AMD
may be planning tri-cores but until those will be released, arch-rival
Intel will have its new, 45nm processor line-up already in stores. With 45nm
production set to begin soon the desktop parts, that will follow the new Xeons
is closing in fast and will be ready to give AMD a big slap even before the end
of the year.
The first wave of 45nm desktop CPUs is set to include no less than 8 (eight)
releases, all depicted below. First to arrive will be the QX9650, an Extreme
Edition part featuring four cores clocked at 3 Ghz, 12MB of L2 cache (6MB per
die) and a 130W TDP. This one will be launched in November and will hit the
stores soon after. With 2007 gone and 2008 young and naive, Intel will have
seven more CPUs, four dual-cores and three quad-cores ready. The highest-end
non-Extreme quad-core is the Q9550, with 12MB of L2 cache, a frequency of
2.83GHz and a TDP of 95W.
The cheapest 45nm quad, the Q9300 will be clocked at 2.5GHz and will have only
6MB of L2 cache (3MB per die). As for the dual-cores, Intel will release the
E8500, E8400, E8300 and E8200, clocked from 3.16Ghz to 2.66GHz and all with a
65W TDP. All processors (including the QX9650) will have a 1333 MHz FSB. Intel
is probably saving the 1600FSB for later.
)