Technology
The Intel NGMA core similar is to the existing Pentium M but with many changes designed from the ground up. The data pipeline is 14 stages; a far cry from the 31 of Prescott. The new architecture is a dual core design with linked L1 cache and shared L2 cache engineered for maximum performance per watt.
New technologies included in the design are Macro-Ops Fusion, similar to Micro-Ops Fusion, and a new power saving design; the default stage for all components is minimum speed, allowing the chip to produce a minimum of heat, and consume as little power as possible. The front side bus for this new architecture is targeted to run at 1333 MHz for the Woodcrest server and workstation segment and 1066 MHz for Merom, the mobile variant. Conroe is officially slated to run at 1066 MHz, but may well end up at 1333 MHz. Unfortunately, the FSB is the weak link in the new architecture, as it uses the infrastructure installed in the Pentium 4 Era which cannot handle the full bandwidth of dual-channel DDR2 SDRAM.
Intel says that the power consumption of these new processors is to be extremely low; average use energy consumption is to be in the 1-2 watt range in ultra low voltage variants, with TDPs of 65 watts for Conroe and 80 watts for Woodcrest. However, this is subject to change. Merom, the mobile variant, is listed at 35 watts TDP for standard versions and 5 watts TDP for Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) versions.
As predicted, performance advertising has taken a secondary role with Intel, and the philosophy "Performance per Watt" is taking center stage.
[edit]
Road map
[edit]
Laptops
* Merom, first eighth-generation notebook chip, 65 nm, dual-core, 2-4 MB L2 cache
* Gilo, modified version of Merom, possibly 65 nm
* Penryn, dual-core, 45 nm shrink of Merom, 3-6 MB L2
* Perryville, single-core, 45 nm mobile and desktop processor, 2 MB L2
[edit]
Desktops
* Conroe, first eighth-generation desktop chip, dual-core, 4 MB L2 cache (8 MB L2 also possible)
* Kentsfield, quad-core "Extreme Edition", consists of two Allendales on an MCM (multi-chip module), 2 x 2 MB L2
* Allendale, dual-core, cut-down Conroe with 2 MB L2
* Millville, single-core, cut-down Allendale with 1 MB L2
* Ridgefield, dual-core, 45 nm shrink of Conroe, with 6 MB L2
* Wolfdale, dual-core, 45 nm shrink of Allendale, with 3 MB L2
* Perryville, single-core, 45 nm mobile and desktop processor, 2 MB L2
* Yorkfield, eight-core MCM, 45 nm, 12 MB L2, successor to Kentsfield
[edit]
Servers and workstations
* Woodcrest, first eighth-generation server and workstation chip, dual-core, 4MB L2, 65 nm
* Clovertown, quad-core, made up of two Woodcrests on an MCM, possibly with only 4 MB L2 (it is said to be similar to Kentsfield)
* Tigerton, quad-core, other details unclear
* Whitefield, quad-core, MP-capable with Common System Interface bus, either 65 nm or 45 nm, possibly cancelled, possibly not
* Harpertown, either a dual-core, 45 nm shrink of Woodcrest, or an eight-core, 45 nm MCM with 12 MB L2
* Dunnington, four to thirty-two cores, successor to Tigerton/Whitefield
The Intel NGMA core similar is to the existing Pentium M but with many changes designed from the ground up. The data pipeline is 14 stages; a far cry from the 31 of Prescott. The new architecture is a dual core design with linked L1 cache and shared L2 cache engineered for maximum performance per watt.
New technologies included in the design are Macro-Ops Fusion, similar to Micro-Ops Fusion, and a new power saving design; the default stage for all components is minimum speed, allowing the chip to produce a minimum of heat, and consume as little power as possible. The front side bus for this new architecture is targeted to run at 1333 MHz for the Woodcrest server and workstation segment and 1066 MHz for Merom, the mobile variant. Conroe is officially slated to run at 1066 MHz, but may well end up at 1333 MHz. Unfortunately, the FSB is the weak link in the new architecture, as it uses the infrastructure installed in the Pentium 4 Era which cannot handle the full bandwidth of dual-channel DDR2 SDRAM.
Intel says that the power consumption of these new processors is to be extremely low; average use energy consumption is to be in the 1-2 watt range in ultra low voltage variants, with TDPs of 65 watts for Conroe and 80 watts for Woodcrest. However, this is subject to change. Merom, the mobile variant, is listed at 35 watts TDP for standard versions and 5 watts TDP for Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) versions.
As predicted, performance advertising has taken a secondary role with Intel, and the philosophy "Performance per Watt" is taking center stage.
[edit]
Road map
[edit]
Laptops
* Merom, first eighth-generation notebook chip, 65 nm, dual-core, 2-4 MB L2 cache
* Gilo, modified version of Merom, possibly 65 nm
* Penryn, dual-core, 45 nm shrink of Merom, 3-6 MB L2
* Perryville, single-core, 45 nm mobile and desktop processor, 2 MB L2
[edit]
Desktops
* Conroe, first eighth-generation desktop chip, dual-core, 4 MB L2 cache (8 MB L2 also possible)
* Kentsfield, quad-core "Extreme Edition", consists of two Allendales on an MCM (multi-chip module), 2 x 2 MB L2
* Allendale, dual-core, cut-down Conroe with 2 MB L2
* Millville, single-core, cut-down Allendale with 1 MB L2
* Ridgefield, dual-core, 45 nm shrink of Conroe, with 6 MB L2
* Wolfdale, dual-core, 45 nm shrink of Allendale, with 3 MB L2
* Perryville, single-core, 45 nm mobile and desktop processor, 2 MB L2
* Yorkfield, eight-core MCM, 45 nm, 12 MB L2, successor to Kentsfield
[edit]
Servers and workstations
* Woodcrest, first eighth-generation server and workstation chip, dual-core, 4MB L2, 65 nm
* Clovertown, quad-core, made up of two Woodcrests on an MCM, possibly with only 4 MB L2 (it is said to be similar to Kentsfield)
* Tigerton, quad-core, other details unclear
* Whitefield, quad-core, MP-capable with Common System Interface bus, either 65 nm or 45 nm, possibly cancelled, possibly not
* Harpertown, either a dual-core, 45 nm shrink of Woodcrest, or an eight-core, 45 nm MCM with 12 MB L2
* Dunnington, four to thirty-two cores, successor to Tigerton/Whitefield
