Their sister company, Digidesign, makes high end audio systems.
Avid can run around $100,000k, pro tools anywhere from $5000 to $50k depending in your needs. A few years ago though, they saw the trend that computers were getting faster and people were not buying pro tools tdm which are basically cards that take the load off the CPU as even high end top 10 artists wrrevrecording at home and mixing only in the studio, so Avid BOUGHT OUT M-AUDIO as this is a pro-Sumer company. All the software runs native unless you have say a fx pci card or express slot card with FX (same for video and people were livid apple took it off the 15", in fact most were hoping to see a 13 MacBook pro with express so that could slide in gig back, record shows, ideas.
Now. With this new chip. This is apples chance to raise the prive a little and realease the 4/8 cores as headlesss mid range. Not only will they get millions of prosumer audio users that make up a bulk of the market. They would get gamers that make more sales than video and music combined.
If you have a good, great gaming machine by Apple, you also have a device that will run their Pro Apps and oddly, Apple assumes they will lose money as the Pros, 2~3%, would buy the cheaper alternative, and their right, we would but so woudnt the gamers (who make up more sales then video sales and music sales combined), as well as the millions of ProSumers who don't really have the cash for a server made desktop but do have the talent, not to mention all the studios that had mac pros would also buy these non existent devices for their smaller rooms. In a nutshell, Apple would MAKE money not lose money due to lack of sales but they can't seem to figure that out yet.*
Avid/Digidesing did!!!! They saw people were no longer buying their $$10,000 TDM (processing chips in a card, thus reducing CPU latency which you cannot have in music), and saw computers were getting faster and faster and more core on a single dye were happening, so they purchased M-Audio which relies on the cpu only. In music it's caled native recording vs TDM. In fact, for the mac pro, for those left with the express slot, now only the 17" has it forces yet higher prices on the pro, with an express card, you can purchase something similar that puts all the processing on the card that goes into the express slot. Google. "UAD laptop express" card and you'll see what I mean. Apple could make more money simply by adding an express slot on the iMac. Add in esata and the sales go even higher. *
Anyway, Apple can do it but won't as I said earlier great grahics normally mean it can run pro apps and they don't really want that and rather have you buy the mac pro when in fact they would make so much more anyway.*
Check it out. Let's pretend apple released a $1000 i7 core with a great graphics card, 1000 FSB, normal memory, headless and in the future you could swap the CPU out. *
You would have thousands of gamers buy them.*
You would have millions of musicians buy them and buy their own ram after market, similar to gamers.*
You would have everyone that is tired of windows but has nice HDMI DVI diplays buy them.*
You would have the more semi pro photographer buy them. *
You would have most all semi pro video users buy these.*
And ironically, all the pros apple were afraid they would lose sale to, would buy these instead of the pc rendering farms as well as place them in their smaller studios, so it not a matter of how come, it more like their are misguided somehow. I mean they really only care about the iPhone now, example, One to One and Pro C are used to be one program. Now it's seperated and most of the training used to be pro apps, and is now iLife and $99 each. So why not go ahead and build them. *There is a huge market out there. The only problem I would see is people would want their own video card at new egg or Frys pricing and apple would have to start supporting numerous cards but all the companies are gone and there's only nvidia and ati, so that wouldn't be that big of a deal and it would for sure, put a dent in the hacntosh.
There are millions of users waiting. Just take a page from what digidesign did.*
They would have 20% of the marketshare within a year and to top it off, it would increase the sales of iMacs as business and enterprise started off with these mid range machines. 30% in less than 5 years. Is it really so hard to understand Apple?
Peace all.*
This us a HUGE market. Much larger than consumers as they could start to develop pci cards and express cards fir logic and final cut pro. Imagine throwing in a card the takes all realtime fxto instant. Then they will eat more into the pro market against avid and pro tools selling not just the mid range but new hardware that the pros would also purchase.
It would be perfect timing.
There are dozens and dozens of pci cards but here is just one small ($495.00) card that you can buy for th laptop. Thus the lividnesd when it was dropped from the 15" asmost video prefer the 17 for the aspct ratio. Not so with audio recording.
http://www.uaudio.com/products/uad/uad2solo/index.html
and that's just ine. There are many more plus esata cards
typed in my iPhone. Thus apologies for grammar and spelling
I've said it before and will say it again. Only adding a few different elements to the mix.
With Apples pricing, they sort of painted themseleves into a corner. Example mac air thus no netbook due to high price.
Now Avid makes about 98% off all tv/ feature films we see as they make editing equipment. Their sister company, Digidesign, makes high end audio systems.
