Brian GarnerHardmac reported that test and performance results of Intel's new 6-core Xeon chips code-named "Gulftown" were briefly featured on PCLab before being taken down at the request of Intel. According to the test results, the new chips are nearly 50% faster than the previous quad-core Xenon during parallel tasks, and use up to 50% less power.
This chip will, according to sources, be featured in future Mac Pro models that could arrive as early as the first quarter of 2010. The "Gulftown" chip will be sold under the Core i9 name and will be Intel's first six-core, dual-socket processor. The 32 nanometer chips feature 12MB of L3 cache. If paired with another chip, as Apple usually does in its high-end workstations, the processors will offer 12 physical and 24 logical cores.
In a previous story, Hardmac reported that the new Mac Pro will have a modified motherboard with a 10Gbit/second Ethernet port and will support 8GB and 16GB RAM modules, allowing for a maximum of 128GB of RAM. The report also stated that it is likely that Apple would have short-term exclusive use of the i9 processor. Apple has enjoyed short-term exclusivity during the release of the previous two Mac Pro lines.
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MAN, i cannot keep up with the Joneses anymore, so why do we need SO MUCH MORE POWER FOR AGAIN??
I am still saving up for last years or is it this years model?? (damn I lost track already)
oh, I forgot i'm going to need it for that rocket ship I'm building in the back... yeah right.
eeesssshh!!!!
Well they should be 50% faster as they have 50% more CPU cores. I'll be interested to see how they've managed the power usage.
Gulftown gives Apple and other vendors the ability to separate the consumer lineup (single socket Quad core) with Professional lines (dual socket Hex core)
I think it's a given that Apple is all over Gulftown with the Mac Pro.
I agree that the 32nm Gulftown seems most likely but can we rule out the 45nm Becton with 8 cores and support for up for 4 processors instead of just 2, like in the Gulftown?
According to the test results, the new chips are nearly 50% faster than the previous quad-core Xenon during parallel tasks, and use up to 50% less power.
For some reason I love when tech sites write Xenon instead of Xeon.
You and me both, makes me think of the line from Princess Bride "You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means."
Back on topic, I can just see it come Monday at work, my manager will be bouncing around like a kid with a free shopping spree at Toys R Us when he reads the rumor.
I love my Mac Pro. It's a machine that delivers everything I need. My machine is a 2007 8 core. But still delivers a punch for its money. I have hacked the hardware and made it even faster than it was at factory.
As for the new Mac Pro's coming out? I say awesome. I will probably be buying one. I figure that My old mac pro can be used for a print server. Ha ha. But seriously I replied to a thread about a year ago. A gentleman (1 geostationary) wanted to see if any one knew about the new Mac Pro's that were coming out in 2009. I had posted that the new Mac Pro's would be able to support 128 GB RAM and have 12 Physical Cores. He told me I was wrong and he didn't see it. This guy also acted as if he was the authority on this matter. We did see a new Mac Pro series come out it was not a 12 core and it did not support 128 GB RAM. I did how ever know that the new Cores were in Development. I did know that the New RAM was coming out. I do not see myself bragging but I did see these machine were coming out. They were delayed this year due to the Intel development for a chipset. The 12 core Mac Pro needs 2 things to run those Processors. 1) Power Supply. 2) A new chipset. Intel's manufacturing of the Processor and Chipset are crucial for Apple to make the New 12 core Mac Pro of course. Apple make the best.
Due to their OS X being hacked and dist to the world via deve, Apple has focused not only on their OS but their hardware. Make a bigger better stick and more than the other guy and people who appreciate the bigger better stick will buy it. Apple is very good at producing that. Just wait until you see the Next Unix based OS that Apple is coming up with. It will blow you away. By first Quarter 2012.
Cheers. If you think I'm crazy you may be right.