Intel processor roadmap: From small to big

Darius Chang | Apr 03, 2008

The specs for Intel's Dunnington processor.

Much attention was given to the small and nifty Atom processors at the Shanghai Intel Developer Forum, but those who believe in the power of conventional PC systems will still have something to look forward to.

Of the four technologies covered--Tukila, Dunnington, Nehalem and Larrabee--it's the latter two which will interest the consumer market. Meant more for enterprises, Tukila is a quad-core chip with 30MB cache and QuickPath technology, while Dunnington is a six-core chip built for multiprocessor systems.

Nehalem is an upgrade from the current Penryn processor and uses the same 45nm technology. The key difference is that the memory controller will be integrated on the processor itself (a technology already in use by AMD). This cuts down the time it takes for data transmission between the memory and CPU significantly.

Larrabee is an upcoming graphics processor which aims to blur the line between video-specific tasks and normal computing jobs. By adding features which allow the GPU to take on duties currently served by the CPU, the next-generation platform is set to take on what Intel terms as a "visual-computing architecture".

Via CNET News.com

Filed under: Notebooks, PC & Peripherals
Leave a comment | Bookmark | Share