Digital-Daily : CPU & Memory : intel_cpu_spring_2007

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Modern Intel processors

Author: Vladimir Romanchenko Date: 14.03.2007

- Contents -Page 1 - Marking, general dataPage 2 - Intel processors for desktop PCsPage 3 - Intel processors for mobile PCs

We are presenting some reference information on Intel's CPUs, chipsets, and platforms topical for the "spring/summer 2007" season. This is not the first roundup material of the kind on our site - for instance, in autumn 2005 the article Intel processors today and tomorrow had an immense success, and quite recently we published something similar about 3D graphics - Modern graphic processors - 2007. As the practice has shown, our readers are not only interested in reviews only, but primarily in the exhaustive set of reference data collected in one place and, preferably, regularly updated.

Starting with this publication onwards and meeting the desires of our readers, we intend to present to your attention a complete and varied reference information in a tabular form on processors and not only on them. In view of the huge amount of data to be processed, at this stage we decided to confine to only Intel CPUs for desktop and mobile systems,.leaving out [for now] the server sector. Anyway, the pattern of Intel platforms is not complete without server solutions, that is why the come up in some tables.

Also, for the purpose of expediency, we have included only the processors topical today or in only the nearest future, and only their key specifications. Perhaps with time we'll get round to a complete listing of chip identifications and even go deep into the past presenting you a full history of the CPUs – despite the little importance of this information from the modern practical viewpoint, such data is anyway important in some specific cases like upgrade, historical research, etc.

Needless to say, the information presented in the tables is getting outdated almost every day. Hardly more than a month passes and new processors emerge (quite possibly, some of the newly released have not been included into the table through our oversight); at the same time, subscription on Intel product line updates regularly brings data of another CPU model phasing out on the grounds of restructuring the production lines for newer chips.

If the initiative proves to be in demand, we'll proceed with the publications, and first of all we'll be preparing reference materials on those computer components and products which are of most interest among the readers.

Most probably, the most practical way of maintaining such reference information will be its regular update - say, once a season (spring/autumn), on a quarterly or monthly basis. At the same time, we would be indeed appreciated to our readers for support of this project. We would welcome your remarks on noticed errors and omissions, your suggestions and ideas on improving the form of presentation of data, and your requests for desired data, so that we could jointly make an exhaustive and handy reference resource.

Another thing to note. From time to time, the tables present names of not yet officially presented Intel's future CPUs, chipsets, platforms and architectures. Of course, this info is unofficial and is included into the data as a reference point (not a guideline).

Marking of modern Intel processors

Just to warm up - a few words on the marking of Intel's modern processors. I presume, the pinout of the new processors is clear - it is the well-known and familiar LGA775. All the more or less modern Intel CPU models - both high-end and mainstream - have long migrated to LGA775.

But the marking of CPUs has undergone serious changes and now is made up of 5 elements - a combination of the letter prefix followed by a 4-digit numerical index. It makes sense decoding the 5-digit marking of Intel CPUs with the letter index which identifies the TDP of the processor, without any relation to the form factor.

In its turn, the 4-digit index also has the following meaning: the higher the 4-digit number in the CPU marking, the higher performance and power consumption it offers. At the same time, the first digit means the belonging of the chip to a certain product family, and the second one stands for the respective ranking within the family. Therefore, the greater the figure is, the higher is the performance of the chip.

Here are a few examples of how the marking of modern processors looks and what stands behind the notation:

• Core 2 Extreme X6800 – 2.93 GHz, 4 MB L2 cache, 1066 MHz FSB
• Core 2 Duo E6600 – 2.4 GHz, 4 MB L2 cache, 1066 MHz FSB
• Core 2 Duo E6400 – 2.13 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, 1066 MHz FSB
• Core Duo T2500 – 2 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB
• Core Duo U2500 – 1.06 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, 533 MHz FSB

Then, there follows a list of key connectors and contact systems for Intel processors. Incomplete, of course. In future, it is planned to add all the types of contact systems for Intel CPUs, including the options for onboard soldering.

Key connectors/contact systems of Intel CPUs
Socket-W	Socket 423 (for desktop PCs. Taken out of production)
Socket-N	Socket 478 (for desktop PCs. Taken out of production)
Socket-F	Socket 603 (for server systems)
Socket-T	LGA775 (Land Grid Array. T - Tejas)
Socket-C	The socket was originally planned for use with Cedar Mill. Cancelled.

Marking of modern Intel processors

The table collects the so-called "working names" of Intel CPUs for desktop PCs which are used unofficially before the date of announcement, together with the matching names of Intel's micro-architectures and the retail names of the chips.

The same - working names of Intel CPUs with the matching names of micro-architectures and the retail names of the chips, for mobile PCs.

For reference - the same regarding the names Intel CPUs for server systems. Here is a complete list of CPUs of the recent years, including chips of the IA64 Itanium architecture.

In view of Intel's new marketing strategy aimed primarily at the promotion of comprehensive platform solutions (and not specific components as before),it is indeed topical to include a list of working names of platforms within which Intel is generating hardware-software systems for desktop, mobile, and server systems.

It is not easy to make a decision regarding Intel's chipsets which are of no real interest to the modern buyer. The modern buyer is heterogeneous.

We now move on to the specifications of CPUs directly.

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	Content:
	Page 1 - Marking, general data Page 2 - Intel processors for desktop PCs Page 3 - Intel processors for mobile PCs

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