Conroe Extreme Edition to Acquire 1333MHz Bus – Sources

by Anton Shilov
02/12/2006 | 11:44 PM

Intel Corp. is expected to release a new breed of its desktop processors that are based on the new architecture with higher speed processor system busses (PSB), according to sources familiar with the plans of the world’s largest chipmaker. The new processors will also have very moderate power consumption.

In the third quarter of the year Intel Corp. is expected to release a new family of dual-core desktop processors code-named Conroe. The new chips will be made using 65nm process technology and will have thermal design power (TDP) of 65W or lower, something which is expected to deliver on Intel’s promise to release chips featuring leading performance per watt ratio.

The default flavours of the new Conroe chips will use 1066MHz PSB, whereas extreme versions of the desktop chips featuring new micro-architecture from Intel will use 1333MHz processor system bus.

The family of Intel Conroe processors will initially consist of four models: E6700, E6600, E6400 and E6300 that will operate 2.67GHz, 2.40GHz, 2.13GHz and 1.86GHz, respectively. The E6700 and E6600 models will sport 4MB unified L2 cache, whereas the E6400 and E6300 will have 2MB unified level-two cache. Pricing of the parts is expected to be quite aggressive: $529, $315, $240 and $210, according to some sources. In the Q4 2006 the maker will also add the model E6800 that works at 2.93GHz and features 1066MHz bus along with 4MB cache.

The Extreme Edition of the Conroe processor will operate at 3.33GHz, sport 1333MHz processor system bus and 4MB cache. Thermal envelope of the part should be 95W.

Intel’s processors code-named Conroe, Merom and Woodcrest will utilize a new micro-architecture with shorter pipeline and high performance per clock ratio. The new processors will feature 14-stages pipeline, down from 31 or more stages found in current Intel Pentium (Prescott) designs, 4-issue out-of-order execution engine as well as improved performance of the floating-point unit (FPU). Also, the new chips and platforms on their base will also feature capabilities like virtualization, LaGrande technology, x86-64 in addition to EDB, EIST and iAMT2.

Intel Corp. officials did not comment on the news-story.