Just what is Turbo Boost anyways

Subject: Processors | February 12, 2010 - 12:15 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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TechARP takes a detailed look into one of the most talked about features in the new Core family from Intel.  Originally it was a way for the processor to dynamic overclock its self to increase the speed at which programs that could only use a single core operated but it has now grown into a general overclocking tool.

May your Athlon II X3 440 be one of the good ones

Subject: Processors | February 8, 2010 - 04:04 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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For just under $100, a triple core CPU doing 3GHz is a veritable steal but that is exactly what the Athlon II X3 440 is.  When you consider that with a bit of luck you will end up with a model that has both a disabled L3 cache and a disabled fourth core, the bargain gets even better.  The particular CPU that InsideHW received unfortunately

Intel Gulftown die shot, specs revealed

Subject: Processors | February 3, 2010 - 01:30 PM | Ryan Shrout
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In a phone briefing today held by Intel to preempt the upcoming ISSCC conference (http://www.isscc.org/isscc/index.htm) details were released about the Westmere 6-core product otherwise known as Gulftown.  This processor, that will fit into existing LGA1366 processor sockets on current X58 consumer motherboards, will likely be released in the next 60 days or so but we are finally getting more details and information about what to expect.

The Celeron is neither gone nor forgotten

Subject: Processors | January 29, 2010 - 02:30 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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The days of the ridiculously easy to overclock Celerons may have passed but the Celeron line does live on.  Take the Intel Celeron E3300 for instance, at $66 it is not expensive and it runs at a decent 2.5GHz on an 800MHz FSB but iXBT Labs gave it a bump to a 1066MHz FSB for an overclocked speed of 3.33GHz.  You miss out on a lot of new features and the

A different look at AMDs new processors

Subject: Processors | January 27, 2010 - 06:17 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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When Josh looked at AMDs new CPUs, he emphasized
the value they offer.  They aren't the fastest, but new silicon that is under $100 is great news.  PC Stats took a different take, examining the highest end of the new releases, namely the AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition.  It is the fastest going @ 3.2GHz and since it is a Black Edition CPU you can expect that the unlocked multiplier is going to be used.  Drop by and see how it did in their t

Apple develops its first CPU: the Apple A4

Subject: Processors | January 27, 2010 - 05:10 PM | Ryan Shrout
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Yesterday I theorized that Apple would be using its first in-house computing architecture for the just announced Apple iPad (tablet device) after learning that Apple was definitely NOT using the NVIDIA Tegra technology.  Well that did in fact come to pass:

Intel shows gaming advantages of Windows 7 using horses

Subject: Processors | January 26, 2010 - 12:04 PM | Ryan Shrout
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Intel has posted a video on its YouTube channel that attempts to demonstrate the advantages of the multi-threading improvements in Windows 7 compared against Windows Vista.  If you remember with the launch of Nehalem some time ago, Intel re-introduced HyperThreading to double the number of concurrent threads that could be run on a processor with X number of cores.  Intel also claimed to have worked diligently with Microsoft to fix issues with the Windows operating system so that it took better advantage of HyperThreading as opposed t

It's quintuplets for AMD; cheap ones!

Subject: Processors | January 25, 2010 - 12:37 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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Today we are seeing the first new CPUs from AMD for 2010, ranging from the $169 Phenom II X4 910e @ 2.6GHz to the $74 AMD Athlon II X2 255 @ 3.1GHz.  Only the Phenom IIs sport L3 cache, one of the reasons that the Athlon II is less expensive is that lack, the other being the 95W TDP on all but the dual core model.  AnandTech also speculates on what we know of the 6 core models we should see rather soon, whose TDP shoots up to 125W!  The tests show that these new CPUs really don't bring anything new in,

Intel Earnings Report up 875%

Subject: Processors | January 15, 2010 - 12:37 PM | Jonathan Hung
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Intel has made a mountain of money in the fourth quarter of last year. In their just released earnings report, the chipmaker has posted an astounding $2.3 billion net-income (up $2 billion year-over-year). You can read the whole report here.

