PROCESSOR

Intel introducing 16 new processors

2008-12-20T10:18:00.001-08:00

Intel introducing 16 new processors all based on the chipmaker's 45 nanometer (nm) process technology. We've been hearing a lot about 45 nm lately and, admittedly, it's kind of hard to get excited about semiconductor fabrication - especially when there's all manner of shiny new gizmos vying for your attention. First, it marks Intel's considerable lead over rival AMD. While AMD is expected to move the 45 nm sometime in the second half of 2008, Intel began mass-producing these chips in November 2007. In a general sense, 45 nm fans the flames of Moore's law, allowing Intel to double the number of transistors in the same silicon space. According to the chipmaker, it also allows the company squeeze more performance out of smaller transistors and increases the overall energy efficiency of a given processor. How small are we talking about? Well, there are 1 billion nanometers (nm) in one meter. And while the original Bell Labs transistor could be held in your hand, you can actually fit hundreds of 45nm transistors on the surface of a single red blood cell. So, yeah, small.One of the other noteworthy aspects about Monday's announcement is the fact that more than a quarter of these new processors are aimed at the mobile arena. Anyone who's been following Intel knows the company is keen on expanding more into this space, both with its continued WiMax push and in the form of its newfound love of the mobile internet device (MID). And with five new 45nm dual core mobile processors slated for release this month that are (in some cases) up to 25 percent smaller, you can not only expect new notebooks equipped with these processors, but also new form factors.In fact, Intel says it's also planning on using these new teeny tiny transistors and manufacturing advances to spur on this MID category of small form-factor, low-powered devices later in the year.

Intel core 2 duo e6750

2008-12-20T10:15:00.000-08:00

It hasn't been a full year since we saw Intel launch their Core 2 Duo processors, but we will soon be seeing a line-up refresh. This is one product that really needs no introduction, but seeing as this is a refresh, refreshing everyones minds seems appropriate. Intel launched the It hasn't been a full year since we saw Intel launch their Core 2 Duo processors, but we will soon be seeing a line-up refresh. This is one product that really needs no introduction, but seeing as this is a refresh, refreshing everyones minds seems appropriate. Intel launched the Core 2 Duo to much fanfare last July. Months prior to this, enthusiasts were drooling over leaks of performance reports, which fortunately, turned out to be right on the money.

The entire Conroe line-up is built on a 65nm process, with the mainstream products offering 4MB of L2 cache. Improved over the previous Pentium 4/Pentium D line-up was better power efficiency resulting in a lower TDP and better overall temperatures. This is appreciated, as two cores under the same IHS can potentially create an unwanted room heater.

All but the lowest end Core 2 Duos take advantage of a 1066FSB. This is where this refreshed line-up comes into play, as it ushers in 1333FSB computing. This noticeable speed bump is all done while retaining the same TDP.

All Conroe 1333FSB processors are identified by by a 50 at the end of the product name, hence E6750, which is effectively taking over the spot of the E6700. Nothing has changed except for the FSB and speeds, except the ratio of course, which had to be altered in order to compliment the upgraded frequency.

One thing that should be cleared up is that most overclocking enthusiasts have already accomplished the same speeds we are seeing today, with most being exceeded. In fact, there is nothing stopping anyone from popping in an E6600 and overclocking using a 333FSB and 8 multiplier. That would effectively give you the exact same speed as the E6750 we are taking a look at today.

You might be wondering where the benefit is, with this official speed bump. Primarily it will benefit those non-overclockers most. There is no comparison to equal processor speed at 1066FSB and 1333FSB. That added FSB frequency should make a much more noticeable performance difference than the CPU frequency boost itself.

This boost also helps usher in the DDR3-era, since these new processors will be able to utilize a 1:1 ratio with DDR3-1333 modules, a common DDR3 standard.

Aside from the obvious speed benefit with the new processors, there is another aspect that most are going to enjoy. The price. According to reports, the processor we are taking a look at today will retail for an average of ~$200 at launch. One popular e-tailer recently leaked their prices, which backed up these claims.

So here we have an E6750 at 2.66GHz with a 1333FSB... for $200? This is probably -the- reason why excitement should be in the air. Compare that to the current E6700 price, which hovers around the $300 mark. We will touch a lot more on pricing and other specifics in our conclusion. to much fanfare last July. Months prior to this, enthusiasts were drooling over leaks of performance reports, which fortunately, turned out to be right on the money.

The entire Conroe line-up is built on a 65nm process, with the mainstream products offering 4MB of L2 cache. Improved over the previous Pentium 4/Pentium D line-up was better power efficiency resulting in a lower TDP and better overall temperatures. This is appreciated, as two cores under the same IHS can potentially create an unwanted room heater.

All but the lowest end Core 2 Duos take advantage of a 1066FSB. This is where this refreshed line-up comes into play, as it ushers in 1333FSB computing. This noticeable speed bump is all done while retaining the same TDP.

All Conroe 1333FSB processors are identified by by a 50 at the end of the product name, hence E6750, which is effectively taking over the spot of the E6700. Nothing has changed except for the FSB and speeds, except the ratio of course, which had to be altered in order to compliment the upgraded frequency.

One thing that should be cleared up is that most overclocking enthusiasts have already accomplished the same speeds we are seeing today, with most being exceeded. In fact, there is nothing stopping anyone from popping in an E6600 and overclocking using a 333FSB and 8 multiplier. That would effectively give you the exact same speed as the E6750 we are taking a look at today.

You might be wondering where the benefit is, with this official speed bump. Primarily it will benefit those non-overclockers most. There is no comparison to equal processor speed at 1066FSB and 1333FSB. That added FSB frequency should make a much more noticeable performance difference than the CPU frequency boost itself.

This boost also helps usher in the DDR3-era, since these new processors will be able to utilize a 1:1 ratio with DDR3-1333 modules, a common DDR3 standard.

Aside from the obvious speed benefit with the new processors, there is another aspect that most are going to enjoy. The price. According to reports, the processor we are taking a look at today will retail for an average of ~$200 at launch. One popular e-tailer recently leaked their prices, which backed up these claims.

So here we have an E6750 at 2.66GHz with a 1333FSB... for $200? This is probably -the- reason why excitement should be in the air. Compare that to the current E6700 price, which hovers around the $300 mark. We will touch a lot more on pricing and other specifics in our conclusion.

AMD Sanghai

2008-12-18T07:54:00.002-08:00

AMD has released a computer chip called “Sanghai.” The produc is set to give a fight to its bigger rival Intel. It would be for use in servers, the powerful computers that run corporate networks.

At the same time, Intel’s new chip, code-named Nehalem, is due to be released Nov. 17. Sold under the name Core i7, Intel’s new chip will resemble Shanghai in an important way.

According to the AMD, Shanghai will perform 35% better than its previous generation of server chips while decreasing power requirements by 35%, a combination that should help customers reduce operational costs while boosting efficiency.

With Shanghai, to be sold under the Opteron brand, AMD hopes to show it’s got some of its operational mojo back after the disaster that was the previous server line, Barcelona. Introduced in September 2007.

In the mean time, AMD needs all the good news it can get. The company’s share of PC and server chips tumbled to 17.7% in the third quarter, from 23% a year earlier, while Intel boosted its share to 82.1%, according to Mercury Research.

Intels new chip

2008-12-18T07:54:00.001-08:00

The world’s largest chip maker Intel Corp Tuesday unveiled its most powerful six core microprocessor designed and developed at its India development centre in this information technology (IT) hub.

The 45-nanometre chip boasts of a whopping 1.9 billion transistors, six processing cores and 16MB of shared cache memory in the Xeon family.

