Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Intel Core i7-990X reviewed: best performance ever, but far from best value]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/03/intel-core-i7-990x-reviewed-best-performance-ever-but-far-from/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/03/intel-core-i7-990x-reviewed-best-performance-ever-but-far-from/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/03/intel-core-i7-990x-reviewed-best-performance-ever-but-far-from/#comments As T-Pain once so wisely proclaimed, "it ain't hardcore unless it's hexacore." Intel should have no worries with its Core i7-990X, which has enough processing units to satisfy even the most demanding of hip hop moguls, but it pads out its extreme credentials anyway with an audacious 3.46GHz default speed. That can be Turbo Boosted to 3.73GHz (yes, we are talking about a CPU that can run at 3,730MHz right out of the box) and there's 12MB of L3 cache and three channels for DDR3 memory to justify the $999 price tag. Well, to partially justify it, anyhow. Tech Report and Tom's Hardware both ran this new chip through their benchmarking suites and both concluded it's the fastest consumer processor around, but neither was willing to recommend it as a terribly astute purchase decision. Then again, when has an Extreme Edition of anything ever been a good value proposition?

Intel Core i7-990X reviewed: best performance ever, but far from best value originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3.4ghzcore i7-990xCoreI7-990xcpuenthusiastextremeextreme editionExtremeEditiongulftownhexacorehigh endHighEndintelintel core i7-990xIntelCoreI7-990xlga 1366Lga1366performanceprocessorreviewsix-coreturbo boostTurboBoostThu, 03 Mar 2011 12:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel's 3.2GHz hexacore i7-970 now shipping]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/19/intels-3-2ghz-hexacore-i7-970-now-shipping/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/19/intels-3-2ghz-hexacore-i7-970-now-shipping/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/19/intels-3-2ghz-hexacore-i7-970-now-shipping/#comments Just this once, DigiTimes has turned out to be spot on with its prognostication. The six-core Core i7-970 rumor we heard earlier this month has now transmogrified into a retail product, and just as promised, it brings most of the goodies of the sublime i7-980X at a moderately more affordable $899 price point. Based on the same 32nm Gulftown architecture as its costlier brother, the 970 will run at 3.2GHz by default, though presumably it too will be able to crank up speeds using Intel's Turbo Boost. Aside from that, you get a healthy 12MB of on-chip cache and the standard triple-channel DDR3 memory controller. UK speed freaks can order one up as well now, clearly a tiny bit ahead of Intel itself making things official, so we'd advise checking with your nearest super-CPU purveyors in case they too have received some early units of this multithreaded code cruncher.

[Thanks, Polytonic]

Intel's 3.2GHz hexacore i7-970 now shipping originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 02:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>32nm970availabilityavailablecore 2010core i7core i7-970Core2010CoreI7CoreI7-970gulftownhexacoreintellaunchlga1366neweggretailshippingsix-coreturbo boostTurboBoostMon, 19 Jul 2010 02:38:00 EST<![CDATA[Shuttle unveils Core i7-powered J3 desktop, changes how you look at little PCs]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/29/shuttle-unveils-core-i7-powered-j3-desktop-changes-how-you-look/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/29/shuttle-unveils-core-i7-powered-j3-desktop-changes-how-you-look/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/29/shuttle-unveils-core-i7-powered-j3-desktop-changes-how-you-look/#comments Earlier in the month Shuttle unveiled a pair of serious little desktops, the J1 and G2, and teased about a third model that would knock all of our proverbial socks off in one fell swoop. That desktop is here and, well, our feet are bare. The J3 packs an Intel Core i7-980X Gulftown processor, about the fastest available for consumers today, and pairs it with NVIDIA's monster GeForce GTX 480. Shuttle isn't telling other details of the machine at this point (all will be unveiled at Computex in early June), but in a video after the break you can gaze upon its healthy stack of USB ports and stare longingly at its shapely cooling system as it spins about slowly shedding its clothing -- and its dignity.

