Intel Kicks off 32nm “Westmere” CPU Production
Intel has begun producing Westmere chips based on the 32nm second-generation high-k metal gate technology, reports PCMAG.
The first products will include dual-core processors compatible with the socket LGA1156 platforms, and will be branded as Core i5 600 series, Core i3 500 series, and Pentium dual-core series.
The desktop version of Westmere is codenamed Clarkdale, while the laptop version is known as Arrandale. They will be introduced in Q1 2010 and Q4 2009 respectively.
As we said, Westmere will be a focus of the upcoming Intel Developer Forum event, so Intel is expected to reveal more details on the transition to the Westmere architecture.
September 16th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Why dual core?!
September 17th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
@ Sax, what are you asking?
A vast majorty of new CPU sales in the desktop and laptop markets are still dual-cores. Likewise a vast majority of GPU sales are integrated, not descrete. So this Clarkdale/Arrandale is a perfect match for those very lucrative markets.
Average joe, or anyone without the need for more cores or more than basic video, isn’t willing to spend more on say a quad core and descrete video. That sounds like optimistic ATI and nVidia marketing to me.
On the CPU side of things, not until quads represent a massive chuck of new CPU sales (right now it is <20%) will deveopers make more multi-threaded apps thus giving average joe the impression that quads are better than duals, by demonstration. Until then duals will always have a market.
September 17th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
I don’t think so!! everybody prefers more cores with more performance, that’s obvious!! just look at new Lynnfield generation(Core i5/i7 in Socket 1156) that’s the best deal right now and this Westmere is just like a Intel show for AMD to prove that they(Intel) can make 32nm processor with IGP! that’s all! it’s another battle of titans!
If anybody wants most powerful platform that rocks till 2011, better to go for Core i7 Socket 1366(Bloomfield) with Intel x58 based Mobo; don’t forget that x58 chipset will handle upcoming Gulftown with 6 cores… But Lynnfield will be the best choice for most users till 2011…
Forget Westmere(Clarkdale) it’s only a weak preview of upcoming 2011 processor aka SandyBridge.