Avid can run around $100,000k, pro tools anywhere from $5000 to $50k depending in your needs. A few years ago though, they saw the trend that computers were getting faster and people were not buying pro tools tdm which are basically cards that take the load off the CPU as even high end top 10 artists wrrevrecording at home and mixing only in the studio, so Avid BOUGHT OUT M-AUDIO as this is a pro-Sumer company. All the software runs native unless you have say a fx pci card or express slot card with FX (same for video and people were livid apple took it off the 15", in fact most were hoping to see a 13 MacBook pro with express so that could slide in gig back, record shows, ideas.
Now. With this new chip. This is apples chance to raise the prive a little and realease the 4/8 cores as headlesss mid range. Not only will they get millions of prosumer audio users that make up a bulk of the market. They would get gamers that make more sales than video and music combined.
If you have a good, great gaming machine by Apple, you also have a device that will run their Pro Apps and oddly, Apple assumes they will lose money as the Pros, 2~3%, would buy the cheaper alternative, and their right, we would but so woudnt the gamers (who make up more sales then video sales and music sales combined), as well as the millions of ProSumers who don't really have the cash for a server made desktop but do have the talent, not to mention all the studios that had mac pros would also buy these non existent devices for their smaller rooms. In a nutshell, Apple would MAKE money not lose money due to lack of sales but they can't seem to figure that out yet.*
Avid/Digidesing did!!!! They saw people were no longer buying their $$10,000 TDM (processing chips in a card, thus reducing CPU latency which you cannot have in music), and saw computers were getting faster and faster and more core on a single dye were happening, so they purchased M-Audio which relies on the cpu only. In music it's caled native recording vs TDM. In fact, for the mac pro, for those left with the express slot, now only the 17" has it forces yet higher prices on the pro, with an express card, you can purchase something similar that puts all the processing on the card that goes into the express slot. Google. "UAD laptop express" card and you'll see what I mean. Apple could make more money simply by adding an express slot on the iMac. Add in esata and the sales go even higher. *
Anyway, Apple can do it but won't as I said earlier great grahics normally mean it can run pro apps and they don't really want that and rather have you buy the mac pro when in fact they would make so much more anyway.*
Check it out. Let's pretend apple released a $1000 i7 core with a great graphics card, 1000 FSB, normal memory, headless and in the future you could swap the CPU out. *
You would have thousands of gamers buy them.*
You would have millions of musicians buy them and buy their own ram after market, similar to gamers.*
You would have everyone that is tired of windows but has nice HDMI DVI diplays buy them.*
You would have the more semi pro photographer buy them. *
You would have most all semi pro video users buy these.*
And ironically, all the pros apple were afraid they would lose sale to, would buy these instead of the pc rendering farms as well as place them in their smaller studios, so it not a matter of how come, it more like their are misguided somehow. I mean they really only care about the iPhone now, example, One to One and Pro C are used to be one program. Now it's seperated and most of the training used to be pro apps, and is now iLife and $99 each. So why not go ahead and build them. *There is a huge market out there. The only problem I would see is people would want their own video card at new egg or Frys pricing and apple would have to start supporting numerous cards but all the companies are gone and there's only nvidia and ati, so that wouldn't be that big of a deal and it would for sure, put a dent in the hacntosh.
There are millions of users waiting. Just take a page from what digidesign did.*
They would have 20% of the marketshare within a year and to top it off, it would increase the sales of iMacs as business and enterprise started off with these mid range machines. 30% in less than 5 years. Is it really so hard to understand Apple?
Peace all.*
deleted off topic.
I've said it before and will say it again. Only adding a few different elements to the mix.
With Apples pricing, they sort of painted themseleves into a corner. Example mac air thus no netbook due to high price.
Now Avid makes about 98% off all tv/ feature films we see as they make editing equipment. Their sister company, Digidesign, makes high end audio systems.
Avid can run around $100,000k, pro tools anywhere from $5000 to $50k depending in your needs. A few years ago though, they saw the trend that computers were getting faster and people were not buying pro tools tdm which are basically cards that take the load off the CPU as even high end top 10 artists wrrevrecording at home and mixing only in the studio, so Avid BOUGHT OUT M-AUDIO as this is a pro-Sumer company. All the software runs native unless you have say a fx pci card or express slot card with FX (same for video and people were livid apple took it off the 15", in fact most were hoping to see a 13 MacBook pro with express so that could slide in gig back, record shows, ideas.
Now. With this new chip. This is apples chance to raise the prive a little and realease the 4/8 cores as headlesss mid range. Not only will they get millions of prosumer audio users that make up a bulk of the market. They would get gamers that make more sales than video and music combined.
