[Toasty]

Intel's debuting it's new CPU architecture this month. The last one they introduced was the Core architecture, which was two years ago. This one is the Nehalem architecture.

The difference, is everything.

If you want a simple explanation, then "Holy ****" barely does it justice. It's FAST. If anyone is familiar with intel's Skulltrail platform (2 quadcore QX9775's on intel's 5400 server chipset), well the Core i7 965 with the X58 chipset is about on par with that. Skulltrail will cost you $3k at least for just the board and CPU's. At most, you can expect to pay $1400 for the Core i7 CPU and board. On top of that, you'd also be using only one CPU instead of two.

The complicated explanationg is this:
Intel has now gone the AMD route and integrated a memory controller onto the processor die. not only that, it supports tripple channel DDR3 RAM at up to 1600MHz. The only drawback is that running the RAM at anything over 1.65 volts will fry the processor. But the good news doesn't end there. Intel has also come up with their own point-to-point protocol called "Quick Path Interconnect". This is a lot like AMD's "Hyper Transport". It runs at around half as fast as AMD's fastest HT spec, but it's still vastly superior to Intel's previous (and really old) legacy front side bus. It provides up to 25.6GB/s of bandwidth, compared to the 12.8GB/s of bandwidth available to CPU's with a 1600MHz FSB. To top it all off, Intel is re-introducing Hyper Threading. That means that a quad-core Nehalem processor will be able to run 8 threads at a time.

But not only is Nehalem a beast performance wise, it's also pretty power efficient. This shows the comparison between the Core i7 chips, and many other mainstream chips on the market right now.

The Core i7 chips can also speed up the more active cores if others aren't being fully utilized. Basically, if a program only utilizes one or two cores, the CPU will speed up those cores so that they're running at say, 3.2GHz instead of 2.9.


Basically, AMD won't be able to compete very well in the desktop segment for at least the next 12 months. Intel will be dominating it.

Further reading.

[Toasty]

Oh wow. I had no idea how interesting a processor which blows the pants off of everything else out there could be. :P

No one's even mildly interested in how much power this juggernaut has?

[Ironsight]

Uh...I like the name.

[Split Infinity]

WOW THAT'S REALLY FAST TOASTY

[Toasty]

I KNOW!!!

[Kuchiyose]

There amazing processors but the price isn't something i'm loving (well what to expect its Intel and its a new beastly processor).

But I prefer AMD more, probably because of the prices, but they going to need to release the 45 nano chips, so clearly Intel have a clear advantage.

[Toasty]

They're expensive, but to be fair, the cost/performance ratio is still even better than most Core 2 Quads and many Core 2 Duos. I mean, the i7 965 alone can match two QX9770's, and the latter costs one and a half times more per chip. That's a price/performance ratio that's nearly three times better.

On top of that, I've already thrown together a few configurations with the 920 that are around $1200, which is a really good deal when you look at how much performance you can get out of similarly priced systems.

Anyway, I hope AMD's next line of processors (not Shanghai, but whatever comes afterwards) can compete, because if not, they'll be gone for good, and Intel will have a much un-welcomed monopoly of the consumer CPU market.

I say un-welcomed, because it'll likely lead to over-priced hardware.

But you can't beat AMD when it comes to budget systems.

[Kuchiyose]

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They're expensive, but to be fair, the cost/performance ratio is still even better than most Core 2 Quads and many Core 2 Duos. I mean, the i7 965 alone can match two QX9770's, and the latter costs one and a half times more per chip. That's a price/performance ratio that's nearly three times better.

Well like it is with computer parts, usually if you pay more, the performance is usually much better so in the end its worth it, its just getting the cash xD

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Anyway, I hope AMD's next line of processors (not Shanghai, but whatever comes afterwards) can compete, because if not, they'll be gone for good, and Intel will have a much un-welcomed monopoly of the consumer CPU market.

I say un-welcomed, because it'll likely lead to over-priced hardware.

But you can't beat AMD when it comes to budget systems.

Yeah thats what I like about AMD, cheaper and you pretty much get a similar performance, but its always known that Intel have always had the advantage on performance (usually slightly faster etc) but AMD have also been good for low power consumption, therefore getting a Power Supply wouldn't cost a bomb.

Yeah Intel will be another Microsoft but in the hardware market :/

[Toasty]

Most copmuters don't really draw as much power as most people seem to think though. I mean, my copmuter probably doesn't consume more than 350 watts on full load, and it's got a 65nm Pentium 4 with an 8600GT. Everything's OC'd too.

But AMD really needs to transition to the 45nm process soon. Especially if they want to continue to be known for cheap, low power processors.

[Kuchiyose]

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Most copmuters don't really draw as much power as most people seem to think though. I mean, my copmuter probably doesn't consume more than 350 watts on full load, and it's got a 65nm Pentium 4 with an 8600GT. Everything's OC'd too.

Hey that isn't half bad, 350 watt? Thats awesome, I always though Intel CPU's were major energy consumer.

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But AMD really needs to transition to the 45nm process soon. Especially if they want to continue to be known for cheap, low power processors.

Yeha they best do, as you said they will knocked off the Market for been too slow, I wonder when AMD is going to release, I heard its eirly next year? I haven't got a very reliable source of info at the moment but when they do release 45 nm, I'm buying!