Intel Jumps 45nm Embargo

Today marks the arrival of Intel's first 45nm desktop processor

To coincide with the NVIDIA's GeForce 8800 GT launch scheduled for later today, Intel jumped the gun today with its immediate embargo lift on its high end 3.0 GHz 45nm quad-core Penryn QX9650 processor.

The Extreme Edition QX9650 desktop processor is Intel's first 45nm offering. True to Intel's "tick-tock" approach to processor design, all initial 45nm processor offerings will be process node shrinks of the Core 2 Duo architecture. The only feature difference between these processors and the Core 2 Duo Kentsfield processors announced last year is the inclusion of additional L2 cache, SSE4 instructions and higher clock frequencies.

The QX6950 features 12MB of L2 cache, a 1333 MHz front-side bus and a 130W thermal envelope.

The QX9650 will remain Intel's halo processor for the better part of 2008 until the introduction of the next, and possibly last, Core 2 Duo frequency bump. In last 2008, Intel will replace its server and desktop architectures in favor of its next-generation architecture, dubbed Nehalem.

Intel representatives claim all media information about the QX9650 is now available for the public domain with the exception of the price. Reviewers are allowed to post all embargoed information at midnight tonight.

Previously leaked Intel roadmaps already indicated that the 45nm Extreme Edition will launch with the standard Extreme Edition price tag, $999. Intel memos forwarded to DailyTech indicate the hard ship date for these new processors still remains November 12, 2007. On this date, the company will lift the embargo on all 45nm desktop offerings.

Intel's 45nm offerings are not the only processors expected to launch this November. AMD roadmaps also indicate the company's 65nm native quad-core Phenom processors will launch late November. In addition to the new processors, AMD will also announce its RV670 graphics processor and RD790 chipset.

Source

The QX6950 features 12MB of L2 cache, a 1333 MHz front-side bus and a 130W thermal envelope.

WOW!

the reviews on that cpu look good, its only a little faster, like 5-15% than the next best, but at much less power. meaning much more overclockable and sets way for them to release higher mhz in future, maybe we will see 4ghz finally