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ARM hopes to strengthen grip on mobile PCs, take 50 percent of the market by 2015
We've already heard rumors that chip designer ARM has been trying to get its wares into the Macbook Air. While we can't add anything to that particular story, we do have further evidence that ARM is going beyond smartphones and tablets in order to target bigger form factors. The company's president, Tudor Brown, has just appeared at Computex to declare that ARM wants to conquer the "mobile PC market", where the company currently only has a 10 percent share. He's aiming for 15 percent by the end of this year, and an Intel-provoking 50 percent by 2015. "Mobile PC" is a pretty ambiguous category, but we think it's safe to assume the focus is on low- and mid-power netbooks and ultraportables. Such devices could potentially run off ARM's forthcoming multi-core chips -- like perhaps the quad-core beast inside NVIDIA's mind-blowing Kal-El processor, or the more distant Cortex-A15. It's hard to imagine these tablet-centric chips ever competing with Intel's top performers, but four years is a mighty long time in this business.
NVIDIA's quad-core Kal-El used to demo next-gen mobile graphics, blow minds (video)
You might think yourself too grown-up to be wowed by shiny, glittery things, but we doubt many will be able to watch NVIDIA's new Glow Ball tech demo without a smidgen of childlike glee. Built to run on the company's quad-core Kal-El processor, it shows us the first example of true dynamic lighting on mobile devices and also throws in some impressive physics calculations like fully modeled cloth motion. Instead of the pre-canned, static lights that we see on mobile games today, NVIDIA's new hardware will make it possible to create lighting that moves, fluctuates in intensity, and responds realistically to its environment -- all rendered in real time. The titular glow ball can be skinned with different textures, each one allowing a different amount and hue of illumination to escape to surrounding objects, and is directed around the screen using the accelerometer in your tablet or smartphone. NVIDIA demoed the new goodness on a Honeycomb slate with 1280 x 800 resolution and the frame rates remained smooth throughout. In order to emphasize the generational leap that we can expect with Kal-El, the company switched off two of the four cores momentarily, which plunged performance down to less than 10fps. That means the simulations we're watching require a full quartet of processing cores on top of the 12-core GPU NVIDIA has in Kal-El. Mind-boggling stuff. Glow Ball will be available as a game on Android tablets once this crazy new chip makes its way into retail devices -- which are still expected in the latter half of this year, August if everything goes perfectly to plan. One final note if you're still feeling jaded: NVIDIA promises the production chip will be 25 to 30 percent faster than the one on display today. Full video demo follows after the break.
AMD quad-core A8-3530MX processor for laptops to debut in June?
Turkish website Donanimhaber has correctly pegged some early NVIDIA details in the past, and it's now back with a leak of a new AMD Fusion chip that's said to be a part of the company's upcoming "Sabine" platform. Dubbed the A8-3530MX, the 32nm, quad-core processor purportedly clocks in at 1.9GHz and boasts 4MB of Level 2 cache, and it can apparently be boosted to 2.6GHz in TurboCore mode. Otherwise, it's said to pack an integrated Radeon HD 6620G graphics core, along support for both 1,600MHz DDR3 RAM and low-power DDR3L memory. Of course, all of that it still unconfirmed by AMD itself but, if Donanimhaber is to be believed, we should be seeing this one hit laptops sometime June.
VIA QuadCore processor combines low-cost and low-power with 'adaptive overclocking'
Computex is coming up fast and with it we're expecting a slew of new gear. The event will also mark the first public showing of VIA's new x86 quad-core processors aptly named, QuadCore (pictured above center next to a Nano X2). The new procs are manufactured using 40nm processes and combine four Isaiah cores on two dies resulting in a Thermal Design Power of 27.5 watts. That low TDP allows VIA to make the nebulous claim that its first QuadCore L4700 processor is 21 percent more energy efficient than its nearest competitor while offering "awesome" multitasking and multimedia playback performance. Initially available at 1.2+GHz, the 64-bit native processor features adaptive overclocking (think Intel Turbo Boost) for dynamic clock adjustments up to 1.46GHz, a 4MB L2 cache, and 1333MHz front-side bus. Oh, and the QuadCores will be pin-to-pin compatible with VIA Eden, C7, Nano E-Series, and Eden X2 processors when they begin shipping in bulk in Q3. We'll bring you more on these supposed low-cost procs when we see them demoed first hand in Taipei starting May 31st. Until then, click through for the full press release or hit up the more coverage links below for an in-depth preview.
Comparing the old iMacs with today's new models
Earlier today, Apple updated the iMac line with Thunderbolt, quad-core processors across the line and a HD camera for FaceTime. Prices start at US$1,199 for the 21.5", 2.5 GHz model and climb to $1,999 for the big daddy. How do the specs compare to the previous models? Here are some of the highlights. Processor There are still two basic models: 21.5" and 27". Each starts with two configurations, beginning with the processor. As of January 2010, the 21.5" model sold with a 3.06 GHz Intel Core i3 or a 3.2 GHz Intel Core i3, while the 27" model featured either a 3.2 GHz Intel Core i3 or a 2.8 GHz Intel Core i5. Today, the 21.5" machine offers either a 2.5 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 or a 2.7 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5, while the 27" iMac features a 2.7 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 or a 3.1 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5. That's the first time quad-core has been available across the entire iMac line. (The previous 27" model had an i7 build-to-order option, but that processor wasn't the current Sandy Bridge variety.) Additionally, the previous models featured a 3 MB shared L2 cache, with a build-to-order 8 MB shared L3 cache option for the 27" iMac. Current models feature a 6 MB on-chip shared L3 cache across the board. Display The display resolution is the same as it's been. The current options are 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution for the 21.5" model and 2650 x 1440 pixel resolution for the 27" iMac. Apple notes that the current iMac displays feature "in-plane switching," or IPS. Originally designed by Hitachi in 1996, IPS improves color and contrast at sharp viewing angles. RAM Current models all start with 4 GB of RAM, just as previous models did. The current 21.5" models are upgradable to 8 GB of 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM from Apple, while the 27" models can house up to 16 GB of the same. Graphics Previous models featured either a NVIDIA GeForce 9400M or an ATI Radeon HD 4670 with 256 MB on the 21.5" model, while the 27" model offered the ATI Radeon HD 4670 or an ATI Radeon HD 4850 with 512 MB. The new iMacs are clearly improved. The base 21.5" model sports either an AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 512 MB or an AMD Radeon HD 6770M with 512 MB, while the 27" starts with either that same Radeon 6770M or an AMD Radeon HD 6970M with 1 GB. All this at the same price points. The new iMac line is clearly compelling. Maybe I'll finally replace my long-suffering G4.
Ideum releases MT55 HD multitouch table for hands-on museum-goers (video)
Ideum has taken the wraps off the latest addition to its growing family of multitouch tables, with the release of the MT55. The table, originally announced late last month, boasts a handsome 55-inch LCD display, which beams LED-backlit graphics in 1920×1080 HD resolution. As with its predecessors, the MT55's screen comes coated with a 5-mm layer of sturdy, tempered glass, and sits atop a pedestal made of aluminum and steel. Within that pedestal lurks an Intel Quad Core i7 CPU, with 4GB of RAM, a pair of 250GB SATA hard drives, and an NVIDIA Quadro 600 video card. The system runs Windows 7 Professional 64-bit, and comes packed with GestureWorks multitouch software for both Flash and Flex. The MT55 also features an integrated Bose Audio system, and can support up to 32 simultaneous touchpoints -- not quite as many as the 50 that its 100-inch counterpart can handle, but definitely enough to enthrall any class of 4th-graders on a field trip to the museum. Stroll on past the break to see the full press release and a video of the MT55 in action.
ARM predicts dual-core Cortex-A15 devices in late 2012, quad-core variants 'later on'
Smartphones and tablets, the two hottest categories of consumer devices right now, are dominated by ARM processor designs, so when the company speaks up about its product roadmap, we're inclined to listen in close. The next generation of ARM system-on-chip has been dubbed Cortex-A15 and was expected to ship in 2013, but that's now been accelerated slightly to late 2012, which is when we're told to expect actual devices on sale with A15 silicon on board. Single- and dual-core variants will get us started, before quad-core options start filtering through in 2013. ARM promises a stunning fivefold improvement in performance over current Cortex-A9 SOCs and already has NVIDIA, Samsung, ST-Ericsson, and Texas Instruments signed up as licensees for that new hotness. So now even Samsung's "desktop-class" 2GHz dual-core chip that's slated for 2012 has a reason to look over its shoulder. Happy times!
Sony's NGP at GDC 2011: more video of the quad-core marvel in action
The headline just about says it all -- we've got some new footage (as opposed to what we've seen before) of Sony's NGP for all you gamers to drool over. Today at GDC 2011, we saw a live demo of Uncharted, Little Deviants, and the NGP's augmented reality capabilities. We were, once again, impressed by Sony's latest piece of gaming hardware, but don't take our word for it, see for yourself in video footage above and after the break. And, oh-by-the-way, we gleaned a few new tidbits about the handheld powerhouse that developers may want to know -- retail game cartridges will be only 2GB or 4GB in size (notable because the average PS3 title is 9GB), and Sony recommends that devs looking to port PS3 titles to the NGP should simplify their models, shaders and textures to make them work. Now if only Sony would spill the beans about how much the thing'll cost. Update: We didn't completely care for how our original Uncharted footage looked, so we uploaded a slightly higher-quality version. Enjoy!
AMD compares upcoming Llano Fusion APU with Intel Core i7, puts the heat on Sandy Bridge (video)
So far, AMD's new Fusion chips have been all about the low-end, whether you're talking in terms of price, performance or power consumption, but the company has a vision for its future that has these new Accelerated Processing Units dominating every segment of the market. In order to do that, AMD will need to overcome Intel's latest generation of mainstream processors, the Core 2011 family we're more familiar with under the Sandy Bridge codename. Before you rush past the break and watch AMD's own comparison between said Intel hardware and the forthcoming quad-core Llano APU, be aware that processor performance can rarely be generalized from a single test alone and the one we're witnessing is specifically geared to highlight the Fusion chip's strengths. All that said, the workload demonstrated by AMD -- a 3D game, HD video playback (plus post-processing on the Llano rig), Excel calculations, and some 3D modeling, all running simultaneously -- is handled most impressively by the A8-3510MX APU, which even manages to use less power than Intel's 2GHz Core i7-2630QM. See the video after the break. [Thanks, Vygantas]
HP's Quad Edition dv6t and dv7t laptops now available, Radeon HD graphics and Core i7 CPUs in tow
First they leaked, then they became official, and now they're at HP's online store waiting for your name, address and credit card information. The new Pavilion dv6 and dv7 laptops borrow liberally from the higher-end Envy line's aesthetics -- not that we're complaining -- and offer quad-core Core i7 CPUs that max out at 3.4GHz on the i7-2820QM when cranked up using Turbo Boost. The default running speed for that model is 2.3GHz and it has a pair of slightly slower brethren, ticking along at 2.2GHz (i7-2720QM) and 2GHz flat (i7-2630QM), all of which you can own on the dv6t or dv7t. Both machines come with AMD's 1GB Mobility Radeon HD 6570 graphics chip, while the larger dv7t also brings a two-year warranty as standard. Its 1600 x 900 resolution on a 17.3-inch screen might disappoint those looking for mad pixel density, though few would be able to complain about its price. The dv6t and dv7t start off at $1,000 and $1,100, respectively, and are subject to a $150 instant rebate and free memory (6GB) and hard drive (750GB) upgrades that should make them very appealing value propositions.
New MacBook Pro benchmarks show marked improvement
Primate Labs snagged the latest Geekbench 2 results for the new MacBook Pros and compared the benchmarks to previous generation models. Good news for those planning to grab a latest generation model. The results show a big jump in performance for the MacBook Pros with the new quad-core Sandy Bridge processors. These latest generation machines are scoring between 8,000 to 10,000, a marked increase over the 5,000 to 6,000 recorded by the 2010 MacBook Pro models. In this test, the bigger the resulting number, the better the performance. These scores from the quad-core MacBook Pro models are 80% better than the 2010 models and competitive with the latest Mac Pro desktops. As expected, the latest 13-inch models now sport the dual-core Core i5 and Core i7 processors which boosts their performance to the same level as last year's 15-inch models. When looking at these results, remember that Geekbench 2 only measures CPU and memory performance; it does not take into account GPU or SSD contribution to performance. Sometimes a tricked out 2010 model may score higher than an entry-level 2011 model. Overall though, these early results suggest 2011 MacBook Pro owners will be happy with the performance from their shiny, new machines. They may also tempt more than a handful of 2010 owners to jump ship and grab the latest generation machines. [Via Macrumors]
Sony's next-gen PSP (NGP) has a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, quad-core GPU as well
You know that crazy next-gen PSP (NGP) with multiple touchpads, dual analog sticks, and quadrupled resolution that Sony just trotted out? Yeah, it's got a quad-core Cortex-A9 and a quad-core Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX543MP4+ GPU doing the grunt work within. We've never seen a handheld this powerful. Then again, considering the darn thing won't be launching until this holiday season, maybe quad-core parts will be the least Sony will need in order to match up to the "super phones" coming up this year. We're just wondering how long any of these souped-up portables will last on a charge. Full spec sheet after the break.
Intel's Sandy Bridge CPUs start to seep out, 2GHz quad-core i7-2630QM coming to HP dv7
Intel's Core i7-2630QM chip has made the leap from the company's roadmap onto its first spec sheet, courtesy of HP's dv7. We've come across a provisional component list for an update to HP's gaming laptop, which includes the 2GHz quad-core CPU as the star of its show. Now, of course, neither HP nor Intel has said anything official on the matter, but Laptoping has also been snooping around and found listings at online retailers for laptops from Gateway and Lenovo also offering the still unannounced part. It's not exactly a secret that Intel intends to blow the bloody doors off CES 2011 with its Sandy Bridge processor line, but it's reassuring to see vendors looking eager and ready so far in advance of the launch date -- it should mean no shortage of choice when Paul Otellini finally steps to the stage and makes things officially official.
Marvell's quad-core Armada processor won't see tablets or phones, destined for a mystery game platform
Looks like that quad-core Armada processor won't be having apps for breakfast after all -- confronting Marvell's Jack Kang at Mobilize 2010, he told us the chips proved too power-hungry for devices without a dedicated cord. That doesn't mean we won't see them soon, however, as the man let slip that it's actually the quad-core chip that will appear in a new game system, though we can probably rule out the Nintendo 3DS for the same reason as the phones. Marvell's still hoping to get in the mobile market in a big way, though, and that's what the tri-core Armada 628 is all about, which uses low power profiles to save battery life. According to Kang, however, the system's actually a little more exciting than that -- its two up-to-1.5GHz cores kick in when the system's under a multimedia strain, but actually shut off completely for day-to-day use, relying instead on the third 624MHz processor which slowly sips your battery juice. All we know is, we'd better find out which devices will sport these chips, and soon -- our curiosity is beginning to gnaw.
Mac Pro refresh bumps up the high end: these go to 12 cores
Processor BTO options range from four cores up to the aforementioned 16; the full matrix includes "Westmere" Xeon X5670 chops running at up to 3.33GHz on the single-chip machine and 2.93GHz on the dual-processor model. Only the dual-processor model can achieve dodecacore status. Mac Pros now offer the ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics processor with 1GB of memory, with a BTO option of the ATI Radeon HD 5870 with 1GB of memory. Display output options include two Mini DisplayPorts and one dual-link DVI port. For storage, the 512GB SSD is now an option, and if you're feeling particularly flush you can load up with four of them. As noted above, the machines will ship in August; the Apple Store is currently still shipping the older models.