Continue reading Shuttle unveils Core i7-powered J3 desktop, changes how you look at little PCs

Shuttle unveils Core i7-powered J3 desktop, changes how you look at little PCs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>980xcore i7 980xCoreI7980xgtx 480Gtx480gulftownintelintel core i7IntelCoreI7nvidia geforcenvidia geforce gtx 480NvidiaGeforceNvidiaGeforceGtx480shuttleshuttle j3shuttle sx58j3ShuttleJ3ShuttleSx58j3small form factorsmall form factor pcSmallFormFactorSmallFormFactorPcsx58j3videoThu, 29 Apr 2010 11:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Alienware's Core i7-980X-infused Area-51 desktop gets reviewed, puts other rigs to shame]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/23/alienwares-core-i7-980x-infused-area-51-desktop-gets-reviewed/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/23/alienwares-core-i7-980x-infused-area-51-desktop-gets-reviewed/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/23/alienwares-core-i7-980x-infused-area-51-desktop-gets-reviewed/#comments Surely you recall that snazzy new Alienware Area-51 desktop that popped up last week with Intel's flashy Core i7-980X Extreme Edition within, right? The benchmarking gurus over at Hot Hardware have since put the stratospherically priced ($4,569 as tested) rig through its paces, and suffice it to say, there's hardly a machine on the planet that's faster than this rig today. Put simply, the test machine -- which was equipped with a pair of ATI Radeon HD 5970 cards -- bested every other gaming desktop they'd seen, with the only shortfall coming up in the HDD tests. Naturally, SSD-equipped rivals were a good bit faster there, but nothing's stopping you from swapping out those traditional platters and installing a bit of NAND yourself. Ah, why bother with the details -- if you're looking for "quite literally the fastest desktop PC on the earth," this can definitely be it with the right configuration. Hit that source link for the mind-boggling benchmarks and a hands-on video.

Alienware's Core i7-980X-infused Area-51 desktop gets reviewed, puts other rigs to shame originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 23:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alienwarearea 51area-51Area51benchmarkcore 2010core i7core i7-980xcore i7-980x extreme editionCore2010CoreI7CoreI7-980xCoreI7-980xExtremeEditiondelldesktopgaming desktopgaming pcGamingDesktopGamingPcGulftownintelprocessorreviewedTue, 23 Mar 2010 23:34:00 EST<![CDATA[AMD six-core CPU prices and clock speeds unearthed]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/amd-six-core-cpu-prices-and-clock-speeds-unearthed/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/amd-six-core-cpu-prices-and-clock-speeds-unearthed/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/amd-six-core-cpu-prices-and-clock-speeds-unearthed/#comments
The gang at DigiTimes have always struck us as processor obsessives -- constantly out on the streets, roughing up mobo manufacturers, getting them to spill their secrets (they probably look like Gene Hackman in Night Moves). And they've sure been busy, this time digging up some dirt on AMD's six-core Phenom II line. Hitting shelves as soon as the second quarter this year, the X6 1035T will clock in at 2.6GHz, the 1005T at 2.8GHz, and the 1075T at 3GHz. There is also a Phenom II X6 1095T possibly coming to fruition in the fourth quarter of the year, but we don't have any data on that one yet. According to Alien Babel Tech (where we did our undergrad, by the way) the 1055T is will retail for $199, while the as-of-yet unknown 1090T black edition will retail $295. As always, we recommend that in lieu of an official announcement you take all this with a grain of salt.

[Thanks, Blurib]

AMD six-core CPU prices and clock speeds unearthed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1035T1055T1075T1090T1095Tamdcpudigitimesgulftownintelphenom iiphenom ii x6Phenom II X6 1035TPhenom II X6 1055TPhenom II X6 1075TPhenom II X6 1090TPhenom II X6 1095TPhenomIiPhenomIiX4PhenomIiX6PhenomIiX61035tPhenomIiX61055tPhenomIiX61075tPhenomIiX61090tPhenomIiX61095tprocessorprocessorssix-corethubanMon, 22 Mar 2010 15:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple said to be preparing 12-core Mac Pros and 27-inch LED Cinema Displays]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/19/apple-said-to-be-preparing-12-core-mac-pros-and-27-inch-led-cine/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/19/apple-said-to-be-preparing-12-core-mac-pros-and-27-inch-led-cine/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/19/apple-said-to-be-preparing-12-core-mac-pros-and-27-inch-led-cine/#commentsAppleInsider has rounded up its stable of "people familiar with the matter" and squeezed them for info on Cupertino's plans for the near term. Firstly, they've heard that a 27-inch version of the currently available 24-inch LED Cinema Display is on its way, sporting a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution and targeted for release "by June." The more exciting tip from those in the know, however, relates to the well aged Mac Pro and its future upgrade path. Apple has apparently firmed up plans to offer 6- and 12-core options (to replace the current 4- and 8-core variants), though the star of the show internally is said to be Intel's Xeon 5600, rather than the similarly specced Core i7-980X that had been rumored. This seems to be motivated by the fact the i7 beast can't do dual-CPU configurations, which are necessary to offer a dozen cores. Pricing for the single Xeon CPU model is expected to be close to the current $2,499 starting sticker, but release dates still elude us.

Apple said to be preparing 12-core Mac Pros and 27-inch LED Cinema Displays originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12-core6-coreappleapple mac proAppleMacProcinema displayCinemaDisplaygulftownintelintel gulftownintel xeonintel xeon 5600IntelGulftownIntelXeonIntelXeon5600led cinema displayLedCinemaDisplaymac proMacPromulticoreworkstationxeonxeon 5600Xeon5600Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:32:00 EST<![CDATA[EVGA Classified SR-2 fits two Xeon CPUs for 24 threads, exemplifies overkill]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/17/evga-classified-sr-2-fits-two-980x-cpus-for-24-threads-exemplif/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/17/evga-classified-sr-2-fits-two-980x-cpus-for-24-threads-exemplif/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/17/evga-classified-sr-2-fits-two-980x-cpus-for-24-threads-exemplif/#comments Remember EVGA's seven-GPU motherboard monstrosity, the W555? That experimental beast of a board just got declassified -- and given immediate launch orders. Under the new "Classified SR-2" callsign, the board's layout has hardly changed since CES (though the heatsinks certainly got a makeover) but the big news here is that each of its two CPU sockets will support those fancy new six-core Xeon processors. As you're well aware, two times six is twelve -- and since each of the Xeon 5600's cores can handle 2 threads, you're looking at the basis for a 24-threaded powerhouse for mondo multitasking performance. Factor in enough slots for 4-way SLI, CrossFireX and 48GB of RAM, and it's not hard to figure out why the red-and-black HPTX (15- x 13.6-inches!) creation commands a $600 price point. The only questions are how much a full system will deplete your wallet, and how many fuses your house will blow after pressing the power button.

Correction: Just a note that Intel's Core i7-980X isn't supported here, but the new Xeon 5600 CPUs are.

Gallery: EVGA Classified SR-2

EVGA Classified SR-2 fits two Xeon CPUs for 24 threads, exemplifies overkill originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>980XClassified SR-2Classified SR2ClassifiedSr-2ClassifiedSr2Core i7-980XCore i7-980X extreme editionCoreI7-980xCoreI7-980xExtremeEditionEVGAEVGA ClassifiedEVGA Classified SR-2EVGA Classified SR2EVGA W555EvgaClassifiedEvgaClassifiedSr-2EvgaClassifiedSr2EvgaW555GulftownHPTXmainboardmotherboardsix-corexeonXeon 5600Xeon5600Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel's Core i7-980X Extreme Edition hits a slew of new gaming desktops]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/16/intels-core-i7-980x-extreme-edition-hits-a-slew-of-new-gaming-d/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/16/intels-core-i7-980x-extreme-edition-hits-a-slew-of-new-gaming-d/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/16/intels-core-i7-980x-extreme-edition-hits-a-slew-of-new-gaming-d/#comments Intel's six-core, twelve-threaded Core i7-980X Extreme Edition has turned the hardcore gaming community on its head, and just about everyone is scrounging around in a (mostly futile) attempt to locate $999. For those in dire need of an entire system replacement, it seems that today's the day to start looking. Shortly after we heard that this 32nm Gulftown chip would be landing with Alienware and Origin PC rigs, a veritable plethora of other outfits have shown up to make similar announcements. Digital Storm has popped an overclocked (4.4GHz) version into its Black|OPS machine (which conveniently starts at $5,642, while CyberPower is now offering the silicon in its Black Mamba, Black Pearl and Gamer Xtreme 3D machines. Maingear's also sliding said CPU into its world-beating Shift "supercomputer," and anyone shopping a high-end Velocity Micro system will also see the option. We suspect most every other PC maker in existence will be following suit soon, so if your prefab PC builder hasn't yet jumped on the bandwagon, just hold tight. Real tight.

Intel's Core i7-980X Extreme Edition hits a slew of new gaming desktops originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black opsBlackOpscore 2010core i7core i7-980Xcore i7-980X extreme editionCore2010CoreI7CoreI7-980xCoreI7-980xExtremeEditioncpucyberpowerdesktopDigital StormDigital Storm black opsDigitalStormDigitalStormBlackOpsgaming desktopgaming pcgaming rigGamingDesktopGamingPcGamingRiggulftownintelmaingearmaingear ShiftMaingearShiftprocessorShiftsix coresix-coreSixCoresupercomputervelocity microVelocityMicroTue, 16 Mar 2010 20:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Alienware sneaks Core i7-980X Extreme Edition into Area-51 ALX desktop]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/15/alienware-sneaks-core-i7-980x-extreme-edition-into-area-51-alx/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/15/alienware-sneaks-core-i7-980x-extreme-edition-into-area-51-alx/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/15/alienware-sneaks-core-i7-980x-extreme-edition-into-area-51-alx/#comments We heard at Intel's GDC press event that Alienware would be one of the first PC manufacturers to ship systems with the newest six-core consumer processor, but neither company's representatives would confess to "when." Now, we've our answer... sort of. Hot Hardware has received a shiny new Alienware Area-51 ALX, complete with twin ATI Radeon HD 5970 GPUs, a self-contained LED system that stays lit even when the rig is unplugged (could be a great or awful thing, actually) and Intel's Core i7-980X Extreme Edition to boot. We're told that a full review is on the way, but in the meanwhile, you can hit the source link for a few more looks at this here monster -- you know you'll be ordering one in a few days, anyway.

Alienware sneaks Core i7-980X Extreme Edition into Area-51 ALX desktop originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alienwarealienware area-51AlienwareArea-51area-51Core i7-980XCore i7-980X extreme editionCoreI7-980xCoreI7-980xExtremeEditioncpuDelldesktopgaming desktopgaming pcGamingDesktopGamingPcGulftownintelprocessorsix coresix-coreSixCoreMon, 15 Mar 2010 11:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel's Core i7-980X Extreme Edition 'Gulftown' review roundup]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/11/intels-core-i7-980x-extreme-edition-gulftown-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/11/intels-core-i7-980x-extreme-edition-gulftown-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/11/intels-core-i7-980x-extreme-edition-gulftown-review-roundup/#comments Six cores. Twelve threads. A new flagship processor in Intel's stable. Here at GDC in San Francisco, the world's most widely recognized chip maker is dishing out its latest desktop CPU, and to say it's a niche device would be greatly understating things. We spoke to a number of Intel bigwigs at tonight's media event, and everyone confessed that the Core i7-980X Extreme Edition was a low quantity, high performance device aimed specifically at gamers and content editors that simply refuse to live anywhere other than on the cutting edge. Intel's planning on selling these in retail, standalone form for $999 (MSRP), while they'll soon be available in a variety of gaming rigs from the likes of Dell, Alienware and whoever else wishes to keep with the times. As for Apple? The company stated that Steve and Company "sort of call their own shots," and that we'd have to dig at Apple if we really wanted to know what their refreshed Mac Pro would hold. We chuckled, nodded in understanding, and then learned that this here slab of silicon is a bit ahead of the software out there, with Intel noting that only games optimized for 12-thread use and benchmarking utilities that did likewise would really demonstrate the performance boost. 'Course, anyone who spends a great deal of time multitasking will appreciate the extra headroom, and power users can always find ways to make use of more horsepower. Oh, and for what it's worth, the company stated that this will be its lead desktop chip for some time to come, and if you're looking for a mobile version in the near future, you can keep dreaming.

As for the critics? Just about everyone with a benchmarking license managed to get one of these in-house, and everyone seems to feel (mostly) the same way. There's no denying that this is Intel's speediest consumer chip ever, but you won't find 50 percent boosts just anywhere. Yet. When the software catches up, though, there's no doubt that this chip will make even the other Core i7s look downright sluggish. 50 percent more cores and 50 percent more threads than the prior kings of the line leads to fantastic gains when serious number crunching is involved (audio and video editors, we're staring at you), with some tests showing upticks in the 30 to 50 percent range. As a bonus, the power consumption here is also extremely reasonable, with the shift to 32nm enabling it to even use less power in some circumstances when compared to the Core i7-975 Extreme Edition. Dig into the glut of reviews below if you've got a cool grand with "chip upgrade" written on it -- you'll be glad you did.

Read - Hot Hardware
Read - AnandTech
Read - Techgage
Read - Computer Shopper
Read - Bit-Tech
Read - PC Perspective
Read - Neoseeker
Read - Hardcoreware
Read - TweakTown
Read - PC World
Read - TechReport
Read - Benchmark Reviews
Read - Hardware Canucks
Read - Overclockers Club
Read - Hexus
Read - Legit Reviews

Intel's Core i7-980X Extreme Edition 'Gulftown' review roundup originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benchmarkbenchmarkedbenchmarkingcore 2010core i7Core i7-980XCore i7-980X extreme editionCore2010CoreI7CoreI7-980xCoreI7-980xExtremeEditioncpuExtreme EditionExtremeEditiongulftownhyper-threadingintelprocessorreview roundupreviewedReviewRoundupsix coresix-coreSixCoreThu, 11 Mar 2010 00:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel's six-core Core i7-980X Extreme Edition 'Gulftown' chip goes on sale in Germany]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/01/intels-six-core-core-i7-980x-extreme-edition-gulftown-chip-go/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/01/intels-six-core-core-i7-980x-extreme-edition-gulftown-chip-go/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/01/intels-six-core-core-i7-980x-extreme-edition-gulftown-chip-go/#comments Intel's existing line of Core chips just not potent enough for your tastes? Sicko. For those who just can't sleep without longing for the next best thing, it seems that said "thing" is just a few days away from a proper reveal. Germany's own Alternate has already listed Intel's six-core Core i7-980X Extreme Edition chip for sale, enabling moneyed consumers to snap up a piece of Gulftown for the princely sum of €1,049 ($1,430). Yeah, that's a stiff premium for a six-core chip that's ready to do more than sit snugly within some under-appreciated server box, but do you have any idea how much more bodacious you'll be than your dual- and quad-core owning contemporaries? Way.

[Thanks, Peter]

Intel's six-core Core i7-980X Extreme Edition 'Gulftown' chip goes on sale in Germany originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>core 2010core i7core i7 780core i7-980Core i7-980 extreme editionCore i7-980XCore i7-980X extreme editionCore2010CoreI7CoreI7-980CoreI7-980ExtremeEditionCoreI7-980xCoreI7-980xExtremeEditionCoreI7780cpuextreme editionExtremeEditiongermangermanygulftownintelon saleOnSaleprocessorsix coresix-coreSixCoreMon, 01 Mar 2010 11:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel teases six-core Gulftown, discusses tera-scale computing]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/intel-teases-six-core-gulftown-discusses-tera-scale-computing/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/intel-teases-six-core-gulftown-discusses-tera-scale-computing/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/intel-teases-six-core-gulftown-discusses-tera-scale-computing/#comments The 32nm dual-core Clarkdale processors that recently made their debut are about to pave the way for Intel's next performance crown chaser, the six-core Gulftown. You might've known that already, but Intel's decided to furnish us with the above slide detailing the particular differences between the two dies, with the most notable being the whopping 1.17 billion transistors that the new CPU will be composed of. The major attraction of Clarkdale chips lies in their power efficiency and competent integrated GPU, but the Gulftown focus will be firmly on the high end. Hence, there's no integrated graphics, but the built-in memory controller supports three channels of DDR3 RAM and even plays nice with lower-powered 1.35-volt sticks. There's also confirmation that the forthcoming hex-core chip will fit inside the familiar LGA-1366 socket, so if you bought a high end Core i7, worry not, you'll be able to replace your still blisteringly quick CPU with an even faster beast. Quad-core variants -- by virtue of disabling a pair of cores -- are on the cards as well, while Intel also took the opportunity to delve into questions of 1Tbps+ bandwidth interconnects and its 80-core processor project, but you'll have to hit up the links below to learn more about those.

