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Intel begins production of 32nm Westmere processors


Were you so impressed by the reviews of Intel's latest Lynfield Core i7 chips that you ran out and paid the early-adopter premium to buy one? Your period of superiority hasn't lasted long, dear reader, with the company announcing initial production of 32nm processors has begun. It's taken many years (and a $7 billion manufacturing investment) to get these Westmere chips onto silicon, with the Clarkdale (desktop) and Arrandale (notebook) lines expected to start showing up in over-sized cardboard boxes before the end of the year. What's next for 45nm chips, like those new Lynnfields? A slow fade to obsolescence, as they're likely to be the last of the breed -- but they at least can take pride in knowing they were the king of their class; a class that resulted in a whopping 200 million sales. Check out the video after the break for a some silicon and cleanroom action.