“The most powerful chip in the 45 nanometre space has been designed, developed, tested and validated in our Bangalore facility by the Indian team in a record two years,” Intel India president Praveen Vishakantaiah told reporters at a preview of the ‘made-in-India’ product.

The Xeon server processor on which a host of applications can be built for virtualised environments and data-demanding workloads such as databases, business intelligence and enterprise resource planning (ERP) enhances performance by 50 percent, consuming much less power than its earlier versions - quad core and dual core processors.

“Platforms based on this enterprise chip can be scaled up to 16 processor sockets to deliver servers with 96 processing cores inside, offering scalability, ample computing threads, extensive memory resources and reliability for enterprise data centres,” Vishakantaiah said.

Intel has released seven 45 nanometre manufactured Xeon processor 7400 series products to about 50 global vendors (OEMs) such as Dell, Fujitsu, Hitachi, IBM, HP, NEC and Unisys and Indian vendors like HCL and Wipro for deployment in high-end enterprise servers.

End-products with the new chip will hit the market worldwide in a week.

The price of sequence processors range from $856-2729 for 1000 chips and can be deployed in the servers and CPUs (central processing units) of quad core or dual core versions.

“The new chip helps IT infrastructure to manage complex enterprise server environments, enhance performance of multi-thread applications. With new features such as additional cores, large shared caches and advanced virtualisation technologies,” Intel South Asia sales director R. Ravichandran said.

Products with the new processor offer frequencies up to 2.66 GHz and consume just 11 watt power for each core, which is 50 watt less than quad core processors.

Codenamed Dunnington, Intel’s first six-core 86 microprocessor was designed and developed two months ahead of its delivery schedule.

Intel India, set up a decade ago with over $1.7 billion investment, has also contributed to the development of Intel products such as Napa, Santa Rosa and Montevina mobile platforms, besides quad-core processors. It employs about 2,500 engineers.

Amd Dual-core Opteron 280

2008-12-18T07:52:00.001-08:00

The AMD Opteron processor, enabling simultaneous 32- and 64-bit computing, represents the landmark introduction of the AMD64 architecture. The AMD Opteron processor is designed to run existing 32-bit applications with outstanding performance and offers customers a simplified migration path to 64-bit computing. This evolutionary processor provides a dramatic leap forward in compatibility, performance, investment protection, and reduced total cost of ownership (TCO).The AMD Opteron processor provides a highly scalable architecture that delivers next-generation performance as well as a flexible upgrade path from 32- to 64-bit computing. With a single architecture designed to meet current and future business needs, the AMD Opteron processor can help to minimize the integration complexities presented by business environments today and in the future.

AMD Opteron 848

2008-12-18T07:49:00.000-08:00

This AMD Opteron OSA848CEP5AV Processor 848 provides a highly scalable architecture that delivers next-generation performance as well as a flexible upgrade path from 32- to 64-bit computing! This AMD Opteron OSA848CEP5AV Processor 848 operates at 2.2 GHz frequency and features 800 MHz HyperTransport speed and a 1 MB L2 Cache! The Opteron is designed to meet current and future business needs for worldwide enterprises, small to medium businesses and government or educational institutions! Put this AMD Opetron 848 2.2 GHz CPU to work today!

AMD Opteron 2356

2008-12-18T07:40:00.000-08:00

Model: AMD 2356WAL4BGH
Processor AMD Opteron 2356
Core Speed 2.3 GHz
System Bus Speed 1000Mhz
Core Count 4
Socket Socket F 1207
Voltages N/A
Max Temps (C) 55 - 76
Wattage 75 W
L1 Cache Size N/A
L2 Cache Size 512 kb
L3 Cache Size 2048 kb
CMOS 65nm SOI
IMC Speed 2000MHz
Operating Modes 32-bit / 64-bit
Packaging Retail Box
Warranty 3 Year Warranty
Product Link AMD 2356WAL4BGH

AMD Opetron

2008-12-18T07:32:00.000-08:00

Opetron 150, 250, and 850 chips will operate at 2.4 GHz speeds, according to Ben Williams, Vice President of AMD's Server and Workstation Unit. AMD's previous Opetron models named as 148, 248, and 848 were clocked at 2.2 GHz clock speeds.

According to AMD, the number system of the Opetron processors give a quick measurement of their performance. The first digit in the chip name indicates whether the processor is designed for one-way, two-way, four-way, or eight-way servers. The second digit, however, gives the performance measurements.

The Opetron 250 is designed for two-way servers, while the 850 chip is designed for four-way and eight-way servers, reported Williams.

These Opetrons support 64-bit instructions and are required to run on a 64-bit Operating System, but the processors are backwards compatible with 32-bit applications so enterprise consumers can run both 32-bit and 64-bit applications on the server utilizing the new chips.

IBM, Sun Microsystems, and HP will be the company's top three partners. It has led the chip giant and AMD's competitor, Intel Corp. to announce similar processors.

These processors consume 89 watts of power, according to AMD. The second largest chip maker also said that it plans to release low-powered, slower Opetrons by the end of this year.

The Opteron 250 is available in the market and costs $851.00 in quantities of 1,000 units. The Opteron 150 and 850 will be available within 30 days, and cost $637.00 and $1514.00, respectively.

CybertronPC Magnum AV9080

2008-12-18T07:25:00.000-08:00

CybertronPC Magnum AV9080 Tower Server

Are storage and speed your main needs in a server?Do you want that storage without sacrificing performance, quality, stability or reliability?The Magnum series servers are the answer you're looking for!With their Dual Quad Core Processors and large capacity RAID edition drives, these servers are a universal fit for any business that requires plenty of space for all their file sharing and storage needs.

NVIDIA QUADRO FX3700 Video Card
This model features Dual AMD Opteron 2350 2.00GHz Quad Core Processors, Supermicro Motherboard, 8192MB (8GB) DDR2 667MHz PC5400 ECC Registered Memory, Quad 500GB SATA2 7,200RPM RAID Edition Hard Drives in RAID 5 Array, 20X DVD±RW Dual Layer Burner Drive with LightScribe, 256MB Video Card, and Mid-Tower Chassis with a 465Watt Power Supply.
Above and beyond the rock-steady stability and reliability that all our systems provide, these Magnum series servers have always been designed with two additional things in mind - STORAGE and the POWER to drive it.

And, unlike many companies, CybertronPC is not ashamed to tell you exactly what motherboard and processor they're installing into your system. Cybertron installs only the highest quality components and are proud to tell you what brand they are.

A custom system is a quick phone call away
If you would like to customize your system, simply call your Sales Rep. to get the configuration you need. You’ll receive a custom quote and your upgrades will be installed directly at the factory, fully covered by the manufacturer’s warranty - it doesn’t get easier than that!

Reliability & Service
Cybertron has become the 15th largest system builder by being a solid, stable company and focusing on the needs of the customer more than their own profit and bottom line.

