Intel Outlines Next Generation Processors (Nehalem) Due in Late 2008

[MacRumors]

Intel's aggressive advancement of their processor technology has made it difficult for the casual onlooker to keep up.

Intel first introduced their current Core microarchitecture in Q1 2006. This represented a significant leap forward over their previous Pentium M microarchitecture. Apple took advantage of this transition and delivered some of their first Intel Macs using the Core-based processors. The Core microarchitecture spawned many processor revisions which were known by their code names: Merom, Conroe, Woodcrest, and Penryn. Many of these processors have been used in Apple's Macs over the past 2 years.

On Tuesday, Intel provided the first official information about the Nehalem microarchitecture -- the successor to the Core microarchitecture. Intel plans on phasing out the Core microarchitecture starting in late 2008 with the introduction of Nehalem-based server processors. Laptop and desktop processors based on Nehalem are not expected until 2009.

While we've touched on rumored Nehalem features before, Intel has officially confirmed many of those details. The key new features in Nehalem are Simultaneous multithreading, QuickConnect, and tri-channel DDR3 -- all of which are expected to bring a significant leap forward again in processor performance:

Nehalam should pack one heck of a punch once it debuts in late 2008. Mainstream/desktop shipments won't appear until 2009, but Intel's redeployment of SMT, combined with its first integrated memory controller and new QuickPath Interconnect, should toss Nehalem performance clock-per-clock into the stratosphere.

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[stakis]

I wonder if these will be picked up before Macworld 09

[D4F]

They seem to go nuts with all this new processors.
Hopefully Apple can keep up and give us nice and frequent updates.

[rubberduck007]

Can we squeeze one of these babies into an iPhone?

[MoreMaypo]

Ah- there'll finally be a processor available that can actually handle AVCHD video editing (about 2 years after AVCHD cameras have hit the market!)

[edesignuk]

Intel's rapid advancements can only mean good things for Apple. The switch was very evidently worth while.

[retroneo]

Originally Posted by stakis

I wonder if these will be picked up before Macworld 09

For the Mac Pro, the Xeon's are due in Q4 this year, just in time for MacWorld 09

Laptop processors, which are used in the rest of Apple's line are due in Q2 2009. Some of the versions of these have integrated graphics. The laptop processors don't have QuickPath, but do have PCI Express and the integrated memory controller.

[Digital Skunk]

The iPhone will become better technology in time, most likely when they update the phone itself and put it on other networks.

As for Nelahem, I will believe the speed improvement when I see it. The processor nerds said the same thing about the Santa Rosa chipset and the improvement from the previous one was negligible.

And if Nelahem doesn't give me the specs listed in the signature, especially the dual 2.8 ghz processor and a more refined design with NO change in the keyboard then it's not worth it.

[RoboCop001]

I think we all know what this means!!


More cores........ faster?.......



Skynet in 2011 RUN AWAYYYYYYY!!!!!!

[gkarris]

Originally Posted by MacRumors

On Tuesday, Intel provided the first official information about the Nehalem microarchitecture -- the successor to the Core microarchitecture. Intel plans on phasing out the Core microarchitecture starting in late 2008 with the introduction of Nehalem-based server processors. Laptop and desktop processors based on Nehalem are not expected until 2009.

I just got a new MacBook!

(gets dizzy...)

Stop the World, I wanna get off....

[~Shard~]

Intel seems to be constantly churning out processor improvements - this is great news. And as a result, the switch to Intel definitely seems like an extremely smart move.

[Merkuryy]

Originally Posted by RoboCop001

I think we all know what this means!!


More cores........ faster?.......



Skynet in 2011 RUN AWAYYYYYYY!!!!!!

Can Intel and AAPL really balance the gap between power saving and CPU power? I mean with lithium-ion battery, this is the main obstacle? just like the laptop speed can't have a breakthrough without resolving the hardrive speed problem

[oscarfrancis]

Hate to nitpick, but there's a slight inaccuracy in the article. The "Core microarchitecture" actually made its debut with the processors branded "Core 2". The original Core Solo/Duo (Yonah) CPUs were officially the final iteration of the previous microarchitecture (P6).

[arn]

Originally Posted by oscarfrancis

Hate to nitpick, but there's a slight inaccuracy in the article. The "Core microarchitecture" actually made its debut with the processors branded "Core 2". The original Core Solo/Duo (Yonah) CPUs were officially the final iteration of the previous microarchitecture (P6).

thanks. I reedited the article to make it less wrong.

arn

[roland.g]

Here come all the waiting for nehalem threads. Unfortunately people don't see the Q2 09 for notebooks and iMacs, they just see late 2008 and think oh no and I held out for a Penryn MacBook Pro. Good thing all that waiting did. We tried to get you to update sooner and told you that the Penryn update was almost negligible in terms of performance and that only really offered better power life. If anything you lost some L2 cache. But no you really had to have it. Update six months earlier and that makes your machine older and more in need of an update next summer when a more significant leap occurs.

[Antares]

This is good news. Hopefully Nehalem will be ready in Macs right in time when I want to get my next computer...2009. I like that Intel is actually good about keeping the processors updated...unlike IBM. Though, I still miss the Power PC's.

[CrackedButter]

Yes lets see the dramatic speed improvements. I'm tired of benchmarks only providing 10% here or 5% there.

[wymer100]

Intel's tick/tock strategy is really pushing CPU development. It's hard to remember back when the G4's were stuck in development hell. I think Apple really did have a good vision to start thinking about switching to Intel with the start of the development of OSX.

One other thing, I'm pretty sure the original P4 processor had an integrated memory controller. They unfortunately chose to go with Rambus RAM instead of DRAM. Intel pretty quickly removed the controller in later designs so that DRAM could be used.

[olliebraves20]

Just when you are content to buy you hear of something that is just so much better then what you are going to buy. Doesn't mean I'm not going to buy now anyway but it just means I need to make more money so I can keep buying all the new stuff...haha

[andrewdale]

All I've got to say is, by the time these puppies roll out, I should be ready for my Mac Pro.

Heck.
Freakin'.
Yes.

[johnnyjibbs]

This sounds great. I'm glad I just upgraded to a MacBook Pro. I'd have been waiting until some time in 2009 had I not jumped in now. By the time I need to upgrade again, the next design of the MacBook Pro will be well-oiled and well away from its problematic Rev A. And I'll have one these chips or the successors to it.

At least Apple has something new to put in its machines every few months.

[RoboCop001]

Originally Posted by roland.g

Here come all the waiting for nehalem threads.

I'm going to make a "waiting for skynet" thread. 24 cores, running at 10.4GHz each, all at room temperature!

Wow! I'll buy one! But then it'll make me build terminators........

[Alpinism]

that would be my new Mac Pro, MacWorld 09.

[lasuther]

Will Nehalem have quad core laptop processers? I'm quessing so since Intel is planning on quad core laptop processers late 2008.

So 30" iMac quad core Nehalem with BR drive at Christmas 2009 for $2999.

[cmcconkey]

Originally Posted by RoboCop001

I think we all know what this means!!


More cores........ faster?.......



Skynet in 2011 RUN AWAYYYYYYY!!!!!!

That was GREAT!!! Someone else thinking the same things I was.

Originally Posted by RoboCop001

I'm going to make a "waiting for skynet" thread. 24 cores, running at 10.4GHz each, all at room temperature!

Wow! I'll buy one! But then it'll make me build terminators........

You are just killing me!!! HAHAHAHAH

Christopher