Samsung's ARM roadmap lays coordinates through 2013: Aquila, Venus, and Draco (oh my)
Ah, leaked company presentation slides, they have a clarity only Mr. Blurrycam would despise. EETimes got a batch of them from Samsung dated November 2009 making the rounds, but more important than revealing its equal love for both Roman and Greek mythology, we get a glimpse at its then-planned ARM chip roadmap (yeah, another one) through 2013. In a nutshell, for the Cortex A9 crowd we've got the 800MHz dual core "Orion" due for mass production in Q1 2011, a 1GHz single core "Pegasus" for Q4 2011, a 1GHz dual core "Hercules" for Q1 2012, and for sometime in 2012 / 2013, a 1.2GHz dual core "Draco" and quad core "Aquila." Fear not, Cortex A5 fanatics, you've got gifts as well, in the form of 600MHz single core "Mercury" and dual core "Venus" chips, slated for 2010 / 2011 and 2012 / 2013, respectively. We don't expect the nomenclature to extend beyond internal usage, but frankly, who cares -- it's the devices that count, and unfortunately all we can do is doodle our future gadget hopes and dreams onto scraps of paper while we wait.
Marvell debuts quad core Armada ARM processor for kicking your mobile apps in the face
Marvell's already been showing some pretty great devices (like Spring Design's Alex, pictured) based on its Armada 500 (smartbook / nettop) and 600 (mobile) processors, but apparently that was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The real meat is in Marvell's newly announced quadcore versions of those very same GHz+ chips, which should put mobile devices into a different league power-wise -- at least until Marvell's competition hops on board. There's no telling how much these will cost or when they'll show up, but Marvell says they're aimed at the "mass consumer market" and "high volume gaming applications." Gaming, huh? Perhaps Tegra 2 has a little bit of competition in the prospective DS 2 chip race.
Parallels Desktop 5 doesn't play well with Kaspersky Anti-Virus on some Macs
My Christmas miracle was that after waiting a month and a half, my Godzilla iMac 27" 2.8 GHZ Intel Core i7 iMac showed up on my doorstep on Christmas Eve. This was, ironically, two days after receiving a letter from Macmall telling me that my order was on indefinite backorder and asked me to call if I still wanted it. I did. I bought it with Parallels 5.0 and Windows 7 preinstalled, since I'm lazy and the price was very competitive. After adding memory to bring it to 12GB, and plugging in my 23" Apple Cinema Display, giving me 3.7 feet of horizontal screen space, I ran Parallels -- which promptly crashed. I was unceremoniously told that a file named wuawcIt.exe wasn't feeling well and had to close. The sugarplums faded as I realized that this would take most of Christmas day to sort out. It did, and a bit more.
AMD pops out sub-$100 quad-core Athlon II X4 CPU: review roundup
AMD has always been one to play the pricing card in its never-ending tussle with Intel, but we get the feeling this introduction may pack more of a punch than any before it. It's a simple concept -- the $99 quad-core CPU -- and given just how in love we Americans are with value menus, you can bet new PC builders will at least give the new Athlon II X4 620 ($99) and 630 ($122) a look. Reviews around the web essentially came to the same conclusion: it's not the fastest quad-core chip around, and the lack of L3 certainly doesn't make it the most attractive, but the 620 somehow manages to compete with all of the processors in its price range while being the cheapest. The "cut-down Phenom II," as HotHardware calls it, suffers a bit on the gaming side due to the L3 removal, but in general scenarios it was plenty potent. Hit the links below if you feel like digging in way, way deeper.Read - HotHardwareRead - TechSpotRead - MaximumPCRead - PC PerspectiveRead - TweakTownRead - PC ProRead - AMD Zone
HP Pavilion Elite makes an offer you (probably) can't refuse: Blu-ray, Win 7, quad-core CPU for $650
Sure, it's not as sleek as some of the other options out there, but the specs of this HP Pavilion Elite e9110t desktop, for the $649.99 asking price, are pretty stunning: a 2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Quad processor, NVIDIA GeForce G210, 6GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive , 802.11n, Blu-ray player, and a free Windows 7 upgrade when it finally launches. Offer ends this Saturday, August 15th, but if you're interests have piqued and your wallet has giving the go-ahead, dealnews has all the details and pertinent coupon codes. [Via CNET]