Performance

Dual AMD Opteron 2350 2.00GHz processors
6 total I/O slots: Two (2) PCI-E X16, One (1) PCI-E X8, One (1) PCI-E X4 (using a X8 Slot), Two (2) PCI-X (1 – 133MHz, 1 – 100MHz)
Embedded six (6) disk SATA controller with SATA RAID 0/1/5/0 + 1/JBOD
8GB Installed 667MHz PC2-5400 DDR2 ECC Memory (64GB max)

Feature Summary:

Processor: Dual Quad Core AMD Opteron 2350 Processors (2.00 GHz, 1000MHz SBS, 4MB Cache Memory)
Memory: 8 GB PC2-5400 ECC Registered (DDR2-667Mhz) (4 x 2GB)
Hard Drive: (4) 500GB SATA 7.2K RAID Edition Drives, 16MB Cache
Optical Drive: DVD±RW Dual Layer Burner Drive with LightScribe
Form Factor: ATX Mid-Tower

Detailed Features

Specifications

Operating System: Not Included
Form Factor: Tower
External 5.25" Drive Bays: 2
External 3.5" Drive Bays: 1 Standard
4 Hot-Swap SAS / SATA
PCI-X Slots (Total / Available): 2 / 2
PCI Express X4 Slots (Total / Available): 1 / 1 (using a X8 Physical slot)
PCI Express X8 Slots (Total / Available): 1 / 1
PCI Express X16 Slots (Total / Available): 2 / 1
Processor Brand: AMD®
Processor Class: Opteron® Quad Core
Processor Number: 2350
Processor Speed: 2.00GHz
Processor Total Cache: 4 MB (2MB L2, 2MB L3)
Manufacturer’s Process: 65nm
Wattage: 75W
Motherboard: SuperMicro H8DAE-2
Processor Interface: Socket 1207 (Socket F)
Processors Supported: 2
Processors Installed: 2
Memory Type: DDR2 ECC Registered
Memory Size: 2 GB
Total Memory: 8 GB
Memory Speed: DDR2 667 (PC2-5400)
Memory Slots (Total): 8
Memory Slots (Available): 4
Maximum Memory Supported: 64 GB
Default RAID Level: 5
Compatible RAID Levels: 0, 1, 5, 10, JBOD
Number Of Hard Drives: 4
Hard Drive Size: 500 GB
Hard Drive Interface: SATA-II
Spindle Speed (RPM): 7200
Optical Drive Type: 20x DVD±RW Dual Layer Burner Drive with LightScribe
Graphics Description: Video Card – PCI-E X16 Interface
GPU/VPU: nVidia GeForce 7200
Video Memory: 256 MB Memory
Video Interface: VGA (15-Pin D-Sub), DVI, TV Out
Communications Description: Integrated LAN
Interface Type: (2) RJ-45
Data Transfer Rate: 1000Mbps, 100Mbps, 10Mbps
Power: 465 Watt
Power Supply Type: ATX
Dimensions: 16.8 x 7 x 20.9 in (H x W x D)

AMD's Phenom X3 Processors

2008-12-17T05:42:00.000-08:00

Specifications and Detail

AMD is launching three triple core processor today—the 8750, 8650 and the 8450. The only varying specification between any of these three models is the operating frequency.

AMD Phenom X3 8750: 2.4GHz
AMD Phenom X3 8650: 2.3GHz
AMD Phenom X3 8450: 2.1GHz

The pricing of the X3 lineup at launch is as follows (1KU):

AMD Phenom X3 8750: $195
AMD Phenom X3 8650: $165
AMD Phenom X3 8450: $145

All other aspects of the three processors are identical. The specifics from AMD are provided below for reference:

L1 Cache Sizes: 64K of L1 instruction and 64K of L1 data cache per core (384KB total L1 per X3 processor)
L2 Cache Sizes: 512KB of L2 data cache per core (1.5MB total L2 per X3 processor)
L3 Cache Size: 2MB (shared)
Memory Controller Type: Integrated 128-bit wide memory controller
Memory Controller Speed: Up to 1.8GHz with Dual Dynamic Power Management
Types of Memory Supported: Support for unregistered DIMMs up to PC2 8500 (DDR2-1066MHz)
HyperTransport 3.0: One 16-bit/16-bit link @ up to 3.6GHz full duplex (2.0GHz x2)
Total Processor Bandwidth: Up to 31.5 GB/s bandwidth
Packaging: Socket AM2+ 940-pin organic micro pin grid array (micro-PGA)
Fab location: AMD’s Fab 36 wafer fabrication facilities in Dresden, Germany
Process Technology: 65-nanometer DSL SOI (silicon-on-insulator) technology
Approximate Transistor count: ~ 450 million (65nm)
Approximate Die Size: 285 mm2 (65nm)
Max Ambient Case Temp: 70° Celsius
Nominal Voltage: 1.05-1.25 Volts
Max TDP: 95 Watts

So there you have it—literally B3 Phenom quads with one core disabled. All of the other specifications are the same. I found it interesting that AMD decided to launch a 2.1GHz ‘8450′ part, as opposed to a 2.2GHz ‘8550′. There are no Phenom X4 processors running as low as 2.1GHz today—I suspect that the 8450 is AMD’s attempt to squeeze a very inexpensive model into the lineup.

You’ll also notice that the full 2MB of L3 cache is still available to the three cores. In effect, there is more L3 cache per core available than with an X4 Phenom. This may actually improve core efficiency slightly in some heavy multi-threaded situations. Since the L1 and L2 cache is dedicated per core, whatever was available to the disabled core is also cut off from the rest of the processor.

You’ll also notice that all of the X3 processors are rated for a maximum thermal design power of 95 watts. This means that the Phenom X3 should work well in just about any “lower budget” motherboard. After hearing many stories of failing VRM components on cheaper boards running 125W CPUs like the Phenom X4 9850 and Athlon 64 X2 6400+, I was pleased to see this. Keeping the TDP down is especially important with chips targeting the value and mainstream segments of the market—buyers won’t be throwing these in $300 motherboards.

The Phenom X3 operates at 1.25V unless Cool’n'Quiet is activated, at which point it can drop down to about 1.05V.

AMD's Athlon FX nomenclature

2008-12-17T05:40:00.000-08:00

Processors with the FX nomenclature the company has used in the past. You might recall AMD's Athlon FX line sported both higher clockspeeds and an unlocked multiplier while carrying a premium price tag.

Not much is known about the upcoming Phenom FX line, but it's believed the new processors will be basaed on the Deneb FX core with four processing engines, shared L3 cache, and built on a 45nm process. TomsHardware reports the Phenom FX line will make a debut in mid-2009 on AMD's new AM3 socket platform. Whether or not AM2 platform owners will be left out in the cold remains to be seen, but AMD has previously stated that AM3 processors will work in AM2 sockets.

Pricing has yet to be revealed, and traditionally AMD's FX CPUs have held the upper end of the pricing spectrum. But at the same time, even AMD's current 'Black Edition' processors, which also boast an unlocked multiplier, don't break the bank.

AMD Phenom FX processor

2008-12-17T05:37:00.000-08:00

AMD is preparing the launch of its next-generation K10-derived Stars-family single, dual and quad-core processors. The next-generation Stars-family splits into three different brand names – Phenom, Athlon and Sempron. Ringing in the flagship are three Agena FX-based AMD Phenom FX processors. AMD has yet to confirm clock speeds for the three models; however, the latest roadmap reveals ballparks for the processors.

The top-end AMD Phenom FX processor clocks in the 2.4-2.6 GHz speed range. Slotting below the top-end Phenom FX is a 2.2-2.4 GHz model. These two models occupy AMD’s upcoming Socket 1207+ and current Socket 1207 Quad FX platforms. AMD also has a Phenom FX for single-processor customers as well, clocked at 2.4-2.6 GHz.

AMD further differentiates its Phenom FX processors with different Hyper Transport 3.0 clock speeds. The flagship 2.4-2.6 GHz model features a 3.6 GHz HT 3.0 clock speed while the two 2.2-2.4 GHz models have a lower 3.2 GHz HT 3.0 clock. All three models share the same 4x512KB L2 cache and 2MB L3 cache configuration. AMD has yet to determine the TDP of its Phenom FX processors.

