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Intel's Processor Roadmap

Topper

Topper

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I am very anxious to buy the next generation Mac Pro.
I've been trying to find Intel's (rumored) release dates of their Xeon server processors; Wolfdale DP and Harpertown.

What is your favorite web site for getting Intel processor news and release dates?
 
K

Kosh66

macrumors 6502
Jul 15, 2004
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I don't think there is a set date yet. Intel has just said it will be in the second half of this year. I would say, worse case, expect the Mac Pro to be updated at MWSF in January.
 
Topper

Topper

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Kosh66 said:
I would say, worse case, expect the Mac Pro to be updated at MWSF in January.
Click to expand...
Yes, I think that is the worst case scenario.
Everything I find is Q3 or Q4 or end of the year.

Where do you look to get Intel news and rumors?
 
suneohair

suneohair

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Aug 27, 2006
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An all octo line may come before the new CPUs due to price cuts on Xeons at the end of July.
 
Multimedia

Multimedia

macrumors 603
Jul 27, 2001
5,212
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Santa Cruz CA, Silicon Beach
August

Topper said:
I am very anxious to buy the next generation Mac Pro.
Click to expand...
That term is subject to interpretation. I define "Next Generation" as one with a Stoakley-Seaburg motherboard even if it still has 3GHz Clovertowns on it. That's the one I'm buying anyway. Waiting for the next processors could set you back into next Summer.
suneohair said:
An all octo line may come before the new CPUs due to price cuts on Xeons at the end of July.
Click to expand...
I'm thinking August for the SS motherboard since that'll be the first year anniversary of the original motherboard. That's NOT a prediction - only a HOPE. Suneohair.
 
suneohair

suneohair

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Aug 27, 2006
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Multimedia said:
That term is subject to interpretation. I define "Next Generation" as one with a Stoakley-Seaburg motherboard even if it still has 3GHz Clovertowns on it. That's the one I'm buying anyway. Waiting for the next processors could set you back into next Summer.I'm thinking August for the SS motherboard since that'll be the first year anniversary of the original motherboard.
Click to expand...

I hope you are right MM!!! I am so excited!! :D

I know MM, I am just excited!
 
Topper

Topper

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Jun 17, 2007
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Multimedia said:
That term is subject to interpretation. I define "Next Generation" as one with a Stoakley-Seaburg motherboard even if it still has 3GHz Clovertowns on it. That's the one I'm buying anyway. Waiting for the next processors could set you back into next Summer.I'm thinking August for the SS motherboard since that'll be the first year anniversary of the original motherboard. That's NOT a prediction - only a HOPE.
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I hate to say it but I care more about getting a powerful video card than I do the processor or motherboard.
The only reason I don't buy a Mac Pro right now is I don't care for the X1900 XT card.
Any processor improvement is just icing on the cake.
 
SDAVE

SDAVE

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Jun 16, 2007
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If you need a Mac, you can buy one right now....if not, wait and wait and wait like always...
 
Topper

Topper

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Trekkie

Trekkie

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Nov 13, 2002
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The next processor according to this roadmap on an industry journal's website is called Harpertown.

This processor is due at the end of this year. It's a 45nm penryn core update of the current quad core Clovertown/53xx class chip in the Mac Pro.

Reportedly, it's a socket replacement for the 53xx class chip.

However, as I've said on other forums the Stoakley platform IS NOT A WORKSTATION PLATFORM AND DOES NOT REPLACE THE 5000X THAT IS IN THE MAC PRO.

Multimedia has developed some kind of obsession for that code name and continues to spread misinformation about it. Stoakley is a server platform, not a chipset. Seaburg is a chipset derived out of the pieces that make up Stoakley. Seaburg is the north bridge of an Intel chipset. Seaburg will be used on the workstation platform in 1Q08 as described here by the inquirer.

Expect a dual x16 PCI-E v2.0 system board, DDR-3 memory (hopefully means cheaper memory too), and more apple magic for the system design.
 
Topper

Topper

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You are saying that Harpertown is due this year but Seaburg is coming out next year?
But we have to wait for Seaburg?
 
Umbongo

Umbongo

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Sep 14, 2006
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Trekkie said:
However, as I've said on other forums the Stoakley platform IS NOT A WORKSTATION PLATFORM AND DOES NOT REPLACE THE 5000X THAT IS IN THE MAC PRO.

