Intel quad-core Kentsfield to be named Core 2 Quadro
Intel is expected by the end of this month to officially name its Kentsfield quad-core desktop processor as the "Core 2 Quadro," according to an overseas report.
"The QX6700, which will be clocked at 2.66 GHz, will target the high-end gaming market as well as to counter AMD's fourth quarter introduction of its Socket-AM2 Athlon 64 FX-64 CPU (3.0 GHz core speed, 2x1MB L2 cache)," according to the report.
In a bid to trump AMD's planned launch of its quad-core Deerhound server chip in 2007 and quad-core Greyhound desktop varient in 2008, Intel in the first quarter of 2007 is also expected to launch a new 65nm quad-core CPU called the Core 2 Quadro Q6600.
"The Socket-775 Q6600 CPU will have a core speed of 2.4 GHz, a built-in 2x4MB L2 cache and support a 1066 MHz FSB (front side bus), plus Enhanced Intel Speedstep technology, Intel Virtualization and Execute Disable Bit functionalities," DigiTimes sources said.
Those sources added that the quad-core CPUs can be paired with either Intel's high-end 975X or mainstream P965 chipsets, although a minor change in the design of the power-supply module on P965-based motherboards is required.
Intel reportedly declined to comment on the report.
61 Comments
Next up from apple:
The Mac Quadra
Oh come on now...to target the high end gaming market with a quad-core chip, games have to first be SMP-aware. How many games utilize more than 1 core very efficiently? Not many.
I hope the availability of consumer and pro multicore chips will push developers to write heavily-threaded apps. As difficult as it may be to write such an app, it has to be done...and it will separate the boys from the men (weed out the bad devs.)
Next up from apple:
The Mac Quadra
Indeed.
quadra x2 = Mac Pro Octo
Oh come on now...to target the high end gaming market with a quad-core chip, games have to first be SMP-aware. How many games utilize more than 1 core very efficiently? Not many.
Right now this is true, however, going forward the games will be better designed for multiple cores. World of Warcraft (for example) has been make [slow but] steady improvements and plan on more over time.
Of course the real reason for more cores is not so much the gaming market, but other markets, such as photography and video..