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Nehalem CPUs to feature Turbo Mode
Pat Gelsinger reveals some more titbits about Nehalem, including its ability to run individual cores at different clock speeds
Today at IDF Fall 2008: With motherboards such as Asus’ tasty-looking P6T Deluxe in the works, the build-up to Intel’s new Nehalem CPU architecture is getting even more exciting. What’s more, Intel has also just revealed a few more nuggets of information about the new CPU architecture, one of which is that the chips will feature a Turbo Mode.
The idea of the Turbo Mode is that active cores can run at a higher speed than normal in response to workload demands. Speaking at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in San Francisco, Gelsinger proudly explained that the mode ‘shifts the processor into a higher gear for mind-blowing performance without a heat penalty.’ This feature comes in addition to Intel’s Power Gates technology, which allows Nehalem’s individual cores to be switched on and off when needed, and run individual cores at independent voltages and clock frequencies.
Gelsinger also said that production of quad-core versions of the chips, now officially named Core i7, will start in the final quarter of this year. The CPUs will feature Hyper-Threading, allowing eight threads to be executed simultaneously, as well as an integrated triple-channel DDR3 memory controller and 8MB of Intel Smart Cache.
‘Our engineers have put together an incredible processing family here that will include a tremendous amount of new processor features all centred on delivering faster computer performance and terrific energy efficiency, said Gelsinger.
Of course, most of the new technology in Nehalem isn’t specifically new. AMD launched its AMD64 architecture with an integrated memory controller in 2003, and AMD’s native quad-core Phenom CPUs also have the ability to run individual cores at separate voltages and clock frequencies.
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i turbo . when will it all go back to the good old days ? oh but the good old days r now .jj7
Comment by kingjohn721 at 7:38pm 24th August 2008
Wow 8 threads at once! It'll be like having a mac pro, but without having to sell your soul to the devil, either that or Skulltrail and not having to sell your grandparents and the house they live in.
Comment by gavomatic57 at 2:46pm 24th August 2008
turbo buttons...I remember them, and let me tell you all, they made my computer run at speeds that were...no faster. The unfortunate thing here is that methinks Intel hae had a look at AMD's Pherrr architecture and improved it - which is a shame for AMD but on the other hand it might be good as Intel may be able to show them where their setup was inherently flawed. as for 'extra speed for no extra heat' this may be true if one core is sped up while another is shut down but i can't see it happening any other way
Comment by EdArch at 2:57pm 21st August 2008
Its totally believable the other cores will generate more heat when ramped up. But there will be the headroom for this as for instance 2/4 cores would be powered down thus the chips overall heat out put wouldn't change. Eg temp of all 4 cores at 2. chip would be 8. So if two were turned off that allows 2 to run at 4 still making 8. I really like the technology and think its good were finally going to benefit from multi-core cpus properly.
Comment by Paddy001 at 12:12pm 21st August 2008
On a 486 the 'turbo' button actually worked in reverse and was used to slow the PC down to make it more compatible with older software. I wasn't pointless.
Comment by pveater at 1:50pm 20th August 2008
Yeah, those stupid buttons did absolutely nothing on the 386 and 486 but it somehow felt really important. You half expected to have to grip your table by your nails to hang on once you pressed the turbo button as wind gushed past you with paper and waste blowing everywhere and the room behind you getting wrecked. All I could see was it turned a green light on in the front of your case.
Comment by crazyceo at 1:51pm 20th August 2008
Faster clock, no increase in temperature? I think I'll trust magazine reviews over marketing talk, thanks Pat. On the other hand if it's crazy but cool enough to work, and they can shrink it, then that would be a killer mobile CPU.
Comment by KHenry_07 at 12:52pm 20th August 2008
Though I am sure the technology is good, I cant help laughing at it reminds me on the 386/ 486 days. When all computers had a pointless Turbo button
Comment by jonisaksson at 12:25pm 20th August 2008
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