Multimedia has developed some kind of obsession for that code name and continues to spread misinformation about it. Stoakley is a server platform, not a chipset. Seaburg is a chipset derived out of the pieces that make up Stoakley. Seaburg is the north bridge of an Intel chipset. Seaburg will be used on the workstation platform in 1Q08 as described here by the inquirer.
Click to expand...

Stoakley has been refered to as a Workstation platform in the majority of articles I have seen discussing it, however Intel make no distinction in their roadmaps. Refering to it as a Xeon DP platform. Being that Tyan have Workstation boards comming in novemember using Seaburg chipsets (Tempest i5000XL (S5392), Tempest I5000XT (S5396)), there is no reason to think Apple won't have it this year too. Dell, HP and IBM will, surely.

The first time I saw it mentioned, and what I think inspired Multimedia's desire for it, was a techreport aticle last year that specifically said it was a workstation platform that can be used in servers too. Other articles have since refered to it as a Workstation platform, including The inquirer themselves:

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=39175

I hoped this machine, with whatever extra optimisations I could turn in BIOS, would improve on the HP xw8400 2.66 GHz predecessor (which, by the way, will soon be replaced by xw8600, HP's upcoming Penryn / Stoakley-based dual-graphics FSB1600 workstation)
Click to expand...
 
C

cube

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The next big thing this year is Tigerton. Maybe Apple will make a 4-CPU, 16-core Mac Super Pro.
 
Topper

Topper

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cube said:
The next big thing this year is Tigerton. Maybe Apple will make a 4-CPU, 16-core Mac Super Pro.
Click to expand...
Tigerton is unlikely. Tigerton has 65nm architecture.
It is more likely that Apple will go with Intel's new 45nm architecture that will be used with Harpertown processors.
There won't be any 16-core Mac Pros in the near future.
Apple will stick with 4 and 8-core computers but the processors will be improved.

One thing I haven't figured out is why is Intel bringing out Tigerton when Harpertown will soon be available?
Tigerton doesn't appear to be much better (if at all) than Clovertown.
 
macenforcer

macenforcer

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Jun 9, 2004
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In december they are going 45nm. The xeon will remain otherwise unchanged. Then the new mboards come out with 1600mhz. You might see a 3333mhz zeon quad core. Then 6 months later next step is to put those 2 dual core chips that are on the quad core xeon into one packaged chip. After that you might see a 16 core chip but it is like 2yrs off.

45nm chips will be the next greatest thing. It will allow them to make all kinds of improvements later on. They are hailing the 45nm process as the greatest thing to come out of intel since the pentium.
 
Topper

Topper

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macenforcer said:
In december they are going 45nm. The xeon will remain otherwise unchanged. Then the new mboards come out with 1600mhz. You might see a 3333mhz zeon quad core. Then 6 months later next step is to put those 2 dual core chips that are on the quad core xeon into one packaged chip. After that you might see a 16 core chip but it is like 2yrs off.

45nm chips will be the next greatest thing. It will allow them to make all kinds of improvements later on. They are hailing the 45nm process as the greatest thing to come out of intel since the pentium.
Click to expand...

Why do they even bother to bring out Tigerton?
 
C

cube

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Tigerton is MP, plugging a HUGE hole in the Core lineup. Harpertown is only DP.
 
SDAVE

SDAVE

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Jun 16, 2007
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Topper said:
Those are excellent, thank you.


I may need a Mac but I'm not dumb enough to buy one with their inferior video cards.
I have patience, I can wait.
Click to expand...

What do you plan to do with your Mac that the X1900 can't handle? Game? The Mac Pro's are workstation class desktop machines, not consumer desktops.

I use Maya and Cinema 4D with the X1900, works flawlessly. I use it with After Effects CS7 as well.
 
Topper

Topper

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SDAVE said:
What do you plan to do with your Mac that the X1900 can't handle? Game? The Mac Pro's are workstation class desktop machines, not consumer desktops.
I use Maya and Cinema 4D with the X1900, works flawlessly. I use it with After Effects CS7 as well.
Click to expand...
I use Cinema 4D, FCP, Combustion, DVDSP etc.
I do a lot of video batch editing.
I use 10-bit uncompressed codecs.
I also use it for gaming.
You are defending the X1900 XT because the Mac Pro is a workstation desktop?
For a workstation desktop, the Quadro FX 4500 is a good card not the X1900 XT.
At this time PC users have 18 video cards more powerful than the X1900 XT.
 
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