If you have a good, great gaming machine by Apple, you also have a device that will run their Pro Apps and oddly, Apple assumes they will lose money as the Pros, 2~3%, would buy the cheaper alternative, and their right, we would but so woudnt the gamers (who make up more sales then video sales and music sales combined), as well as the millions of ProSumers who don't really have the cash for a server made desktop but do have the talent, not to mention all the studios that had mac pros would also buy these non existent devices for their smaller rooms. In a nutshell, Apple would MAKE money not lose money due to lack of sales but they can't seem to figure that out yet.*
Avid/Digidesing did!!!! They saw people were no longer buying their $$10,000 TDM (processing chips in a card, thus reducing CPU latency which you cannot have in music), and saw computers were getting faster and faster and more core on a single dye were happening, so they purchased M-Audio which relies on the cpu only. In music it's caled native recording vs TDM. In fact, for the mac pro, for those left with the express slot, now only the 17" has it forces yet higher prices on the pro, with an express card, you can purchase something similar that puts all the processing on the card that goes into the express slot. Google. "UAD laptop express" card and you'll see what I mean. Apple could make more money simply by adding an express slot on the iMac. Add in esata and the sales go even higher. *
Anyway, Apple can do it but won't as I said earlier great grahics normally mean it can run pro apps and they don't really want that and rather have you buy the mac pro when in fact they would make so much more anyway.*
Check it out. Let's pretend apple released a $1000 i7 core with a great graphics card, 1000 FSB, normal memory, headless and in the future you could swap the CPU out. *
You would have thousands of gamers buy them.*
You would have millions of musicians buy them and buy their own ram after market, similar to gamers.*
You would have everyone that is tired of windows but has nice HDMI DVI diplays buy them.*
You would have the more semi pro photographer buy them. *
You would have most all semi pro video users buy these.*
And ironically, all the pros apple were afraid they would lose sale to, would buy these instead of the pc rendering farms as well as place them in their smaller studios, so it not a matter of how come, it more like their are misguided somehow. I mean they really only care about the iPhone now, example, One to One and Pro C are used to be one program. Now it's seperated and most of the training used to be pro apps, and is now iLife and $99 each. So why not go ahead and build them. *There is a huge market out there. The only problem I would see is people would want their own video card at new egg or Frys pricing and apple would have to start supporting numerous cards but all the companies are gone and there's only nvidia and ati, so that wouldn't be that big of a deal and it would for sure, put a dent in the hacntosh.
There are millions of users waiting. Just take a page from what digidesign did.*
They would have 20% of the marketshare within a year and to top it off, it would increase the sales of iMacs as business and enterprise started off with these mid range machines. 30% in less than 5 years. Is it really so hard to understand Apple?
Peace all.*
Not to be too insulting, but I must say that I'm really glad Apple doesn't have you on their marketing team.
Avid's video business has been pretty much decimated by Apple since FinalCut Pro has been on the market. More and more TV and film houses are using FCP on their productions, due to the cost efficiency / performance ratio of the Apple ecosystem (it's been that way for a number of years now!), thus Avid does NOT control 98% of the video editing market as you state. More like 50 - 60%.
As far as the pro audio market is concerned, the market is trending away from external DSP solutions, precisely because computers are becoming more and more powerful. Every Mac comes shipped with Logic Light, a.k.a. Garage Band, and Logic is - despite the competition from apps such as Cubase, Digital Performer, Live and ProTools - still the best complete digital audio workstation out now, and is selling very well WITHOUT having to rely on external DSP products. An Apple-branded external DSP solution will not increase sales of Logic Studio, as you suggest.
Dodecacore
But not as sexy as Sexacore.
I wonder if there'll ever be a Centicore = 100 cores!
It's just like exotic cars. Of course Porsche, or Ferrari, or Aston Martin, or Bugatti, whatever would sell more of their cars if they divided their price by two or three. But nobody wants that, not (e.g.) Porsche nor their customers. Porsche wants to make the very best cars and make profit selling them, customers want the very best cars and pay the matching price. Excellence is much more than the simple sum of its parts, and is therefore paid (exponentially) more, but without that hefty price tag, there would be no will of attaining excellence from Porsche, nor exigence of excellence from their customers.
Apple works just the same, only it's just not the same playing field.
actually, sexicore. Which is even better.
Hex is Greek though.
I think duo and quad are made out of Latin. So the use of "sex" is more logic
So 12 cores would be Duodecore or Duodecacore, although I prefer the Greek prefix:
Dodecacore
But not as sexy as Sexacore.
I wonder if there'll ever be a Centicore = 100 cores!
LMAO!!!