45% of Intel’s Desktops Chips to Feature Nehalem Micro-Architecture by Year End.

Intel to Make 35% of Desktops Processors Using 32nm Process by End of 2010

[02/10/2010 01:20 PM]
by Anton Shilov

Since Intel Corp.’s positions on the market of desktop central processing units (CPUs) are very strong these days, the company is hardly interested in rapid transitions to newer micro-architectures. According to the information learnt by X-bit labs, by the end of the year the majority of Intel’s desktop processors will still be based on the Core 2 or Atom micro-architectures.

In Q1 2010 the share of microprocessors based on Nehalem micro-architecture among Intel’s desktop CPUs will be a little higher than 20%, the share will increase to a little less that about 30% in the second quarter, then will grow further to approximately 40% in Q3 and will raise to 45% in the fourth quarter of the year. As a result, the vast majority of microprocessors inside Intel-based desktops will be based on the Core 2 micro-architecture.

Since both Nehalem and Westmere generations of microprocessors share the same design, Intel considers all Bloomfield, Clarkdale, Gulftown and Lynnfield chips are considered to be based on the Nehalem micro-architecture.

The transition to 32nm process technology will be rather rapid, which is traditional for Intel. In Q1 2010 only about 12% of Intel’s desktop processors will be made using 32nm HKMG process technology, in the second quarter of this year the share of 32nm chips will raise to a little less than 20%, in the third quarter of 2010 a little less than 30% of desktop CPUs will be produced at 32nm node and in Q4 2010 about 35% of desktop Intel CPUs will be manufactured using 32nm fabrication process, whereas 65% of desktop chips will be made at 45nm node.

Intel Desktop Process Technology and Micro-Architecture Transition Guidance (approximation)
	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4
32nm	~12%	~20%	~28%	~35%
45nm	~85%	~78.5%	~71%	~65%
65nm	~2.5%	~1.5%	~1%	0%
Nehalem	>20%	<30%	~40%	~45%