Intel's Core 2 "Quadro" on the horizon

Just when we were getting excited about the Core 2 Duo chips that have become standard in everything from the 24-inch iMac to new Dell laptops, we've now got quad-core fever. Yes, Intel already has the shown them off before, but Tom's Hardware has a very thorough investigation into the nature of these four-headed beasts -- what Tom's is dubbing the Core 2 Quadro. (Of course if this really is the name, Intel may have to chat with NVIDIA first, as it already uses the name Quadro in a set of graphics cards.) So how'd it turn out? Not surprisingly, video editing and rendering are everyday tasks that took advantage of all four cores: "Test results with the software packages Main Concept with H.264 encoding and the WMV-HD conversion make this very clear. We noticed performance jumps of up to 80% when compared to the Core 2 Duo at the same clock speed (2.66 GHz). A Core 2 Quadro at 2.66 GHz and higher is the answer for HD video (editing and rendering) at full HD resolution (1920x1080)." However, Tom's also noted also that the Core 2 Quadro requires 167 W of power in idle mode, which is the same amount that a Core 2 Extreme demands at full capacity, and attributes this to an "incomplete implementation of Intel's SpeedStep technology at this stage." That said, maybe once Intel reaches 32 cores (as it's said previously would be possible), the new chip name will be Core 2^5 Insanely Awesome.

[Thanks, Mack S.]

[popstand @ Sep 11th 2006 12:57PM]

Anyone else think the naming convention for all of Intel's new chips is a little obtuse?

[kuldeep @ Sep 13th 2007 12:03PM]

for new intel core 2 quadra the name shud be
INTEL CORE 2 QUIO

[33scottie33 @ Sep 11th 2006 1:02PM]

After all that waiting for the Core 2 Duo, I might as well wait for the Core 2 Octo!!!

[Dave @ Sep 11th 2006 1:12PM]

Checking out a big numbers list elsewhere after a brief Googling (as opposed to googol-ing... har)... after the Quadro and Octo would come the Sexdeco (oo!) for Core-16 and Duotrigito for Core-32. The UK names might alternately be Octillio and Sexdecillio. All of this research & typing has successfully wasted 5 whole minutes of my day. Now what the hell do I do.

[PEZ @ Sep 11th 2006 1:32PM]

Intel dosnt have to have any talks with nVidia because they are going to buy their asses out. Hahahaha...

[Pfft @ Sep 11th 2006 1:34PM]

Well, Apple still owns the copyright (as I recall) on Quadra, so maybe they'll give it to Intel since they're so cozy these days.

[thalassicus @ Sep 11th 2006 1:59PM]

At this rate, I wish Intel would offer a 6 month lease option on their chips. 80% gain on video editing over core 2 duo. (drool)

[Delta Taph @ Sep 11th 2006 2:04PM]

Isn't Kentsfield it's Intel roadmap name? Or am I just going mad again?

[Jiggsaw @ Sep 11th 2006 2:11PM]

@unimog, yeah no $hit right this is old news.. evidenced by me not having bought a Core 2 Duo chip since Intel announced quad-cores before year-end even before the Core 2 Duo came out.

Can't wait to use quad-cores for music production (plugins galore!) and video-crunching

[adrian @ Sep 11th 2006 2:11PM]

Wow, some of us just got our dual core computers, and there's talk about quad cores. But what about optimizing current programs for dual core?

[Jiggsaw @ Sep 11th 2006 2:19PM]

@adrian - wtf are you talking about 'what about optimizing current programs' - apples-and-oranges-say- what? should Intel wait around while software devs re-code or optimize their code to be multi-threaded for SMP? Or maybe you think Intel should open up a department that does the work for those software companies. By the way once code takes advantage of SMP it doesn't matter if its a dual, quad or 32-core that takes advantage of said code.

..I don't get your point.

[Steffan @ Sep 11th 2006 2:24PM]

How is having this going to help me get into Beta testing for LOTR???

[George @ Sep 11th 2006 2:33PM]

Well, with a faster computer you can beta test faster so you can submit more bugs. :)

[boe @ Sep 11th 2006 2:35PM]

It is a shame that Tom's VGA charts are so far from being accurate, I no longer can take stock in any of Tom's benchmarks.

[emehrkay @ Sep 11th 2006 2:38PM]

AMD

[Lorne @ Sep 11th 2006 3:11PM]

Do you think this chip will cut into AMD's market?

