San Francisco, 08 Mar 2006
As Intel executives provided details of the planned evolution of the company`s processor technology, energy-efficient performance was a dominant theme on the first day of Intel Developer Forum 2006 taking place this week in San Francisco.
In the opening keynote address, CTO Justin Rattner announced Intel`s new Core micro-architecture as the foundation for delivering "greater energy-efficient performance to meet demands for expanded processor capabilities, smaller devices, longer battery life and greater power savings".
The Intel Core micro-architecture is a low power, high performance and scalable architecture that will be used across desktop, mobile and server computing platforms, Rattner told Intel platform developers. He said processors based on the new architecture were expected to start shipping in the third quarter of 2006.
Claiming "hundreds" of innovations in the new processor architecture, Rattner highlighted technical advances that allow each core to complete four instructions simultaneously, reduce power consumption by powering individual logic systems only when required, enable better caching and memory accessing, and double the execution speed of multimedia and graphics applications.
Advancing Rattner`s theme of energy efficiency, Pat Gelsinger, Intel senior VP and GM of the digital enterprise group, pointed out that the Conroe dual-core processor based on the new architecture could reduce power consumption by 40% and deliver an equal gain in performance at the same time.
Gelsinger announced that Conroe would be part of Intel`s new business platform codenamed Averill that is scheduled for release in the second half of this year.
"In the third quarter of 2006, Intel plans to update the Bensley platform with the Woodcrest processor, which will further reduce power consumption by 35%, while delivering an 80% improvement in performance," he said.
Gelsinger also demonstrated the improved processing power of a quad core processor, emphasising Intel`s commitment to delivering greater performance per watt.
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Intel Developer Forum begins today
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