Direct from Computex,
HotHardware have some exclusive pictures of a still unnamed pair of 45nm
Penryn-based quad-core microprocessors from Intel. There were some interesting
markings on one of the processors that allude to the possibility of it being
based on A1 silicon and they have got a comparison shot next to a Kenstfield
chip up as well.
Penryin processors are based on Intel's LGA771 packaging, the packaging that
is used with Intel's current Xeon processors. These processors will be housed in
a dual socket LGA771 motherboard (Skulltrail) that will feature multiple PCI
Express x16 slots. They will probably only support FBDIMMs - at least in the
beginning - making it pretty obvious that like AMD, Intel has simply transformed
a dual socket server platform into a dual socket desktop platform. Pricing has
not been discussed, but it will be interesting to see if Intel sells both
processors at a discount and in a bundle, or if both will be sold separately.
Looking at the pictures more closely, we see "HT" plus one other character
written on the lower CPU's heat-spreader, but that is not a reference to
Hyper-Threading. To the right "A1" is also written on the IHS, alluding to the
possibility that these particular processors are based on A1 revision silicon.
If these processors are based on A1 silicon, we know this particuar revision of
Penryn has been up and running in Intel's lans since early January.
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