A well integrated review

Subject: Processors | January 14, 2010 - 05:41 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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One of the many pieces of big news around the web this week is the Clarkdale IGP, which has moved from the motherboard directly onto the CPU.  Intel has hopes that this will turn around their current reputation of producing IGPs that should be avoided at all costs.  The current favourite does still sit on the motherboard, as part of AMD's 785G chipset.  MADSHRIMPS compares these two low cost graphics solutions to see how they perform as well as comparing the relative benefits of the two sol

GlobalFoundries becomes world's 2nd largest foundry

Subject: Processors | January 13, 2010 - 08:55 PM | Josh Walrath
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Today GF (GLOBALFOUNDRIES) has announced that it has finished integrating with Chartered Semiconductor, and is now the 2nd largest foundry company in the world.  Since the agreement with Intel that also netted AMD $1.25 billion, GF was able to be fully divested from AMD.  This allowed ATIC (GF’s parent company and primary financier) to acquire Chartered Semiconductor with the purpose of combining its two foundry entities into one global company.

Intel Unveils All New 2010 Intel Core Processor Family

Subject: Processors | January 7, 2010 - 12:06 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW, Las Vegas, Jan.

Can I borrow a few cycles, please?

Subject: Processors | January 6, 2010 - 12:20 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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Along with the die shrink and moving the memory controller and PCI Express lanes onto a separate die, the other big move from Intel for the new Clarkdale family is to place the IGP onto that second die as well.  We have learned not to use Intel's IGP for anything graphically demanding, there are far better solutions out there.  For light graphical duty on a budget class PC Intel has enjoyed a lead over the competition and they hope the new iGFX chip will help them keep that market. 

A single stepped, dual process CPU from Intel ... with friends

Subject: Processors | January 4, 2010 - 02:12 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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Intel is jumping into the 32nm process with both feet with their new Clarkdale family.  Shrinking the 45nm process Nehalem into the 32nm Westmere core is only part of the new family.  They have also included a 45nm GPU into the chip and that merging of the two is what makes a Clarkdale CPU.  Perhaps when the original Intel dual cores appeared, that 'gluing' together of two separate cores was practice for the process of merging two cores, one a CPU and one a GPU into a single die. 

New Intel Clarkdale CPU Released and Reviewed

Subject: Processors | January 4, 2010 - 10:22 AM | Jonathan Hung
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Today Intel is launching a whole set of processors and associated chipsets into the mainstream. Up first is the Clarkdale desktop CPU which takes on the Core i5 and Core i3 moniker to help differentiate it from the existing Core i7 Lynnfield processor released last year.

Is the Intel tick-tock method winding down?

Subject: Processors | December 22, 2009 - 07:48 PM | Ryan Shrout
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An interesting article over at Bright Side of News points something out to us that has been hinted at over and over again during Intel's recent processor releases: the tick-tock model that Intel has been promoting for their corporate technology strategy is falling behind.  Using a recently revealed roadmap from a Chinese review site, BSN speculates that the current Nehalem and Westmere parts (Clarkdale and Arrandale are due January 7th) are going to be

Broadcom claims "software support" for Flash 10.1, Windows Media Player 12

Subject: Processors | December 22, 2009 - 04:01 PM | Ryan Shrout
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Intel's new Pine Trail platform is all over the news in the last day or so as its early release has brought about HORDES of news releases from partners announcing new netbooks and similar systems.  The big draw back to Pine Trail, in my view, is that it doesn't significantly change performance for the user or offer hardware decode acceleration of HD video or Flash video.  To try and convince customers that this isn't a problem Intel has been working with Broadcom to include the BCM70015 Crystal HD chip

ECS releases motherboard with new Atom Pine Trail platform

Subject: Processors | December 22, 2009 - 03:30 PM | Ryan Shrout
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After the early release of the Intel Pine Trail platform and Pineview processors, many Intel partners are following suit this week by announcing updated netbooks, nettops and at least one SFF-ready motherboard using the latest iteration of the Atom platform.

The ECS TIGT-I motherboard is based on the NM10 Express chipset and integrates a 1.66 GHz dual-core Atom D510 processor as well.  You can see in the image below that the motherboard is easily cooled WITHOUT a fan: