Processors

3 April 2008 - Intel has emphasized on Menlow 2008 platform during IDF and unveiled 5 Atom "Silverthorne" processors along with Poulsbo chipset. Intel called Poulsbo chipset as a System Controller Hub (SCH) that basically combines the MCH and ICH into a single chip. VR-Zone learned that there will be 3 SKUs; US11L supporting 400FSB Silverthorne, 512MB DDR2, 100MHz graphics core clock, SD Video only and up to 800x480 resolution, US15L supporting 400FSB Silverthorne, 1GB DDR2, 200MHz graphics core clock HD Video Decode and up to 1366x768 resolution and US15W that has similar features set as US15L but supporting 533FSB Silverthorne.

27 March 2008 - AMD has finally launched the B3-step Phenom processors today with quad-core Phenom X4 9850, 9750, 9650, 9550 and 9100e as well as tri-core Phenom X3 8600 and 8400. The highest speed Phenom X4 9850 at 2.5GHz will only cost $235 while the lowest speed Phenom X4 9100e at 1.8GHz costs $199 while the rest of the X4 SKUs lie between the price range. In comparison, X4 9850 will compete against Core 2 Quad Q9300 and Q6600 both priced at $266. And after the Intel's price cut on 20th April, the 9850 will compete against the Q6700 has its price cut from $530 to $266 while Q6600 is lowered to $224. Phenom X3 will take aim at Intel Core 2 Duo family since Intel has no tri-core offerings yet so X3 8600 and 8400 at $175 and $149 respectively will compete directly with E8400 and E8200 at $183 and $163 respectively.

18 March 2008 - Intel today discussed upcoming leading edge microprocessors and technologies. Nehalem is scalable with future versions having anywhere from 2 to 8 cores, with Simultaneous Multi-threading, resulting in 4 to 16 thread capability, 8 MB level-3 cache, 731 million transistors, Quickpath interconnects (up to 25.6GB per second), integrated memory controller and optional integrated graphics. The Larrabee architecture includes a high-performance, wide SIMD vector processing unit (VPU) along with a new set of vector instructions including integer and floating point arithmetic, vector memory operations and conditional instructions. In addition, Larrabee includes a major new hardware coherent cache design enabling the many-core architecture. Intel AVX when used by software programmers, will increase performance in floating point, media, and processor intensive software. The instructions will be implemented in the microarchitecture codenamed "Sandy Bridge" in the 2010 timeframe.

11 March 2008 - Xeon DP X5470 and L5430 based on quad core Harpertown will cost $1386 and $562 respectively while X5470 based on dual core Wolfdale will cost $1172 at launch in Q3 '08.

10 March 2008 - Core 2 Extreme QX9300 is the first quad-core part of the 35W Montevina desktop processor family and will arrive in Q3 for US$970. The dual-core 45nm parts like X9100, T9600, T9400, P9500, P8600 and P8400 will come along this June for $851, $530, $316, $348, $241 and $209 respectively.

3 March 2008 -    The Intel® Atom™ processor will be the name for a new family of low-power processors designed specifically for mobile Internet devices (MIDs) and a new class of simple and affordable Internet-centric computers arriving later this year. These new chips, previously codenamed Silverthorne and Diamondville, will be manufactured on Intel’s industry-leading 45nm process with hi-k metal gate technology. The chips have a TDP specification in 0.6-2.5 watt range and scale to 1.8GHz speeds depending on customer need.

18 February 2008 - RacingThePlanet: Vietnam – a six-day, 250 kilometer footrace across remote northwest Vietnam – begins today. The race includes over 100 competitors from over 22 nations , including four competitors from Singapore. RacingThePlanet competitors and organizers will make use of the high-speed wireless broadband technology to upload rich media content to the RacingThePlanet website throughout the event including videos, blogs, photographs, real-time scoring and GPS mapping, displaying the cultural richness and diversity of Vietnam to a global audience.

