Intel® Core™ i3

[Big.Wayne]

Anyone heard much about Intel® Core™ i3

Core i3 adopts 32nm technology (codenamed Clarkdale, based on Westmere architecture). Its biggest characteristics is integrated GPU, that is to say, Core i3 will be in CPU + GPU package from. Due to the limited performance of integrated GPU, users can add graphics outside for better 3D performance. Despite of Clarkdale, graphics kernel process is still 45nm.

Core i3 CPU adopts dual-core design in specs.It can support 4 threads, L3 cache is reduced from 8MB to 4MB. memory controller, dual-channel, intelligent acceleration technology, hyper-thread technology will be retained. Corresponding motherboard will be P55/P57. Core i3 processors will be published next year.

I'm finding the new flood of CPU's and sockets a bit confusing heh!

 

[ShaolinDreams]

 

[Audigex]

Wait, clarkdale or clarksfield?

Looks to me that i7 = enthusiast / ultra high end consumer
i5 = mainstream enthusiast / high end consumer
i3 = mainstream consumer
core2duo lingering for a little longer as budget consumer, until i3 prices drop from launch.

i7 being what we know, but the cheaper chips gone
i5 being for those who want a GPU or to put it together themself
i3 beign for bog standard home PCs, internet email solitaire etc

 

[mjones1]

A 32nm chip should be really cool and overclock very easy.
So there is pretty much no point of high end dual core owner's to upgrade.

 

[nightmare99]

If the name is true then that is your E5xxx/E6xxx/E7xxx/E8xxx replacement parts.

 

[D D Danneh]

Wouldn't surprise me if i5 turns out to be socket 1156 quad cores, and i3 turns out to be socket 1156 dual cores. Perhaps with some enthusiast dual cores in i5.

They should've just stuck with i7, and released some cheaper CPU's and motherboards for mainstream.

 

[Jokester]

Wait, clarkdale or clarksfield?

Clarksfield is 45nm mobile chip, Clarkdale is 32nm desktop chip.

Will be very interesting to see how overclockable these will be, or whether there is any truth to the rumours that they'll be locked. Power wise, if they're talking about 130W for the 6core i7 chips, then these could also have very low power requirements.

 

[Rroff]

Wouldn't surprise me if i5 turns out to be socket 1156 quad cores, and i3 turns out to be socket 1156 dual cores. Perhaps with some enthusiast dual cores in i5.

They should've just stuck with i7, and released some cheaper CPU's and motherboards for mainstream.

Its going to come back to bite them in the rear if they don't stick with i7 and release some lower end parts on the same platform :S

 

[sturmtruppe]

Let me get this right, 3 processor types, high, mod and low end, each require their own socket???

This is a mess.

 

[linktoinsanity]

Let me get this right, 3 processor types, high, mod and low end, each require their own socket???

This is a mess.

If the i3 uses the P55/57 chipset, then it will most likely be chip compatible with i5. So that's 2 sockets, which is not too bad.

 

[Caracus2k]

Intel need some serious competition again... come on AMD, we have had it good with CPU's the past three years (unless you bought certain 1st generation Phenom's!)

 

[Audigex]

If the i3 uses the P55/57 chipset, then it will most likely be chip compatible with i5. So that's 2 sockets, which is not too bad.

It's pretty damn bad - why the hell can't they stick with one socket? Easy upgrade path, no wasting of boards etc

Well, we know the reason - so they can sell/license more chipsets when people upgrade. It's just greed.

I can see a vague point to the fact that it stops people wasting money on a high end chip with a low end board, and vice versa - but I very much doubt that's why they've done it.

Caracus, AMD can't really offer competition at the top end, they've just not got the production rates and research budget. Intel spend nearly as much on R+D a year as AMDs turnover - the fact there's as much competition as there is currently is testament to AMD's engineers.

I doubt i3/i5 will be significantly better than future (or in some cases, current) phenom II chips - it will likely not even be that much faster than core2.

 

[Greebo]

I doubt i3/i5 will be significantly better than future (or in some cases, current) phenom II chips - it will likely not even be that much faster than core2.

Although I agree that the i3 may be, but early benchmarks of the i5 shows it superior to the q9xxx cpus.

 

[nightmare99]

Well, we know the reason - so they can sell/license more chipsets when people upgrade. It's just greed.

Yes shocking isen't it? Anybody would think they are running a business

 

[cavemanoc]

It'll all come down to cost/benefit - the majority of PC users don't even know what motherboard their computer has, let alone what upgrade path it offers them - most will simply run their 'box of mystery' until they give in to advertising and buy a new 'box of mystery'. It makes no sense for intel to force expensive motherboards on OEM suppliers to keep uniformity across the entire range, when they can offer cheaper cut down ones to match the various price points.

It is going to be very interesting to see how the CPU/GPU hybrid works out - could this spell the beginning of the end for the Stand-Alone GFX? The separate 2D/3D only lasted until they were successfully combined - same to a degree is true of the standalone PPU...

Time will tell.