Core i7 - supports only 1 processor?

[98707]

I've been reading up on i7 and from what I've gathered is that because the memory is directly connected and controlled by the processor via the "Quickpath" interface we are only going to be seeing single processor motherboards.


Thoughts?

 

[QuarterSwede]

Then it better be faster than the current Core2Duo's!

As an aside, I honestly think the marketing departments have gone completely nutters with all of the moronic names they choose for products these days (not just Intel). None of them are remotely cohesive. It's like watching a Family Guy Episode.

 

[Eidorian]

I've been reading up on i7 and from what I've gathered is that because the memory is directly connected and controlled by the processor via the "Quickpath" interface we are only going to be seeing single processor motherboards.


Thoughts?

You're looking at the single socket X58 boards. There is a dual socket one floating around but from what I've read it still isn't Xeon. It looks like the Skulltrail replacement.

Wait for a true dual socket Xeon reference board and then make a thread like this.

 

[brand]

Then it better be faster than the current Core2Duo's!

I would rather if be faster than the Core2Quad processors.

 

[sneezymarble]

I would rather if be faster than the Core2Quad processors.

The Ars and Anand articles I read are anywhere from 20-50% and higher performance gains. That was on an unfinished reference board too. Nehalems are going to be fast. And yes, there most certainly will be dual socket server motherboards and Skulltrail II is a sure bet also.

 

[nanofrog]

The Bloomfield/Core i7 are desktop processors, and have a 1 Quick Path Interconnect (1x QPI) .

The Gainestown EP/Xeon 5500 series is a server processor designed for use in dual processor configurations. These use 2x QPI, and are what we will see in the next Mac Pro.

Performance wise, it seems worth the wait if you can.

 

[grue]

Then it better be faster than the current Core2Duo's!

As an aside, I honestly think the marketing departments have gone completely nutters with all of the moronic names they choose for products these days (not just Intel). None of them are remotely cohesive. It's like watching a Family Guy Episode.

I'd say Skulltrail might be the best product codename I've ever heard, to be honest.

 

[Eidorian]

Dual-socket Nehalem-EP board spotted

Nehalem Skulltrail to run on X58

Keep in mind we're not using the front side bus here anymore so the CPU interconnect doesn't rely on a Xeon style processor SMP and chipset. You're going to be using QPI for all that.

 

[nanofrog]

Dual-socket Nehalem-EP board spotted

Thanks for the link.
Maybe the title will teach me to still use "Nehalem" in my searches.