4 February 2008 - Intel today disclosed more details about its new low power IA microarchitecture, which is the basis of the 45nm high-k metal gate Silverthorne processor being targeted for first-generation Mobile Internet Devices. It is fully compatible with the Core 2 Duo instruction set, is based on dual-code, dual-issue, in-order execution and implements a 16-stage processor pipeline. It supports Intel Hyper-Threading Technology too, delivers sub-watt performance and a 2 GHs speed at one watt some time in the future.

2 April 2008 - Intel today introduced five new Intel® Atom™ processors and Intel Centrino® Atom™ processor technology for Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and embedded computing solutions at the Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai. The technology package includes the Intel® Atom™ processor (formerly codenamed “Silverthorne”) plus a single-chip with integrated graphics called the Intel® System Controller Hub that enables PC-like capabilities, an uncompromised Internet experience and long battery life in smaller devices that can fit in your pocket. Manufacturers around the world are planning to ship Intel-based MIDs beginning this summer.

27 March 2008 - According to DigiTimes, Intel is planning to bring Atom 230 processor down to a price below US$ 29 to prevent AMD from grabbing low-cost desktop PC market share with its Sempron processors. This move by Intel might be to counter VIA upcoming Isaiah processor which is targeted specifically at Intel Atom market segment; MID, UMPC and Basic Notebooks. Both the Atom 230 and VIA Isaiah processors are expected to launch in Q2 this year with dual-core version slated for later this year.

11 March 2008 - Here's a transition guidance for the upcoming Nehalem and Dunnington processors. There is an early Dunnington ramp in Q3 and it is expected to ramp up till year end reaching ~45% of the overall Expandable (EX) segment comprised of the Tigerton and Tulsa currently. For the Efficient Performance (EP) segment, quad-core Xeon 5400 series ramp increased to ~55% in Q1 and dual-core Xeon 5200 series ramps complete by Q2 with mix remaining low due to strong quad-core adoption. Nehalem starts to ramp in Q4’08.

10 March 2008 - The first quad-core mobile part, the Core 2 Extreme QX9300 for Montevina Platform will come along in Q3 for $ 1038. Intel has also added two new Celeron processors; Celeron 585 and 575 based on the older 65nm Merom core for the Montevina Value Platform. Lastly, the Atom N270 (1.66GHz/533FSB) for Basic Notebook Platform will arrive in Q2 for S$ 44.

10 March 2008 - Intel has a new low-cost segment called "Nettop" designed for basic internet centric and content consumption usage models. It is based on 45nm Atom processors codenamed Diamondville. Intel will release Atom 230, a 1.6GHz clocked single core Diamondville processor for $ 29 in Q2. Higher clocked Atom and dual-core Atom are expected in Q3.

23 February 2008 - C2D E7200 and Celeron Dual-Core E1400 price effectivity date set to 11th May Xeon UP X3360, X3350, X3320 and Xeon DP LV L5420, L4310 launch on 23rd March

12 February 2008 - NVIDIA introduced PX 2500, a breakthrough applications processor that enables intuitive 3D user interfaces and engaging high-definition video on connected Windows Mobile phones. The NVIDIA APX 2500 applications processor, which is the culmination of 800 man years of engineering, delivers:

• The industry's first HD (720p) playback and capture capability for handheld devices.
• A new ultra-low-power (ULP) GeForce® core that is fully OpenGL ES 2.0 and Microsoft Direct3D® Mobile compliant and the lowest power 3D hardware solution available for acceleration of intuitive 3D user interfaces.
• NVIDIA nPower™ technology, enabling over 10 hours of high-definition video playback and up to 100 hours of audio—more than four times the audio playback of the latest touch-screen phones.
• The connectivity and media acceleration technologies required to enable the latest Web 2.0 applications, from effortless web browsing and social networking to GPS and mapping applications.

25 January 2008 - VIA today announced details about their new Isaiah architecture, designed from ground up by Centaur Technology. These processors are built in 65nm technology and provide two to four times the performance of current VIA processors (at the same GHz) at the same price point with little or no increase in power consumption. The initial products will start shipping in the spring of 2008. Isaiah CN at 25W TDP will have to compete with 25W Penryn processor in the SFF and HTPC space while the Isaiah CN ULV processor will have to pit against the Silverthorne/Diamondville in the MID and UMPC space.