Intel Rushes Penryn’s Launch to Q4 2007
Intel has accelerated the launch date of its “Penryn” 45nm quad-core chips to Q4 of 2007. Such a move would allow for head-to-head competition between Intel’s Penryn and AMD’s K10 Phenom processors.
“According to documents seen by X-bit labs, Intel will release its new ‘Intel Core Extreme’ processor with four processing engines made using 45nm process technology in Q4 2007. The document states that ‘launch of the Intel Core Extreme processor pulls into Q4’07,’ emphasizing that the actual brand-name of the product is not yet determined. What is highly likely is that the top-of-the range extreme processor will be clocked at 3.33GHz, will use 1333MHz processor system bus and will have 12MB of level-two cache in total.”
“Initially there will be only about 2% - 3% of Intel’s desktop chips code-named Yorkfield made using 45nm process technology in the chipmaker’s product mix, however, the share of quad-core 45nm offerings will increase to 5% - 6% in Q2 2008, whereas the volume of 45nm products will get to little less than 30% of the desktop product mix in the second quarter next year.”
“Initially there will be only about 2% - 3% of Intel’s desktop chips code-named Yorkfield made using 45nm process technology in the chipmaker’s product mix, however, the share of quad-core 45nm offerings will increase to 5% - 6% in Q2 2008, whereas the volume of 45nm products will get to little less than 30% of the desktop product mix in the second quarter next year.”
Back in March, Intel Corp. stated that its new 45nm Penryn processors will have greater IPC execution, and will thus be more efficient and faster than contemporary chips with the same clock-speeds. Also, the new chips can run at higher clock-speeds than today’s Core 2 Duos and Core 2 Quads. Each dual-core Penryn will contain 410 million transistors, compared to today’s 291 million-strong Conroes. Moreover, the use of 45nm process technology will allow the surface area of the Penryn to be only 107 square mm, as opposed to a comparatively large 155 square mm Conroe.