Intel teases six-core Gulftown, discusses tera-scale computing originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>32nmcacheclarkdalecore iCoreIcpudual coredual-coreDualCoregulftownhex-coreintell3 cacheL3Cachelga-1366power gatepower gatingPowerGatePowerGatingprocessorprocessorsquad-coreroadmapsix-coretera-scaletera-scale computingTera-scaleComputingwestmereThu, 04 Feb 2010 05:29:00 EST<![CDATA[AMD and Intel's six-core CPU plans revealed by mobo makers]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/29/amd-and-intels-six-core-cpu-plans-revealed-by-mobo-makers/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/29/amd-and-intels-six-core-cpu-plans-revealed-by-mobo-makers/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/29/amd-and-intels-six-core-cpu-plans-revealed-by-mobo-makers/#commentsYou have to love DigiTimes and those loquacious sources it seems to keep finding. The latest word from the Taiwanese grapevine suggests that both Intel and AMD will be bringing out six-core CPUs to the consumer market by the middle of this year. We're using the term "consumer" rather loosely here as Intel's first Gulftown chip is expected to be priced north of $1,000. The Core i7-980X is slated for a March release, which just fits inside the Q1 window that earlier rumors had suggested. If you butter your bread on the AMD side, you'll have to wait a while longer as those 45nm Thuban chips -- hereafter to be known as the Phenom II X6 1000T series -- won't be landing until at least May. The usual caution when dealing with anonymous sources is advisable, but this sounds like a roadmap with a high likelihood of being accurate.

AMD and Intel's six-core CPU plans revealed by mobo makers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amdcore 2010core i7-980xCore2010CoreI7-980xcpudigitimesgulftownintelphenom iiphenom ii x4phenom ii x6PhenomIiPhenomIiX4PhenomIiX6processorprocessorssix-corethubanFri, 29 Jan 2010 07:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Gulftown processor dubbed Core i7-980X, making its debut Q1 2010?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/15/gulftown-processor-dubbed-core-i7-980x-making-its-debut-q1-2010/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/15/gulftown-processor-dubbed-core-i7-980x-making-its-debut-q1-2010/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/15/gulftown-processor-dubbed-core-i7-980x-making-its-debut-q1-2010/#comments
If you didn't make it to eBay in time to put down $1,200 or so for your very own pre-release Gulftown chip, cheer up! The countdown to the six core wonder continues apace, with more news each passing day. According to a purportedly leaked slide that popped up on China's PC Online, the 32nm chip will be known as the Core i7-980X and not the Core i9, as previously rumored. Part of the i7 "Extreme Edition" series (so extreme!). If everything goes as leaked, the 3.33GHz processor could be included in new Mac Pro systems come early 2010 -- which more or less jibes with rumors that the processor will be available sometime in March. See the new product name appear on the roadmap after the break.

Continue reading Gulftown processor dubbed Core i7-980X, making its debut Q1 2010?

Gulftown processor dubbed Core i7-980X, making its debut Q1 2010? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.4 ghz2.4Ghz3.3 GHz3.3Ghz6 core6-core6corechipcoreCore i7-980Xcore i9CoreI7-980xCoreI9cpugulftowni9intelintel core i9Intel ExtremeIntelCoreI9IntelExtremeleakleakslga 1366Lga1366processorsix coresix-coreSixCoretaiwanwestmerewestmere gulftownWestmereGulftownxeonxeon westmerexeon westmere gulftownXeonWestmereXeonWestmereGulftownTue, 15 Dec 2009 17:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Leaked Intel Core i9 chip makes its way to eBay?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/03/leaked-intel-core-i9-chip-makes-its-way-to-ebay/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/03/leaked-intel-core-i9-chip-makes-its-way-to-ebay/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/03/leaked-intel-core-i9-chip-makes-its-way-to-ebay/#comments Would you pay $1,200 for an as-of-yet unreleased Intel Core i9 chip? Hard to say if the transaction actually occurred, but an auction recently ended from a Taiwanese eBay user who claims to be selling a six-core, 2.4GHz Xeon Westmere Gulftown processor. We can't vouch for the validity of the listing, but those are some pretty convincing pictures being tossed around -- ones that aren't blurred, which might give Intel an advantage in snooping out the leak. That's not all, though -- Nordic Hardware (via Tom's Hardware) also reports that the OCTeamDenmark forums had it listed for on sale for $850. The 32nm fella had some promising benchmarks released recently, although its release isn't slated until at best sometime early 2010. Sure, it's great to be first, but with early adopter prices like that, we don't mind waiting until it goes official.

