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Digitimes - Three Nehalem Quad Cores Launch in Q4 2008

CWallace

CWallace

macrumors G5
Original poster
Aug 17, 2007
12,974
12,175
Seattle, WA
http://www.digitimes.com/mobos/a20080624PD208.html

Intel plans to launch three Nehalem-based quad-core processors (Bloomfield) at the end of the fourth quarter this year targeting the company's new LGA1366 socket, according to sources at motherboard makers.

Although official model names have not yet been set, the CPUs are currently identified by the codenames XE, P1 and MS3 with core frequencies of 3.2GHz, 2.93GHz and 2.66GHz, respectively. All three have a TDP of 130W, 8MB L3 cache and will support simultaneous multi-threading (SMT) technology, the sources detailed

The company will also launch the X58 and ICH10 chipset combination in the fourth quarter to support these processors. The new platform is expected to increase performance by 15-30% compared to current generation products. The X58 chipset will adopt Intel's latest QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) architecture replacing its longstanding FSB design.
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All three speeds sound perfect for the Mac Pro. And while these Bloomfields are meant for single CPU configs (the equivalent of Core2 Quads), Gainestown is meant for dual CPU configs (the equivalent of the Xeon 5400 series) and will launch at similar speeds and is expected to launch at roughly the same time. So I have fingers crossed we'll see them in a new line of Mac Pros announced at MacWorld 2009. :cool:
 
Tylersburg/Foxhollow, which is the dual-socket workstation chipset that uses the Gainestown Xeon CPUs is supposed to launch in Q4. So perhaps Apple will abandon FB-DIMM for the Mac Pro and not wait for FB-DIMM2 to arrive with Beckton in Q2 2009? Or just drop the Xeon and use the Bloomfields, which Intel is aiming for very high-end desktop uses anyway.

If Apple is really planning to wait till 2010, that makes my decision easy and I can just buy a Mac Pro now and use it for 18 months.
 
Tallest Skil said:
They don't use FB-DIMMs. The ones with FB-DIMMs are coming out Q4 '09, meaning a Nehalem Mac Pro at MacWorld 2010.
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Erm, not if they make a dual-socket Xeon motherboard that uses regular DDR2 or DDR3, which is what they'll probably do, since FBDIMMs hinder performance, cost more, and Apple's had some time now with Intel to get things underway.

They're not going to wait until 2010 to introduce a new line of computers. People went nuts when the G4 stagnated at 500 MHz for seven months. You think they're going to wait a full two for a new Pro?
 
Firefly2002 said:
Erm, not if they make a dual-socket Xeon motherboard that uses regular DDR2 or DDR3, which is what they'll probably do, since FBDIMMs hinder performance, cost more, and Apple's had some time now with Intel to get things underway.

They're not going to wait until 2010 to introduce a new line of computers. People went nuts when the G4 stagnated at 500 MHz for seven months. You think they're going to wait a full two for a new Pro?
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You mean like the last Mac Pro? No, they wouldn't do that... Wait...
 
You know why the original Mac Pro didn't get updated for so long? There was nothing to upgrade to. They could have went to faster FSB speeds, but they didn't tack on any GHz, and had a very small performance boost.

Apple is not going to do that again with the biggest Intel speed bump since July 2006. Does it make business sense to stick with a chip when everyone else has the new one? No.

Also, the Mac Pro's use FB-DIMMs, but historically they're the minority. The G5s, and G4s all use "standard" memory.
 
i can't follow all this business about road maps for different parts 'n whatnot, but doesn't it seem pretty likely that the next revision will still have FBDIMMS and xeons? it seems like they'll probably stick to the workstation w/ server grad components for a while at least, being as that's kind of the niche they've carved out for the MP.
 
rockinrocker said:
i can't follow all this business about road maps for different parts 'n whatnot, but doesn't it seem pretty likely that the next revision will still have FBDIMMS and xeons?
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The Mac Pro used FB-DIMMS because that is what Intel's current workstation chipsets used so Apple didn't have any choice.

For Nehalem, Intel is moving away from FB-DIMM. They will offer one chipset that supports it - Beckton - which is aimed for the server market, not workstation, with an EIS of Q2 2009. This chipset will also be four-way so it would be four CPUs, which is a bit overkill for a Mac Pro - it would be a sixteen-core monster that would run into five figures.

For workstations, Intel is using DDR3 in either dual-channel or tri-channel configurations. And those chipsets are aimed for later this year in two-way CPU configurations (eight cores) using the Gainestown CPU.
 
Since DDR3 uses lower voltage, don't be surprised if you see 12 DIMM slots for DDR3 memory in the Gainestown Mac Pro.

Tracer
 
m1stake said:
You know why the original Mac Pro didn't get updated for so long? There was nothing to upgrade to. They could have went to faster FSB speeds, but they didn't tack on any GHz, and had a very small performance boost.

Apple is not going to do that again with the biggest Intel speed bump since July 2006. Does it make business sense to stick with a chip when everyone else has the new one? No.

Also, the Mac Pro's use FB-DIMMs, but historically they're the minority. The G5s, and G4s all use "standard" memory.
Click to expand...

Wow, sounds like you are describing the first Mac Pro perfectly.

There was nothing to upgrade to? Clovertown, in fact they added a Clovertown at the top end. They could have gone all quad-core months before the update. That would have been significant enough at the time, along with bumping to 2GB, bigger HD, etc.

Apple is going to do what Apple is going to do. The Mac Pro line has been shown to be the least important in the lineup. They will wait if they want to, and chances are they will. Did it make business sense for Apple to wait 500+ days to update the original Mac Pro when there were new things to put in? They stuck with the old chips when Dell and the others were selling Clovertown boxes.

On the memory stuff, who gives a rats ass. Wait and see what they do. This discussion happened before the last update and we ended up with FB-DIMMs. Not to say that will be the case this time, but arguing about it in the meantime is pointless. We don't know when it is coming. We will never know when it is coming. So lets all hang out until they release it, then discuss.
 
Firefly2002 said:
They're not going to wait until 2010 to introduce a new line of computers. People went nuts when the G4 stagnated at 500 MHz for seven months. You think they're going to wait a full two for a new Pro?
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They seem to be waiting until 2010 to release the new ACD's, so I wouldn't be surprised if Apple waits a while before releasing new PowerMacs. :rolleyes:
 
macintosh tech said:
The Mac Pro line has been shown to be the least important in the lineup...

...Wait and see what they do. This discussion happened before the last update and we ended up with FB-DIMMs. Not to say that will be the case this time, but arguing about it in the meantime is pointless. We don't know when it is coming. We will never know when it is coming. So lets all hang out until they release it, then discuss.
Click to expand...

Pretty much, but it's the Mac Mini that is being left to die. The stock will run out and then they'll discontinue it.

Hear, hear! Except... this isn't MacHangoutuntilitsreleasedandthendiscussit. :p
 
Tallest Skil said:
Pretty much, but it's the Mac Mini that is being left to die. The stock will run out and then they'll discontinue it.

Hear, hear! Except... this isn't MacHangoutuntilitsreleasedandthendiscussit. :p
Click to expand...

While I agree, this also isn't Maceveryonemakeuprumorsandthengetintofightsaboutitontheforum either. Until some concrete information comes from a real source what the hell is the point. Those with Mac Pros will whine and try to dirty the waters with negative vibes while those waiting will defend and define what the specs will be and state them as fact. They will also tell you exactly when it is coming out...

Anyhow. There is no point to these discussions, while those who are speculating the specs may be right, it just gets out of hand. I watched the previous update threads and most did not end well.
 
Why all the hate for FB-DIMMS? Is data integrity not important to you? The more memory you have the more important ECC becomes, and Mac Pros support a lot of memory. Mean time between uncorrected bit errors is a matter of a few days on larger memory configurations, less than the average uptime of the machine.
 
CWallace said:
I would have to believe that Nehalem-DP will support ECC DDR3.
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It does and Mac Pros will surely have 12 DIMM slots for such memory.

Though it will probably still be in 2GB and 4GB flavours for some time due to the mess the market is in.
 
southerndoc said:
They seem to be waiting until 2010 to release the new ACD's, so I wouldn't be surprised if Apple waits a while before releasing new PowerMacs. :rolleyes:
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2010 is absurd. People won't wait that long when every other PC vendor will have nice new Nehalem workstations in 1/9. Jeebus, service pack 2 for Vista will be out by then. :D Sorry, but the koolaid just ain't that strong.
:rolleyes:
 
CWallace said:
http://www.digitimes.com/mobos/a20080624PD208.html



All three speeds sound perfect for the Mac Pro. And while these Bloomfields are meant for single CPU configs (the equivalent of Core2 Quads), Gainestown is meant for dual CPU configs (the equivalent of the Xeon 5400 series) and will launch at similar speeds and is expected to launch at roughly the same time. So I have fingers crossed we'll see them in a new line of Mac Pros announced at MacWorld 2009. :cool:
Click to expand...

ICH10 is already out ;)
 
When is Sandy Bridge coming out? I want to upgrade my Mac Pro to the Sandy Bridge edition with the supervector power.
 
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