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49 comments

Intel to Introduce GPGPU Functions Into Westmere

By - Source: Tom's Hardware US

Intel figures that two heads are better than one, so why not use both?

Despite Intel's shelving of Larrabee (at least what we knew of the first version), the company still sees a future in offloading tasks to the GPU.

According to X-bit labs, Intel said last week that its upcoming Westmere processors will offload some of the video transcoding duties from the CPU over to the integrated GPU.

Both the Clarkdale desktop and Arrandale notebook will feature a dual-core 32nm CPU and a 45nm GPU on the same chip (but not the same die). Intel did say that systems shipping with Clarkdale and Arrandale chips won't initially support such GPGPU functions, but it will come at a later date through a driver update.

Of course, those with much beefier graphics chips from AMD or Nvidia will likely have little use for what Intel's IGP can do, but it's a good signal from Intel that the chip giant still believes in GPGPU utility.

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Top Comments
  • 33
    falchard , December 9, 2009 9:13 PM
    What about when the other head is a complete retard?
  • 24
    jj463rd , December 9, 2009 10:02 PM
    Intel CPU = Awesome
    Intel GPU= Sucks
    AMD CPU = Good
    AMD (ATI) GPU = Awesome

    I think I'll trust AMD's CPU/GPU integration.
  • 22
    JMS3096 , December 9, 2009 9:15 PM
    GPGPU on an Intel GMA IGP? Intel IGPs can barely handle the graphics processing that already gets thrown at them!
Other Comments
  • 9
    Zoonie , December 9, 2009 9:03 PM
    2 heads ARE better than 1 :D :D :D  ;) 
  • 33
    falchard , December 9, 2009 9:13 PM
    What about when the other head is a complete retard?
  • 1
    lowguppy , December 9, 2009 9:13 PM
    They'll get it all on one die eventually, and it will be more cost effective than manufacturing separate dies, but they'll never compete in gaming class graphics. Having the whole platform, including graphics, on one die will make it hard for nVidia to compete in enterprise graphics markets. AMD could do something similar, though they haven't moved in that direction yet.
  • 22
    JMS3096 , December 9, 2009 9:15 PM
    GPGPU on an Intel GMA IGP? Intel IGPs can barely handle the graphics processing that already gets thrown at them!
  • 5
    DjEaZy , December 9, 2009 9:16 PM
    ... it iz emulating the FUSION blef...
  • 1
    DjEaZy , December 9, 2009 9:18 PM
    ... that mean new MoBo?
  • -5
    pbrigido , December 9, 2009 9:28 PM
    cknobmanIntel = FAIL


    Hey AMD Fanboy, get over it. Intel and AMD are both great companies.
  • -4
    vider , December 9, 2009 9:29 PM
    About freaking time!
  • 5
    pbrigido , December 9, 2009 9:33 PM
    Zoonie2 heads ARE better than 1 D


    So that explains why guys are better than girls...I knew there had to be a reason.
  • 9
    Abrahm , December 9, 2009 9:49 PM
    Can this extra graphics processor be utilized even with a separate graphics card? Say I have a 5850 and one of these chips, will the CPU dump off some work onto the integrated graphics while I use my primary GPU for other things, or does having a separate GPU leave the integrated GPU sitting dead in the box taking up space?

    How does this add to the heat of the CPU?
  • -4
    Ciuy , December 9, 2009 9:52 PM
    pfff
  • 11
    scook9 , December 9, 2009 9:59 PM
    These IGP's can BARELY handle blu-ray decoding....and now they are going to be helpful with GPGPU?!.....right......
  • 24
    jj463rd , December 9, 2009 10:02 PM
    Intel CPU = Awesome
    Intel GPU= Sucks
    AMD CPU = Good
    AMD (ATI) GPU = Awesome

    I think I'll trust AMD's CPU/GPU integration.
  • 3
    fulle , December 9, 2009 10:22 PM
    I remember reading about Westmere a long time ago... this is mainly just an announcement that Intel's working on driver support for GPGPU functions... which isn't exactly a surprise. This isn't really anything interesting yet, since Intel hasn't even given a vague indication when this driver update will release, so its probably just an effort to get any positive news out, no matter how small, after they admitted failure and scrapped the "first version" of Larrabee.

  • 15
    sunflier , December 9, 2009 10:27 PM
    Quote:
    To minimize the embarrassment of the failed Larrabee Intel to Introduce GPGPU Functions Into Westmere
  • 0
    Hatecrime69 , December 9, 2009 10:31 PM
    AbrahmCan this extra graphics processor be utilized even with a separate graphics card? Say I have a 5850 and one of these chips, will the CPU dump off some work onto the integrated graphics while I use my primary GPU for other things, or does having a separate GPU leave the integrated GPU sitting dead in the box taking up space?How does this add to the heat of the CPU?


    if you have a 5850 then who cares if there's any other gpu's in the system? (unless it's a second 5850 for crossfire ;) ) but to answer your question, no
  • -3
    anonymous@guest , December 9, 2009 10:45 PM
    Yes, the future is a unified CPU and GPU. I really don't see any future in the discrete graphic cards. When the CPU and GPU are centralized, resources would be dynamically allocated depending on the application. There would be less wasted silicon. And without the messy interfacing, the system as a whole would operate much faster.
  • 5
    Soul_keeper , December 9, 2009 11:06 PM
    I hope it supports opencl and not one of intel's own proprietary api's
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