[Marc B. @ Sep 11th 2006 3:15PM]

I passed on the and Pentium D & Core 2 Duo because I knew this was coming. A Xeon Quad core X 2 should be enough to handle 2K resolution and composite 1080 uncompressed HD without much moaning goaning. I am psyched.

[Lorne @ Sep 11th 2006 3:16PM]

I have started a poll on "Has Intel's New Chip Architecture Finally Defeated Amd?"

You can vote here http://www.gitc.ca

Will love to see the results on this!

[Magus @ Sep 11th 2006 3:21PM]

This is about the only thing holding me back from getting a major overhaul. I wonder how long ntil they apply it to xeon lvl chips

[thalassicus @ Sep 11th 2006 3:43PM]

2 questions if anyone can answer them:

Will there be a mobile version of this that doesn't eat electricity the way this one does?

Would the socket be the same as on the motherboard for the merom chip so that I could buy a core 2 duo laptop now and upgrade the processor next year?

Thanks.

[Geoff @ Sep 11th 2006 4:00PM]

"Quartet" or "Foursome" might be more in line with "Duo," but I can totally see Apple signing off on "Quadra" for a little exclusive dual quad-core lovin' inside the Mac Pro for a period of time.

[Jordan @ Sep 11th 2006 4:28PM]

HAH! A guy named Otto Octavius winds up with eight limbs. What are the odds?

Sorry, I just had to.

[Andrew C @ Sep 11th 2006 4:38PM]

Jiggsaw,

Instead of being a total #@!@ass who is pissed off at the world. You could have just said,

"Once code takes advantage of SMP it doesn't matter if its a dual, quad or 32-core that takes advantage of said code."

in a nice way and left it at that...

-Andrew C

[Rob @ Sep 11th 2006 6:04PM]

Once code takes advantage of dual-cores it definitely does NOT mean it's going to take advantage of quad-cores. Some software is 'easily' split between multiple CPU's, much is not. And you can have a program that takes advantage of an extra core, but not 2 or 3 extra ones. It all depends on the nature of the problem.

The software problem is not trivial and cannot be hand-waved away. So there is a legitimate question about how many cores are appropriate for single-user systems, especially when more cores consume more power. Desktop apps do not scale across cores like web applications.

[Bamboo @ Sep 11th 2006 6:48PM]

For all you whinny crackheads putting down engadget for "old news", Tom's article was just put out this morning, and I believe that this is the 1st major tech site to run benchmarks on the quad. Thanks for the link Engadget. Looking forward to the "duo duo" (my vote for the new name.)

[NAvstar @ Sep 11th 2006 7:05PM]

When can I buy an iMac with one of these bad boys?? MacWorld 07???? :D

[Rob @ Sep 11th 2006 7:46PM]

AMD already have quad cores in the bag for 2007 Q1. Although, whether it will be up to conroe standard in terms of performance leaves a lot to be desired.

[Guido @ Sep 11th 2006 8:03PM]

I believe the name won't be Quadro but Quatro (# 4 in Spanish)...quadro wouldn't make sense at all!

[Stuart @ Sep 11th 2006 10:45PM]

Question....

Is this a 64 bit chip? AMD was in the lead for a bit with the 64 bit. Then I dont know what happened with Intel. Or is 64 vs 32 a non issue with multiple cores?

(Core 4) Gets my vote.

[Scott Wendt @ Sep 12th 2006 11:13AM]

I think they should call the new chips the Core Tet :)

[truth_seeker @ Sep 12th 2006 2:40PM]

I am waiting for 4x4. I should be able to start with 2 cores, upgrade to 4, then 6, then 8, all at my own pace. Ultimate flexibility. I have also hear that they will be pricing 4 cores (2x2) significantly less than $1,000. I am waiting for this guy.

[E @ Sep 12th 2006 4:00PM]

"I am waiting for 4x4. I should be able to start with 2 cores, upgrade to 4, then 6,"

This makes not sense at all. The point is those cores exist inside the same chip.

You can already get multiple processors on a motherboard without having to have each socket filled with a CPU, so what are you waiting for? Here you go, 8 AMD dual cores:

http://www.xicomputer.com/products/Configure.asp?model=mtoweropmp&configid=

[John @ Sep 12th 2006 7:16PM]

This is a 64 bit chip.

Core [2]

[] specifies series/generation
Specifies number of cores.

All Pentium Ds and Core 2s are 64 bit.

[Peter @ Sep 20th 2006 1:17AM]

My question is how may pin's is this processor will I be able to stick one of these quadro inside of a intel 945pm motherboard...