Gallery: Intel Core i9 eBay listing

Leaked Intel Core i9 chip makes its way to eBay? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.4 ghz2.4Ghz6 core6-core6corechipcorecore i9CoreI9cpuebaygulftowni9intelintel core i9IntelCoreI9leakleakslga 1366Lga1366processorsix coresix-coresixcoretaiwanwestmerewestmere gulftownWestmereGulftownxeonxeon westmerexeon westmere gulftownXeonWestmereXeonWestmereGulftownThu, 03 Dec 2009 22:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Early Core i9 benchmarks promising, make you wonder why you even bothered with Core i7]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/24/early-core-i9-benchmarks-promising-make-you-wonder-why-you-even/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/24/early-core-i9-benchmarks-promising-make-you-wonder-why-you-even/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/24/early-core-i9-benchmarks-promising-make-you-wonder-why-you-even/#comments Immediate obsolescence is an age old problem in the computer industry, but it doesn't look like the upcoming Core i9 "Gulftown" processor is going to do anything to solve it. Word is from early benchmarks of the upcoming Intel processor is that it bests the current Core i7 at the top of the heap with speed gains as large as 50% -- directly in line with its addition of two cores on top of the Core i7's existing four. Of course, six 2.8GHz cores aren't quite as exponentially helpful when applied to non-optimized tasks, but with most major modern software development aimed at better utilizing multiple cores, the core overkill of Core i9 will likely prove increasingly useful over time. At the start, however, Core i9's improvements will come at a premium: 130W power consumption instead of 95W in Core i7, and of course a high-end only price tag to match. Word is we'll be seeing these chips hit the market in early 2010, possibly as soon as January.

Early Core i9 benchmarks promising, make you wonder why you even bothered with Core i7 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benchmarkcore i9CoreI9gulftownintelpreviewprocessorTue, 24 Nov 2009 01:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Eyes-on with Intel's Pine Trail CPU/GPU hybrid and new Gulftown gaming chip (update)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/22/eyes-on-with-intels-pine-trail-cpu-gpu-hybrid-and-new-gulftown/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/22/eyes-on-with-intels-pine-trail-cpu-gpu-hybrid-and-new-gulftown/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/22/eyes-on-with-intels-pine-trail-cpu-gpu-hybrid-and-new-gulftown/#comments See that tiny little thing? That's not just a CPU, it's Intel's next-gen Atom Pine Trail CPU / GPU hybrid, and it's set to pop in all sorts of devices here at IDF. Intel was demoing it in a nettop running 480p video, but they assured us it was capable of 1080p playback -- we'll believe it when we see it, obviously. Also on display here at IDF: demo machines running 32nm Arrandale chips, with Intel's Clear HD video playback system, and the next-gen Gulftown gaming chip, which has six cores and will slot right into your X58 mobo to provide more power than you possibly need sometime next year. Check it all in the gallery!

Update: So the first Intel rep we spoke to was a little confused -- Pine Trail only supports 480p playback, although it can apparently do 720p if pushed. Native HD isn't on Intel's roadmap until the next generation of these chips, so If you want HD right now, Intel's pointing manufacturers to the Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator, which usually ends up costing about $30 extra at retail. So to recap: Intel's integrating graphics into its CPU dies, but in order to play back HD content, you still need a separate video processor to handle the decoding. How very efficient.

Gallery: Intel Pine Trail, Arrandale, and Gulftown

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Eyes-on with Intel's Pine Trail CPU/GPU hybrid and new Gulftown gaming chip (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>32nmarrandaleatombreaking newsBreakingNewsbroadcomcpucrystal hdCrystalHdeyes oneyes-onEyesOnfeaturedfeaturesgpugulftownhands onhands-onHandsOnidfidf 2009Idf2009intelpine trailPineTrailwestmereTue, 22 Sep 2009 14:06:00 EST