Catering towards high-end user are two Socket AM2+ AMD Phenom X4 processors. AMD remains undecided on its model numbers; however, clock speeds on the Agena-based Phenom X4 processors are set. The two AMD Phenom X4 processors clock in at 2.4 GHz and 2.2 GHz. These models share the same 4x512KB L2 cache and 2MB L3 cache configuration as the Phenom FX processors.

HT 3.0 speeds differ on the two models, the 2.4 GHz features a 3.6 GHz HT 3.0 speed while the 2.2 GHz model features a 3.2 GHz HT 3.0 speed. AMD rates the Phenom X4 processors with 89W TDPs. AMD plans to start taking orders for its Phenom FX and Phenom X4 processors in Q3’2007.

AMD’s dual-core Kuma processors will carry the Phenom X2 name and drop into Socket AM2+ and AM2 motherboards. There are three AMD Phenom X2 processors in the pipeline with 2.8 GHz, 2.6 GHz and 2.4 GHz clock speeds. HT 3.0 speeds vary on the AMD Phenom X2 processors. At the top with the AMD Phenom X2 2.8 GHz model. The HT 3.0 bus clocks in at 4.2 GHz – higher than the Phenom FX and Phenom X4 models. The two lower models have 3.8 GHz and 3.6 GHz HT 3.0 clock speeds, respectively.

All three models feature a 2x512KB L2 cache and 2MB L3 cache configuration. The higher end 2.8 GHz has an 89W TDP, similar to the Phenom X4 models, while the 2.6 GHz and 2.4 GHz receive a lower 65W TDP rating. AMD plans to take orders for its Phenom X2 processors beginning in Q4’2007.

If low power is a concern, AMD intends to offer three low power AMD Phenom X2 models. AMD rates these models with 45W TDPs. The low power Phenom X2 clocks in at 2.3 GHz, 2.1 GHz and 1.9 GHz with 3.4 GHz, 3.0 GHz and 2.8 GHz HT 3.0 speeds, respectively.

Although AMD plans to launch its new Phenom branding for high-end processors, the Athlon 64 X2 name lives on with Rana. There’s one Rana model in the pipeline clocked at 2.2 GHz. The Rana-based Athlon 64 X2 does away with L3 cache and only has 2x512KB of L2 cache, differentiating it from the Kuma-based AMD Phenom X2.

AMD Phenom X4 9850 features

2008-12-17T05:35:00.000-08:00

Overclocker’s dream! Deliver more sophisticated solutions with the leading-edge technology of AMD Phenom™ 9000 Series processor. Built from the ground up for true quad-core performance, AMD Phenom 9000 Series processors incorporate a unified high-speed L3 cache and high-speed DDR2 memory. Speed through complex multitasking, critical business productivity, advanced visual design and modeling and visually stunning digital media and entertainment. Whether it's a single solution or an enterprise system, AMD Phenom processors have the power to perform.

Features

The industry's first true Quad core x86 processor
True quad-core designed from the ground up for better communication between cores. Cores can communicate on die rather than on package for better performance
AMD64 with Direct Connect Architecture
Increases application performance by reducing memory latency . Scales memory bandwidth and performance to match compute needs. HyperTransport™ Technology provides up to 14.4GB/s peak bandwidth per processor—reducing I/O bottlenecks. Up to 27.2GB/s total delivered processor-to-system bandwidth (HyperTransport bus + memory bus)
AMD Balanced Smart Cache
In addition to the 512K L2 cache per core, up to 2MB of L3 cache shared by up to 4 cores. Shortened access times to highly accessed data for better performance.
AMD Wide Floating Point Accelerator
High performance (128bit internal data path) floating point unit per core. Larger data paths for quicker floating point calculations and better performance.
HyperTransport™ 3.0 Technology
Up to 8 .0 GB/s HyperTransport™ I/O bandwidth; Up to 14.4GB/s in HyperTransport Generation 3.0 mode. Up to 27.2GB/s total delivered processor-to-system bandwidth (HyperTransport bus + memory bus). Quick access times to system resources for better performance.
Integrated DDR2 DRAM Controller with AMD Memory Optimizer Technology
A high-bandwidth, low-latency integrated DDR2 memory controller. Quick access to system memory for better performance.
AMD Virtualization™ (AMD-V™) With Rapid Virtualization Indexing
Silicon feature-set enhancements designed to improve the performance, reliability, and security of existing and future virtualization environments by allowing virtualized applications with direct and rapid access to their allocated memory. Helps virtualization software to run more securely and efficiently enabling a better experience when dealing with virtual systems
AMD Cool'n'Quiet™ 2.0 technology
Enhanced power management features which automatically and instantaneously adjusts performance states and features based on processor performance requirements. For quieter operation and reduced power requirements. Enables platform designs providing less heat and noise efficient performance and energy usage.
AMD CoolCore™ Technology
Reduces processor energy consumption by turning off unused parts of the processor. For example, the memory controller can turn off the write logic when reading from memory, helping reduce system power. Reduces processor energy consumption by turning off unused parts of the processor. For example, the memory controller can turn off the write logic when reading from memory, helping reduce system power. Power can be switched on or off within a single clock cycle, saving energy without comprimised performance. Helps users get more efficient performance by dynamically activating or turning off parts of the processor.
Dual Dynamic Power Management™
Enables more granular power management capabilities to reduce processor energy consumption. Separate power planes for cores and memory controller, for optimum power consumption and performance, creating more opportunities for power savings within the cores and memory controller. Helps improve platform efficiency by providing on demand memory performance while still allowing for decreased system power consumption

Intel Nehalem Architecture

2008-12-16T09:05:00.000-08:00

Nehalem is the codename of the new Intel CPU with integrated memory controller that will reach the market next month and that will be called Core i7; this architecture will also be used on CPUs targeted to servers (Xeon) and, a few years from now, it will also be used on entry-level CPUs. CPUs based on this architecture will have an embedded memory controller supporting three DDR3 channels, three cache levels, the return of HyperThreading technology, a new external bus called QuickPath and more.

Based on Intel Core microarchitecture.
Two to eight cores.
Integrated DDR3 triple-channel memory controller.
Individual 256 KB L2 memory caches for each core.
8 MB L3 memory cache.
New SSE 4.2 instruction set (seven new instructions).
HyperThreading technology.
Turbo mode (auto overclocking).
Enhancements to the microarchitecture (support for macro-fusion under 64-bit mode, improved Loop Stream Detector, six dispatch ports, etc).
Enhancements on the prediction unit, with the addition of a second Branch Target Buffer (BTB).
A second 512-entry Translation Look-aside Buffer (TLB).
Optimized for unaligned SSE instructions.
Improved virtualization performance (60% improvement on round-trip virtualization latency compared to 65-nm Core 2 CPUs and 20% improvement compared to 45-nm Core 2 CPUs, according to Intel).
New QuickPath Interconnect external bus.
New power control unit.
45 nm manufacturing technology at launch, with future models at 32 nm (CPUs codenamed “Westmere”).
New socket with 1366 pins.

It is important to remember that Core 2 CPUs manufactured under 45-nm technology have extra features compared to the Core 2 CPUs manufactured under 65-nm technology. All these features are present on Nehalem-based CPUs are the most significant ones are:

SSE4.1 instruction set (47 new SSE instructions).
Deep Power Down Technology (only on mobile CPUs, also known as C6 state).
Enhanced Intel Dynamic Acceleration Technology (only on mobile CPUs).
Fast Radix-16 Divider (FPU enhancement).
Super Shuffle engine (FPU enhancement).
Enhanced Virtualization Technology

Mac OS X Leopard

2008-12-12T09:39:00.000-08:00

Processor Up to 2x faster.
Eight-core processing power was once only top-of-the-line. Now it comes standard. This time around, performance is more phenomenal than ever — up to two times faster than the previous standard-configuration Mac Pro. And with the multicore technology enhancements of Mac OS X Leopard, the new Mac Pro is a force to be reckoned with.

