Intel Finally Has a Real 4 GHz CPU
Intel has quietly introduced its first CPU that is capable of running at 4 GHz clock speed off the shelf.
An updated spec sheet reveals that the recently introduced Xeon E3-1290 runs at 3.6 GHz with four cores, but the chip's turbo boost will scale the clock speed to 4.0 GHz when running on only one core. What makes this processor particularly interesting is the fact that it is closely related to the i7-2000 Sandy Bridge series, which would indicate that Intel could be launching a 4 GHz desktop processor as well.
Intel pulled a single core 4 GHz processor back in October 2004 due to the increasingly high power consumption and current leakage in its 90 nm Netburst architecture. The highest clock speed reached by its Pentium family was 3.8 GHz, which was posted by its Pentium 4 HT 570/571 models, which were based on the 90 nm Prescott core. Back then Intel drastically changed its strategy from clock speed scaling to lower power processors that were largely based on technology introduced with the Banias Pentium M processor in 2003. That new strategy resulted in Intel's Core 2 Duo processors with Conroe core in 2006. With a look at power consumption, I should note that the Pentium 4 570 was rated at a thermal design power of 115 watts, while the E3-1290 runs at a maximum of 95 watts. The first dual-core processors, which were available up to 3.6 GHz (Pentium D 900 series), consumed as much as 130 watts.
There appear to be signs that both Intel and AMD are engaging in a careful gigahertz race again. AMD currently tops out at 3.7 GHz and we would expect its Zambezi desktop processors to easily reach 4 GHz later this year.
News fail.
I agree with iam2thecrow... It doesn't run at 4Ghz... It boost to that speed and according to article only when running 1 core.. so AMD at 3.6Ghz on Quad core..
But to be honest.. Intels chip doesn't need to run at 4Ghz to destroy the X4 975... but you wouldn't catch me spending a grand on it... Go AMD
Increase clock speed is still kinda cool...
I agree with iam2thecrow... It doesn't run at 4Ghz... It boost to that speed and according to article only when running 1 core.. so AMD at 3.6Ghz on Quad core..
But to be honest.. Intels chip doesn't need to run at 4Ghz to destroy the X4 975... but you wouldn't catch me spending a grand on it... Go AMD
"Yo bro, check out my Bezi". (Bee-Z)
What?
You do know people have been nailing over 4GHz EASILY on many Intel chips with little to no effort.....that's just on air cooling.
I mean, It's cool that they're releasing a potential 4Ghz chip, but how much overclocking headroom does this thing have? Will it push past the others, or did Intel just OC it themselves, knowing how effortlessly their chips are to OC.
Yes, I was comparing stock to stock. I don't mess with OC.
I can't believe they still have a large enough market for those things to justify all the effort. If Intel put the same resources into Itanium, it might not be the butt of so many jokes.
News fail.
You're right. You can beat the AMD with most mid range intels
Cheers!
lol i remember when i thought that way too...
than i built my little brother a quad core at 2.4 or 2.6ghz and it played a 1080p video with little to no preformace loss noticeable (p4 couldnt dream of that, and barely played 720p with optimized codecs)
so when my computer kicked off, i got a phenom 955 black and cant BELIEVE i waited that long to upgrade...
anyway when you do upgrade, you will be in for a treat.
because not many programs need multi cores to run good. however most programs that do bennifit from it use it. to me, multi core just gives me more headroom to multitask, i dont have to close programs to work in new ones.