Intel’s Six-Core Desktop Microprocessors Still Scheduled on Q2 2010 – Sources.

Intel Readies Gulftown Processor for Late First Half of 2010

[07/23/2009 05:52 PM]
by Anton Shilov

Even though there have been rather optimistic predictions regarding the release of six-core central processing unit code-named “Gulftown” this year, the launch of the chips is still scheduled on the second quarter of 2010.

Based on the documents seen by X-bit labs, quad-core Intel Core i7 975 processor will be the hill of desktop computing from Intel till the second quarter of 2009, when the code-named Gulftown processor is set to be unveiled.

Intel Gulftown processors – which will be drop-in compatible with LGA1366 infrastructure – will have six physical cores with Hyper-Threading technology enabled, thus, capable of processing up to twelve threads at the same time.

The Gulftown chip belongs to Westmere family of microprocessors that have some micro-architectural advantages over currently available Core i7 processors that belong to Nehalem family. Gulftown will significantly boost performance of the microprocessors while staying in the same thermal envelope of 130W.

Intel did not comment on the news-story.

Tags: Intel, Gulftown, Core, Nehalem, 32nm

Discussion

Comments currently: 1
Discussion started: 07/24/09 01:31:52 PM
Latest comment: 07/24/09 01:31:52 PM

[1-1]

I doubt that Intel will not release another i7XE before then. The only reasons not to are laziness, not wanting to push AMD too hard or clock issues with gulftown. A theoretical i7-985 or 995 would be 3.46 or 3.6GHz respectively.

Intel has had plenty of clock headroom ever since conroe though. They have been holding out on performance for more competition and to lower power/heat.

In the mean time, i5 will barely be any faster than C2Q clock-per-clock. (see any i7-noHT vs C2Q benchmarks)