More power with less power.
Inside the new Mac Pro is the latest technology from Intel: Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Harpertown” processors. These processors run at blazingly fast speeds up to 3.2GHz. Based on the new 45-nm Intel Core microarchitecture, these processors deliver amazing performance but still maintain outstanding energy efficiency.

Cache count.
A huge amount of L2 cache — 12MB per processor — keeps frequently used data and instructions close to the processor cores and improves overall performance. 6MB of cache is shared between pairs of processor cores, allowing an individual core to use all the available shared cache at any one time.

Built at full tilt.
With the fastest Xeon architecture available, the new Mac Pro features 1600MHz dual independent frontside buses. These 64-bit buses give each processor a direct connection to the system controller and deliver improved processor bandwidth of up to 25.6GB per second — 20 percent greater than the previous Mac Pro. With a new system architecture, speedier system buses, and fast 800MHz DDR2 fully buffered DIMM memory, Mac Pro memory throughput is up to 1.6 times faster than before.

Every Intel Xeon processor features an enhanced SSE4 SIMD engine. Capable of completing 128-bit vector computations in a single cycle, SSE4 is ideal for transforming large sets of data, such as applying a filter to an image or rendering a video effect.

Smarter memory.
The Mac Pro incorporates a 256-bit-wide, fully buffered memory architecture with Error Correction Code (ECC), which corrects single-bit errors and detects multiple-bit errors automatically. These features are especially important in mission-critical or compute-intensive environments. Apple designed a more stringent thermal speciﬁcation for the Mac Pro FB-DIMMs, so the internal fans spin at slower speeds and keep the system quiet.

Graphics
Feast your eyes.
All-new high-performance graphics cards from ATI and NVIDIA make Mac Pro graphics technology even more cutting edge. The standard graphics card — an ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT with 256MB of GDDR3 memory, PCI Express 2.0, and two dual-link DVI ports — provides great performance for typical creative applications. And you get dual 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display support out of the box.

For motion graphics, 3D modeling, rendering, or animation, you’ll need the greater graphics horsepower offered by the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT with 512MB of GDDR3 memory and latest-generation NVIDIA GPU technology.

The optional NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600 graphics card is the ultimate workstation-class graphics card available, with a massive 1.5GB of GDDR3 memory and a 3D stereo port for stereo-in-a-window applications.

All of these cards feature the latest-generation unified shader model support. Compared to dedicated pixel and vertex shaders, shaders are no longer special-purpose and can now be utilized based on the needs of the graphics application.

PCI Express 2.0.
It’s the latest interface technology available for connecting high-performance graphics cards, and it’s new to the Mac Pro. A 16-lane dedicated graphics slot now features PCI Express 2.0 with up to twice the transfer rate of PCI Express.

The even bigger picture.
To create an incredible display wall or large-scale visualization, install up to four graphics cards, each with two dual-link DVI ports. You can run up to eight 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Displays at the same time with just one Mac Pro.

Power with potential
Massive storage.
The Mac Pro comes with four 3.5-inch internal hard drive bays for an enormous amount of internal storage — up to 4TB when you install four 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s drives. Each bay provides its own independent 3Gb/s channel for fast access to data. And thanks to the cable-free, direct-attach installation system, adding (or replacing) hard drives is a surprisingly simple process.

Ultimate SAS.
You can also choose ultrafast 15,000-rpm Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) 3Gb/s drives with 300GB of capacity for the highest in disk I/O performance. Together with the Mac Pro RAID Card, these drives provide 250MB/s of RAID 5 disk I/O performance. That’s enough data to play back one stream of 10-bit uncompressed HD content. It’s the ultimate storage solution for highly demanding data transfer situations like editing uncompressed HD video content or updating ultra-high-resolution images.

Double-layer burner, times two.
Sure it’s great to have one 16x SuperDrive at your disposal, but think how much more productive you could be with two. Imagine backing up your data to two double-layer DVDs at once. Or burning Aperture projects to one DVD, while importing music from a CD into your iTunes library. With two optical drive bays in every system, the Mac Pro lets you do exactly that.

Ready to RAID.
Using Mac OS X, you can stripe two, three, or all four hard drives in a RAID 0 array to increase performance and create a massive volume for video editing; or create a RAID 1 mirror for protecting your critical digital media assets against a drive failure. For the ultimate in data protection and enhanced performance, add the optional Mac Pro RAID Card with 256MB of RAID cache, a 72-hour cache-protecting battery, and hardware RAID levels 0, 1, 5, and 0+1. Apple’s RAID Utility software makes setting up and managing the RAID card easy.
64-bit power.

Intel Core i7 features

2008-12-12T07:35:00.000-08:00

Intel Core i7 features

Hyper-Threading
Turbo Boost
8MB Intel Smart Cache
Integrated Memory Controller with support for 3 channels of DDR3-1066MHz memory
Intel QuickPath interconnect to Intel X58 Express Chipset
Intel X58 Express Chipset
PCI Express 2.0 discrete graphics flexibility for multiple graphics card configurations
Intel HD Audio Support for 6 SATA p'
6 SATA ports at 1.5Gbps and 3Gbps speeds and 12 USB 2.0 ports with 2 independent EHCI controllers

Intel Core i7-965 Extreme Edition

3.2GHz Clock Speed
6.4GT/second QPI speed
8MB L3 cache
DDR3-1066
3 channel support
TDP 130W
Overspeed Protection Removed Yes
45 nanometer process
Nehalem core

Intel Core i7-940

2.93GHz Clock Speed
4.8GT/second QPI speed
8MB L3 cache
DDR3-1066
3 channel support
TDP 130W
Overspeed Protection Removed No
45 nanometer process
Nehalem core

Intel Core i7-920

2.66GHz Clock Speed
4.8GT/second QPI speed
8MB L3 cache
DDR3-1066
3 channel support
TDP 130W
Overspeed Protection Removed No
45 nanometer process
Nehalem core

XFX GeForce GTX 260 Black Edition Features

2008-12-12T07:34:00.001-08:00

XFX GeForce GTX 260 Black Edition Features

Core clock 785MHz
GT200 core
216 Stream Processors
55 nanometer process
1.4 Billion Transistors
384-bit memory interface
DirectX 10
Pixel Shader 4.0
Vertex Shader 4.0
Unified Shader
Geometry Shader
CUDA
PhysX software support
PureVideo HD
666MHz core clock
2.3GHz memory clock speed
896MB GDDR3 memory
448-bit memory interface

Brand Name	XFX
Part Number	GX260NADBF
Graphics Chip	GT200
Core clock	666
Shader Clock	1440
SPs	216
Fabrication Process	65 nanometer
Transistors	1.4 Billion
Memory clock	2.3GHz
Memory Interface	448-bit
Memory bandwidth	128.8GB/second
Memory Size	896MB
ROPs	32
Texture Filtering Units	80
Texture Filtering Rate	69.4Gigatexels/second
HDCP Support	Yes
HDMI Support	Yes (via adapter)
Connectors	2x Dual-Link DVI, TV-Out
RAMDACs	400MHz
Bus	PCI Express 2.0
Form Factor	Dual Slot
Power Connectors	2x6-pin

ASUS EN9800GT HybridPower Video Card

2008-12-12T07:32:00.000-08:00

The recent flurry of launches of video cards has really redefined what the industry is like on the market especially with the holiday season just starting. ATI and NVIDIA have completed their holiday lineups of video cards with numerous cards available across the myriad price spectrum. The high-end of the video card market is dominated by the GeForce GTX 280 and ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 cards at over $400, but what about the mid-range?

