Gulftown - how much of an improvement will it be?

[twoodcc]

i think it will be a pretty good upgrade. i read online that someone had an early version of an i9 running over 6 ghz! granted that's overclocked, but still crazy

 

[nanofrog]

Sadly the problem will always be the cart before the horse. We've already got 8 cores that aren't being utilized by a majority of applications out there so what's an extra 4 really going to give us? I mean, I can't wait to get a couple of these in my data center and behind some databases but for the average user this really won't mean much. And that's why I doubt Apple will even offer them. I see them offering the 5580 and 5590, but this is a server chip - plain and simple.

It could make for a better price/performance ratio for a SP workstation though, assuming the user has the software to utilize the system in the first place.

Otherwise, if it's all single threaded applications, it's the same situation as any other multicore system. They sit there inactive most of the time.

 

[Cynicalone]

Otherwise, if it's all single threaded applications, it's the same situation as any other multicore system. They sit there inactive most of the time.

Software is now and will continue to be the problem.

I think we have reached a point where the focus needs to shift to better use of the power we have. 16 or 24 virtual cores really means nothing when the majority of software can't use them. I work with a ton of RAM everyday and still end up with page outs and end up using swap because of outdated software.

 

[nanofrog]

Software is now and will continue to be the problem.

I think we have reached a point where the focus needs to shift to better use of the power we have. 16 or 24 virtual cores really means nothing when the majority of software can't use them. I work with a ton of RAM everyday and still end up with page outs and end up using swap because of outdated software.

I agree. Some can use the power, but it's the minority of users.

Unfortunately, the enterprise market drives sales more than consumers, as we buy 1 system, they buy thousands (example, thinking 1 user vs. 1 mega conglomerate).

What would help everyone, would be higher clock speeds. Mid level parts exceeding 4 or even 5GHz would do it. Of course if it happens, the software would get bloated enough shortly thereafter to negate any gains....

 

[MacApple21]

And this is where the plan will fall down. Do you in all honesty expect Apple to issue a firmware update for machines that have been payed for by the customer? This would be the first time that Apple provides such a service. They are the meanest buggers when it comes to firmware updates in the whole computer industry.

The MP1,1 and 2,1 still got EFI32 although all later models had EFI64 and it is really crippled by that piece of garbage.

A comparable die shrink happend from MP2,1 to 3,1. The 771 socket remained the same and every PC manufacturer had simply issued firmware updates. Customers would be able to use X52xx and X54xx CPUs instead of X51xx and X53xx CPUs if Apple had done that firmware upgrade.

I say: No way Apple will do that from their track record.

I agree, Apple are too money hungry to ever give us that opportunity, sadly
But can't we get this firmware from another source, much like people as Netkas, who have made injectors for not officially supported GPUs?
Isn't it possible to somehow "extract" the firmware from a future Mac Pro using Gultown, anyone?

 

[gugucom]

I agree, Apple are too money hungry to ever give us that opportunity, sadly
But can't we get this firmware from another source, much like people as Netkas, who have made injectors for not officially supported GPUs?
Isn't it possible to somehow "extract" the firmware from a future Mac Pro using Gultown, anyone?

I can see a business case for someone reverse engineering apple firmware and making upgrades available for cash.

For a decent EFI upgrade I would probably easily pay 200$. But then it has to be the "Egglayingwoolmilkhog" as we say.

 

[mmendoza27]

I think people are getting confused thinking that Gulftown will be the new processor in the Mac Pro, but it is a Core i9 processor. At IDF yesterday, they showed the Westmere-EP processor, which is the successor to the Nehalem (Xeon series) that is found in the Mac Pro.

Basic things that are different: 32nm. You can expect higher frequencies at same TDP's. I did a quick google search and found a 2.4 Ghz 6-core that was being tested (could this be the new low-end $3299 model clock speed?)

AES-NI instructions. Used with encryption/decryption performance since the new instructions make it easier to handle these duties.

Not much information is out there right now.