Intel accelerates 45nm plans, hitting the market Q4 '07

Echoes of "take that, haters!" could be heard on Intel corporate Facebook accounts this morning as the company steals some thunder from AMD's recently announced roadmap and fancy fresh antitrust lawsuit. Intel will be launching new four core 45nm Intel Core Extreme "Penryn" processors in Q4 2007, a few months ahead of schedule. The top of the line proc is likely to hit 3.33GHz, run a 1333MHz system bus and hold 12MB of L2 cache. Only about 2-3% of Intel's chips will go 45nm in 2007, but that number should double by around Q2 2008, and it seems Intel needed to accelerate things to head off competition from AMD's upcoming Phenom processors. Prices and other precise launch dates are still a mystery at this point.

[Via Silicon Investor]

[Blake @ Aug 2nd 2007 3:01PM]

shit just got real.

[Justin @ Aug 2nd 2007 3:05PM]

double to 4-6%?

[Mr Winner @ Aug 2nd 2007 3:07PM]

Only 4MHz from bein' 1337

[Mister Kay @ Aug 2nd 2007 3:23PM]

They should just release a very very slightly overclocked special edition version just for that very reason.

[The Pepto Pimp @ Aug 2nd 2007 3:24PM]

hahahahaha

[mlody11 @ Aug 2nd 2007 3:46PM]

LOL! Can you imagine the headlines...

"Intel Releases 1337 Processor"
"Worlds First 1337 Processor"
"Processor With 1337 Mojo!"
"Is Intel 1337 too much for You?"

Hopefully a good marketing director for intel is listening.

[Muu @ Aug 2nd 2007 3:46PM]

the 1337mhz bus speed is being reserved for the Fat41ity edition. Or whatever the hell way you spell his name.

[chadow @ Aug 2nd 2007 3:28PM]

They should have named it 'LEEE' instead of Penryn

[nathan @ Aug 2nd 2007 3:52PM]

*drool* 12MB of L2 cache? Save me one, Intel.

[DaLa @ Aug 2nd 2007 3:57PM]

You read right AMD, the Empire Strikes Back!

[Alex @ Aug 2nd 2007 3:59PM]

What ever happened to those other guys who make chips? I think they were called AMD.

[Revrant2394 @ Aug 2nd 2007 4:51PM]

Recovering from Hoth in order to take a swing at that second Death Star Intel is working on. ;)

[CobraRob @ Aug 2nd 2007 3:59PM]

ROFL

I just had someone come by this morning complaining about issues at Intel with the 45nm process. There is a BIG reason there is only going to be like 2 tools running the process haha..

their yield is in the crapper for it.

[Jack @ Aug 2nd 2007 4:07PM]

Intel is on schedule and now is moving something up on the penryn roadmap...I highly doubt they are having issues.

[CobraRob @ Aug 2nd 2007 4:30PM]

Jack I am pretty sure someone was here about 2 hours ago talking about the issues in the fab. They can move their roadmap all they want. But if the yield and performance are not meeting spec it means nothing.

Though its partly Intels fault anyway with their "copy exact" BS they are atleast a generation behind, in most cases even more.

[Blake Kachman @ Aug 2nd 2007 4:38PM]

Please explain to everyone because I'm sure they're dying to know, How can Intel be a generation behind if no one can even come close to meeting the performance of their top 4 chips currently in production?

[CobraRob @ Aug 2nd 2007 4:47PM]

No you miss understood.. Thier Fab equipment is atleast a generation behind.. Not necessarly the final product. They are using quite outdated technology in the fab and if they upgraded could get better performance and not have to stretch the equipment beyond the intended specs to achieve their goal. Would also reduce their COC thus their production costs.

[gshb @ Aug 2nd 2007 6:09PM]

sigh....that means more work for me. intel loves running their tools into the ground.

[steve @ Aug 2nd 2007 6:32PM]

It's mainly because Intel is so pickey about their tools. Let me explain. All of those big machines have very complex sets of software to run on them. Intel is very, VERY pickey about this software and basically requires that it be custom tailored to suit their needs. That's why they can't get the latest and greatest tools on the fab floor, it takes much longer for the development team of the people providing the tools to make a "intel revision". Now, that's a very simple answer to a much more complex question. But, why you ask? Because their making processors, and not memory. If you look at a memory fab(which will use the same equipment), it's a complete 180.

[CobraRob @ Aug 2nd 2007 9:44PM]

Steve,

I would have to almost completely disagree with you.. YES Intel is beyond picky for no reason other then their Copy Exact program. But the Software is NOT complex or customized in fact exactly the opposite if anything. Intel refuses under all circumstances to run either a specially patched or beta version of software even if it directly addresses an issue they are currently experiencing. The software is EXTREAMLY generic.. Most of their 200mm tools run off a version of Dos.. and the 300mm tools mostly run on NT. The GUI interface being many many many revs behind the rest of the industry.

Intel expects latest generation performance out of tools that are generations old.

[Mike @ Aug 3rd 2007 2:21PM]

CobraRob
There's a Black Eyed Peas song I'd like you to listen to. It starts like this:
Shut up
Just shut up
Shut up [3x]
Shut it up, just shut up
Shut up
Just shut up
Shut up [3x]
Shut it up, just shut up

[CobraRob @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:06PM]

wow, Mike

thanks for your pointed response to be providing accurate information. Just telling people a bit of information that is usually not publically available.

[Karl @ Aug 2nd 2007 6:49PM]

Well, this should help the Santa Rosa refresh, which we should see at the CES in January.

[ntrgc89 @ Aug 2nd 2007 7:15PM]

DEATH STAR!! Intel inside!

[freemikekelly.org @ Aug 2nd 2007 7:59PM]

Yay Intel! When will they be in the Macs? haha

[stephen @ Aug 2nd 2007 10:05PM]

Sadly AMD doesn't have anything on Intel :(

These are dreary days for the AMD camp.

[Me!!! @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:04PM]

will this thing be made available onto laptop chipsets? and when????