NVIDIA's answer to the mid-range of the video card spectrum surfaced in the form of the GeForce 9800GT and GeForce 9800GTX. While the GeForce 9800GT is basically a rebranded GeForce 8800GT, with higher clock speeds the 9800GTX is an 8800GTX with HybridPower. The 9800GT retails in stores online for the reasonable price of $110 online with the 9800GTX+ being online for about $169. The price difference is large enough to call them two different price ranges. ASUS manufactures computer equipment like motherboards and video cards so naturally, they have a 9800GT card. Today's review is on the ASUS EN9800GT HybridPower video card.

MSI X58 Eclipse motherboard

2008-12-12T07:21:00.000-08:00

The recent release of the X58 chipset has seen a slew of motherboards announced from many manufacturers across the world. The X58 is the first of the LGA-1366 motherboard chipsets from Intel that are required for the new Core i7 CPUs and the ability to do triple channel DDR3 memory has increased the memory bandwidth for CPUs by a wide margin.

Micros Star International or MSI is a Taiwanese manufacturer of motherboards video cards and other computer equipment. They have been making motherboards for years. The board on the review bench today is the MSI X58 Eclipse motherboard which features support for both SLI and Crossfire unlike the Intel reference board which is not yet qualified for SLI. The other thing about this new board that I will take a close look at today is the features of the board. As with any major motherboard chipset release we launch a new hardware platform for it.

Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 specification

2008-12-12T07:18:00.000-08:00

Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 specification

2.93 GHz dual Core CPU
1066MHz FSB
4MB unified L2 cache
Intel Virtualization technology
Execue Disable Bit
Intel Extended Memory 64 Technology (EM64T)
Intel Wide Dynamic Execution
Intel Smart Memory Access
Intel Advanced Smart Cache
Intel Advanced Digital Media Boost
65 nanometer technology
291 million transistors

This is the current top of the line CPU from Intel and takes over as their flagship desktop CPU. Previously code named Conroe the X6800 Extreme is the Creme De La Creme of High-End CPUs. Intel's new Extreme Dream comes at us with Dual 2.93GHz CPU technology, 4MB of unified level 2 Cache and runs at a FSB speed of 1066MHz.

Intels future plan

2008-12-12T07:16:00.001-08:00

While the Atom processor core used in Pineview remains largely the same as current Atom chips, Intel has made refinements to the design that further lower its already miserly power consumption, said Belliappa Kuttanna, the principal architect of Intel's Atom architecture, in an interview.

The upcoming Atom processor also includes an integrated memory controller with direct links to main memory to improve system performance.

"Now that we're in an SOC environment, we have opportunities for more efficient power management of the subsystems within the SOC, like graphics, display, etc., that involve some CPU interaction, so we went ahead and added those types of mechanisms to Lincroft," he said.

The latest Intel disclosures increase the pressure on AMD, which plans to detail its own product road map for low-cost laptops at an analyst conference to be held on Nov. 13. AMD is planning to add graphics capabilities to a range of processors as part of its Fusion chip family starting in 2009, and such capabilities will likely be added to chips intended to compete with Atom.

Intel has also said it plans to integrate graphics capabilities with some models in its Nehalem processor family, with these chips expected to hit the market during late 2009 or early 2010. The first versions of Nehalem, a series of desktop chips due to arrive next month, will not include graphics capabilities.

Kuttanna didn't detail the graphics technology used with Pineview, saying only that it's not the same integrated graphics processor, the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD, used with the company's G45 Express chip set. Pineview will also include a hardware decoder for high-definition video, he said.

Graphics and video performance are two areas where the current Atom lineup is considered weak. But graphics is not Intel's strength, particularly when stacked against the cutting-edge technology of AMD's ATI division.

Dell Vostro A840 Laptop

2008-12-11T07:00:00.001-08:00

Dell has introduced new Vostro laptops and desktops for small businesses, governments and educational institutions operating on limited budgets. The 40cm Vostro A860 laptop has a high-definition, wide-screen LCD with anti-glare coating. It also offers the choice of a variety of Intel processors from Celeron to Core 2 Duo and the choice of Ubuntu Linux or Microsoft Genuine Windows Vista operating systems.
The 36cm Vostro A840 laptop too has an anti-glare, wide-screen LCD but with WXGA resolution. It is meant for small business customers who value mobility and compact size at an affordable price offering. The Vostro A180 desktop offers Intel Celeron and Pentium dual-core processors to optimise office application per¬formance and simple multitasking, in addition to the option of Ubuntu Linux or Microsoft Genuine Windows Vista. The Vostro A100 is an entry-level desktop' designed for basic business productivity. It comes standard with an Intel Atom process'or and Ubuntu Linux.operating system.

Dell Inspiron 6400 Laptop

2008-12-11T06:57:00.000-08:00

Notebook PC, the 6400 chassis than most soft plastic, so scratch the 6400's on your desk is haphazardly.Regardless stay for most of the way, the notebook PC to use the issue may be denting Is made. Weight is 2.8 kilometers from the wings, weight, certainly more than 20 minutes it will start grumbling after a walk. For a short distance, fine, but only the true mobility can be found in sub. And stereo speakers to provide two kilometers in front of the unit, so the sound is not closed the lid is mounted muffled. The string of speakers lined multimedia shortcut buttons, enable users to manipulate audio in / and the mouse, without placing a finger on the video file.

Dell's 6400, the entry of top-level category for the notebook PC is sitting. However, the mid-range feature set, the provocation of this market segment - the base model, C oreD uoT 2300 Intel processor, 5 12M bytes D DR2 memory, 6 0GB of . Since, Dell's order, with the memory of the Core Duo T2600 processor, 2G-byte and 100G-byte hard drive, you can choose to burn has more money to build user's machine. We 2600 with the Core Duo processor, 1GB of memory and 80GB hard drive, 256MB of ATI's X1400 graphics radeon chip.Dell included as a test model of the "mobile entertainment" is the force necessary to this statement But as credentials amounting to 6400. Notes, the 8x double-layer DVD - RW drives can be (although the model is 1598 U.S. dollars from the AU 24x CD-RW/DVD combo drive) is limited to, so of course, DVD's Used to play. The basic configuration as, Intel graphics chips, while hampered by the top-level test model, however, some of the games, but are limited in a smooth frame rate, the latest run of the game to fight the ATI radeon The X1400 chip, is included. In other words, 15.4-inch display I for movies and games appropriate, 1680x1050, wide-screen aspect ratio is high thanks to a resolution.

Dell Inspiron Mini 12 Laptop

2008-12-11T06:54:00.000-08:00

The most obvious improvement in the large 12-inch screen, the keyboard away from a little more leg room (or the hand-room), the other is the spitting image of the brothers and sisters. On the inside and outside your palmtop silver cover on the same piano black. Nothing, Battery: Where is the mini-nine, was flushed to the device, here, about 1 inch from Palmtop sticks in the face of another. Specifically, the strange, but most of the expansion of real estate opens cover.With try and ease of use and impact does not affect, Dell is clearly a large-scale keyboard has to fit Can seem like a decent trackpad is one of size and quality. On the other hand, high usability of the trackpad, and between the keyboard keys are still a little tight, small space is easy to mistype.

That, Dell Mini's 12-inch screen with a native 1280x800 resolution, to work with Intel's GMA 500 chipset with integrated graphics is driven. This is the heart of the machine, Intel's 1.33GHz processor consists of the Atom Z520 - this is actually a mini-R AM 9 - 1 gigabyte is slower than the 80 GB of (not solid state). Also, in the January 24, kilograms.We connectivity options are quite impressed with the amount of light, Dell, the price of full-size notebook PC is available on more favorably. You can find the VGA device in the left-hand side, and two USB ports. One-third on the other side of the USB you can find - provided a good budget for a portable - Ethernet, microphone, headphone jack, and finally, SD / MMC Reader switching.

Core 2 Extreme QX6700

2008-12-10T08:57:00.000-08:00

Previously codenamed Kentsfield, the QX6700 remains in Socket 775 form factor and, with a quick Bios update, can be used with the majority of Core 2 Duo compatible motherboards.

Clocked at 2.66GHz, the same as a Core 2 Duo E6700, the Core 2 Extreme QX6700 is actually two Core 2 Duos fitted together in a single package. As a result, the L2 cache is made up of two 4MB caches, totalling 8MB. As first stated in our news story, Intel will continue to make quad-core processors in this way beyond 2007.

Not being a native quad-core part, this CPU isn’t particularly energy efficient. It has a 130W envelope, which means it dissipates twice as many watts compared to a Core 2 Duo. 130W was typical of the high-end, hot and hungry Pentium D processor.

Users shouldn’t expect a doubling of performance with double the cores. Firstly, the Front Side Bus (FSB), which dictates how fast the CPU can transfer data to Ram and other devices, remains at 1,066MHz. This means the four cores must share and jostle for bandwidth to the Northbridge. Secondly, most day to day software isn’t yet optimized for quad core; a few programs get confused and will not even run when they see four cores.

In our PCmark05 CPU test the QX6700 thrashed out a score of 8,100; the highest score we've ever seen and nine per cent higher than the X6800’s 7,404. In 3Dmark06 CPU test the QX6700 blew everything else away with a score of 3,961, beating the previous top dog, the X6800, by 58 per cent.

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700

2008-12-10T08:53:00.000-08:00

Core 2 Extreme QX6700 Quad Core Processor
Description: Core 2 Extreme QX6700 Quad Core Processor
Manufacturer: Intel
Quick Glance
Processor Class: Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme
Processor Socket: Intel Socket T (LGA775)
Processor Type: 4
Bus Speed: 1066 MHz
Processor Speed: 2660
Processor Speed + Class
Bus Speed: 1066 MHz
Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz
Processor Class: Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme
Physical + Memory Specifications
L2 Cache Size: 8 MB
L1 Cache Size: 128 kB
Number of Processor Cores: 4
Processor Socket: Intel Socket T (LGA775)
Warranty
Warranty Information: 3 Year Limited Warranty

Athlon 64 X2 dual-core

2008-12-10T08:51:00.000-08:00

The AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor line is targeted primarily towards the digital media segments — sophisticated power users who run multiple processor-intensive applications simultaneously.

Today’s PCs can operate in multi-tasking environments. With the new AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor 3800+, mainstream consumers now have the ability to multi-task, creating digital content while listening to MP3s and writing e-mails, allowing them to do more in less time. Desktop dual-core processors can also deliver increasingly superior performance as multi-threaded applications spread from the server to the client and consumer markets.

WHY: By introducing the AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor 3800+, AMD is now offering customers an expanded dual-core desktop processor line that delivers exceptional dual-core computing benefits across an even broader price and performance range. Since the launch of the AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor line in May, AMD has been extremely pleased with its successful sales and adoption, with more than 40 OEM partners and system builders currently offering products worldwide.

AMD Turion 64 X2

2008-12-10T08:50:00.000-08:00

AMD introduced AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology, the first and only family of 64-bit dual-core processors designed for thin and light notebook PCs. AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology allows people to get more from their mobile lifestyle through long battery life and outstanding performance, even when using multiple applications simultaneously, including demanding digital media applications.

AMD also is bringing 64-bit computing to the Mobile AMD Sempron processor family. Now AMD delivers the only complete mobile product portfolio offering the ability to seamlessly transition between 32- and 64-bit computing.

“AMD is first to market with the only 64-bit dual-core mobile processor, driving the wave of next-generation mobile platforms that are ready today to run the upcoming 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows Vista,” said Chris Cloran, vice president, AMD Mobile Division. “This is advanced mobile technology for the office or home, packing dual-core processing for extreme multi-tasking, 64-bit computing, extended battery life and cutting-edge technology from industry leaders in wireless, connectivity and graphics.”

"AMD dual-core technology will help provide HP consumer and commercial notebook customers the freedom to work and play virtually anytime, anywhere," said Ted Clark, senior vice president and general manager, Notebook Global Business Unit, HP. "Our consumer notebooks based on AMD’s Turion 64 X2 mobile technology, including the latest HP Pavilion and Compaq Presario models, offer outstanding performance, mobile entertainment and a stylish new look."

AMD Turion64

2008-12-10T08:48:00.001-08:00

The Turion64 certainly delivers for the mobile arena, and will give finally AMD a viable candidate for the thin-and-light notebook market. Honestly though, I’m a bit under whelmed by the performance of our first generation Turion64 processors, especially in comparison to Intel’s latest generation Pentium-M chips. If AMD is able to push out another clock speed boost or two without pushing up power levels, they should be able to give Intel’s top Pentium-M chips a run for their money. Still, the prospect of an ultra-efficient 64-bit mobile platform is tempting, and I would have a hard choice on my hand if I had to choose between a similarly configured Turion64 or Pentium-M notebook platform. One thing is clear, the Turion64 is the most immediate threat Intel has ever seen to date to its dominance of the mobile market.

AMD Quad core 9950

2008-12-10T08:45:00.000-08:00

AMD recently released several low power processors to its Quad core family, while simultaneously pushing the ceiling up a bit on their high end line with the 9950.
We take the new 9950 for a test drive and put it through its paces using several different software titles. We find out if the new flagship processor packs a bigger punch.

AMD future plans

2008-12-10T08:39:00.000-08:00

the second largest processor producer in the world announced the plans

for the "4x4" platform, aimed at consumers who demand the highest-performing PCs.
This will feature a four-core, multi-socket processor configuration uniquely possible via AMD's Direct Connect Architecture and will be designed to be upgraded to eight total processor cores when AMD launches quad-core processors in 2007.

Regarding the evolution of the AMD64 platform, CTO (Chief Technology Officer) Phil Hester unveiled AMD's next-generation architecture for server and desktop processors, and a new chip design for future mobile platforms.

These next generation processors will be built using AMD's advanced 65nm Silicon-on-Insulator process, and include a broad range of functionality and micro-architectural improvements

AMD expects to increase the performance-per-watt of today's AMD Opteron processor-powered servers by approximately 60 percent through 2007, and by approximately 150 percent through 2008.

AMD's new mobile design is planned for the second half of 2007, and includes key architectural advancements allowing for increased power efficiency and battery life in AMD processor-powered mobile platforms.

core i7

2008-12-09T06:10:00.000-08:00

Core i7 is almost here, but that will come as a surprise to no one, as potential release dates have been hovering around rumor-ville for months. The official response came last month, during IDF Taipei. There, Intel told the world that we would see Core i7 before the end of November, although no definitive street date was given.

Today's article will serve as a preview into what to expect from Core i7 from a performance perspective. This will become the first of a few different articles that we'll be posting in the weeks to come, which will target more specific areas of Nehalem and its platform. So, consider today's look as a good way to whet your appetite. There'll be more good stuff en route.
Core i7, or Nehalem as we've been calling it for the past year, becomes part of Intel's "Tock" step, which denotes a brand-new micro-architecture built on the current process node. "Tick" will come next year in the form of Westmere, a 32-nm shrink of Nehalem. If you are not up to speed on everything that the new micro-architecture brings to the table, the next page in this article was made for you.

When Core i7 hits the street, three models will become immediately available. This is a little different than most other Intel launches, which normally see the highest-end part released first. Instead, this launch will also see the release of both the mainstream and mid-range parts

Intel laptops

2008-12-09T06:08:00.000-08:00

The popular chip maker is planning on releasing two new dual-core celeron processors that will be made for the notebook platform. Both will feature a 667MHz FSB, along with a 1MB of L2 cache. Both processors will probably run similarly since they differ in speed by a few hundred megahertz. The T1600 and the T1700 run at 1.66GHz and 1.83GHz, respectively. The power usage for both is fairly low, clocking in at a TDP level of just 35W. Price on both is fairly cheap as well, with the T1600 costing $80, and the T1700 running consumers around $85. Each chip is expected to be released in the first-quarter of 2009, though an exact date is not yet known.

INTEL CORE I7

2008-12-09T06:06:00.000-08:00

About this time last year Intel launched what was the fastest 45nm quad core CPU on the planet, the Intel Core 2 Quad QX9770. Well, guess what, Intel has done it again with the latest architectural achievement, the Core I7 Extreme 965. What the two have is common is that they both are based on Penryn cores, they both are 45 nanometer chips and they both run at a clock speed of 3.2GHz. After these things what you have is a whole new animal. Gone from this chip is the twelve megabytes of L2 cache, this is replaced by a third level of cache at 8MB. Slow and inefficient it is not. With the addition of an integrated memory controller, the memory bandwidth is expected to be huge by comparison to today's top of the line processors, somewhere close to two to three times the peak bandwidth. SMT (Simultaneous Multi Threading) has made a return on the Core I7 generation. This will enable the processor to run a total of eight threads at one time. Some other new features are Dynamic Energy Management, new SSE4 instructions, three level cache with a shared 8MB L3 cache and improved branch prediction. Many are interested in the new efficiencies and features, while many think this generation will be the Holy Grail of processors, Let's find out just how it performs. That's the question that is on everyone's mind.

AMD Processors

2008-08-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

AMD announced four new "business class" Phenom processors, which essentially means that these processors are made available for a platform that won’t change for at least two years and include a 3-year warranty.

AMD Phenom business class cpuThe four new Phenom processors extend AMD’s B-series platform, which also includes a motherboard carrying either AMD’s 780V or Nvidia’s MCP78 chipset, to a total of 11 processors. The new models include the Phenom X4 9750B (2.4 GHz/95 watt), the Phenom X3 8750B (2.4 GHz/95watt), the Athlon X2 5600B (2.9 GHz/65 watt) and Athlon X2 4850B (2.5 GHz/45 watt) processors.

Pricing was announced, but we expect AMD to continue its business class pricing strategy, which means that these processors will be offered with a premium of close to 20% on the high-end and about 10% on the lower end when compared to non-B-series processors of the same main product family and comparable clock speeds.

In contrast, the sequence numbers of the preceding B2-series, which included the TLB bug, ended on full hundreds. The first B-series Phenoms were the 9600B and 8600B, which indicated that these are processors with the B2-series core. However, the 9600B and 8600B processors are actually B3-series CPUs. As if the sequence numbering system isn’t already confusing enough, AMD has now some inconsistencies of B2/B3 markers within the same product family, which does not necessarily make a purchase decision much easier, especially, if you are trying to figure out which processors have the TLB bug and which do not.

Intel Atom

2008-08-20T10:50:00.000-07:00

Forget any talk of shortages or competitive pressure from VIA, Intel's Atom processors are thriving amid the recent Netbook and Mobile Internet Device (MID) movement. "Atom is off to a very, very rapid start, far exceeding our expectations when we started the year," CFO Stacy Smith said in an interview Tuesday. "It's the perfect recession product to have in the marketplace."The success of its Atom processor has helped Intel achieve a 25 percent rise in quarterly profit despite a weak global economy, with Smith maintaining an overall revenue forecast in the third quarter between $10.0 and $10.6 billion.

Yields are good too. According to Smith, Intel gets about 2,500 Atom processors per silicon wafer, and while that's not quite as good as on a Core or Xeon chip, it's enough to ensure strong profitability on Atom CPUs. Still, Intel remains cautiously optimistic.

"We'll know kind of in six months how much of this demand (for Atom) is real and how much is customers thinking they're going to win in the market place and double-ordering," Smith said. "It seems to be growing the market rather than cannibalizing existing PC sales."

Will Intel's Atom chips continue to exceed expectations now that Centrino 2 platforms are starting to trickle out?

Core 2 Duo

2008-08-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

Hot on the heels of the Core 2 Duo launch, Intel came out and released the world’s first quad-core desktop processor last November. Given how powerful the Core 2 Duo had proven to be, we wondered how much of a performance gain this new quad-core version could offer.

As we discovered back then, given the right conditions the quad-core version can outperform the Core 2 Duo with ease. While current software is still trying to catch up with dual-core technology, we did find a number of powerful applications that in fact saw some benefit from having four dedicated cores at their disposal. The idea of having more than one core per processor is basically to allow individual cores to perform separate tasks, allowing more to happen at once under the same roof.

An example based on a gaming environment would be: while one core is taking care of graphics, another can handle physics calculations, and another looks after artificial intelligence, and so on. Rather than having a single core that tries to juggle all these strenuous tasks, multiple cores can work together, executing work simultaneously. But then of course software has to be written with multi-core processing in mind first.

According to our previous tests, there are currently no games that take advantage of the additional two cores; however software such as Photoshop, Pinnacle Studio Plus, QuickTime and 3D Studio Max all greatly benefited from the power of four dedicated cores. For example, the QX6700 was 15% faster than the Core 2 Duo E6700 in Photoshop, and gains as big as 43% were seen in Pinnacle Studio Plus. The biggest performance gap was found in 3D Studio Max where the QX6700 was 89% faster than the E6700.

Keeping in mind just how powerful the dual-core E6700 processor is, we were amazed with the gains the quad-core QX6700 offered in these applications. This kind of performance advantage would have been unbelievable just 6 months ago, with the latest and greatest processors at the time being many times slower than this. More often than not you will find us raving about a new product that surpasses its predecessor’s performance output by 25%. Yet we found the new quad-core processors to be roughly three times faster than the Pentium D 960 which was released in May 2006.

Even though there will be those out there that will want the power of the QX6700 for image and video editing, the processor’s steep price ($1000) might set high barriers for getting one. Today Intel is releasing a second quad core processor called the Core 2 Quad Q6600. This new entry that comes clocked at 2.40GHz does not belong to the Extreme family of processors and will begin life at $851, making it a slightly more affordable alternative than the QX6700.

Update (01/08): Intel has now confirmed that initial pricing for the Core 2 Quad Q6600 will be $851 in 1,000 quantities. This means they will be keeping their original pricing strategy that sets the Q6600 just below the QX6800, making for a less impressive introduction. According to this plan Intel will be reducing the Q6600 price later this year to $530 (in the coming 3-4 months), when it will probably give more life to it as a more affordable quad-core solution.