Top Spec

The online shopping store ebuyer who sell a wide range of electrical goodies have now implemented a Intel Store section. The webpage is called Intel Components Store.

There are three different categories for your disposal, there are Desktop, Mobile and Server. The structure of their product range is shown below.

[DESKTOP]--->
            |---->Processors
            |---->Motherboards
            |---->LAN Cards

[MOBILE]---->
            |---->Processors
            |---->Wireless LAN

[SERVER]---->
            |---->Server/ Workstation processors
            |---->Server/ Workstation Motherboards
            |----> RAID Cards
            |----> LAN Adapter Cards
            |----> Server Chassis

Within the Desktop sub categories the structure is split into Performance, Entertainment and Business. These sections help split the enthusiast from the main stream user for computer hardware. You can find the link here —> ebuyer Intel store <—

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High-K dielectric refers to a material with a high dielectric constant. The High-k is used in semiconductor manufacturing processes to replace the silicon dioxide within gate dielectrics. By implementation of the material, high-k further lowers the die size of processors. The technology is currently used in the Penryn Intel Processors.

IBM and partners have the lead with the implementation of HKMG high-k metal gate. IBMs semiconductor manufacturing has lead to the 32nm wafer. By implementing the 32nm technology they have found a 35 percent increase in performance compared to the 45nm process. The 32nm also consumed between 30 to 50 percent less power.

IBMs implementation of the high-k/metal gate within transistors that controlled primary on/off switching functionality lead to the development of 32nm chip circuitry. Intel Have already shown the 45nm process, so is there any point in upgrading your processor? Intel will no-doubt be designing their 35nm process.

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Since the architecture of Intels Larrabee Graphics processing was revealed there has been speculation of the specification and implementation of the processor.

When I read my first article on the GPU I thought it was embedded into the current x86 processor with a built in memory controller! Removing the need for PCI-E bus I don’t think so some how.

Intel’s current graphics market includes low ended onboard GPU processing. Their market covers laptops and office based desktops, less demanding video processing. Intel have now decided to venture into the competitive 3D acceleration market and much more.
Larrabee is Intels answer against Nvidia and ATI in the graphics war. Intel has decided to create an architecture which uses their current x86 instruction set. Current graphics processors use a customised instruction set for its shader cores.

This is a good move for Intel with GPGPU (General Purpose Graphics Processing Unit). Over the last couple of months in fact, Graphics cards are being used for general purpose processing. Graphics processors can calculate more than their initial intention. The processors are considered co-processors and are capable of running a variety of applications. ( GPGPU is worth an article in its own right!).

Any way, Intel has made the best move by using the x86 instruction set. Nvidia and ATI may need some sort of SDK to run their GPUGP applications. Will Larrabee processors run window OS based code? I cant imagine running Nintendo emulators on your new Graphics Processor :P.

Right let’s get on with the juicy information. According to Intel the Larrabee will run at 1.7 to 2.5 Ghz and feature between 16 to 24 cores! All of which run the modified x86 instruction set.

Larrabee will be available on PCI Express 2.0 and was initially fabricated at 45nm process. Interestingly the architecture can also be integrated within servers. The processor will sit directly in the motherboard sockets using Intels QuickPath interconnect apposed to AMD’s Hyptertransport interconnect.

What does the future hold? If Intel can pull Larrabee off then the future desktop may not even include a traditional X86 processor! Could the GPU be used for physics of computer graphics? Remember the Ageia PhysX processor? If GPGPU is going down this route then a Larrabee card could do this and a whole lot more.

So in conclusion Larrabee can be seen as a new graphics processor for the gaming market but will Intel also see this as maybe an add on card for mathematical calculations for science based computers? CAD for instance?

Larrabee was previously expected during early 2009. Press release may be towards the end of 2009 early 1010. Intel is moving fast, will the Larrabee processor even use a 45nm process? It may even be fabricated on the 32nm process.

Below are two pictures of the architecture. The first picture shows the on-chip design and the second shows the physical layout of the card with the processor and DDR3 memory structure.

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Its that time again! Is it Friday? I think it is! Now I’ve got that of my chest what is there to talk about on the computer hardware front?

There are a number of different technologies propping up over the internet. First off we have the Atom processors created by Intel clocked between 1.33Ghz through to 1.86Ghz. The processor uses the same ISA as the Core2 processor meaning that backward compatibility is proven. The core 2 created $100bn market in 2007 alone.

The processor uses a FSB of 533MHz. considering single core processors used the similar to lower FSB this is impressive. Thinking about it, this is Intel’s smallest mobile chip.

Next we have the scrap of the computer hard disk. Sources say IBM will get rid of the old hard disk and replace this with other means. IBM state that the HD is too mechanical creating noise and most importantly heat. This will be over come with their new implementation. IBM has created the memory chip and the Hard Disk within the past so I only have good expectations. I will be explaining this in further detail over the start of next week!

Thats all for now so stay tuned for more updates on the latest hardware!

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Originally we had the USB (Universal Serial Bus) version 1.1 running at 1.5 Mbps to 12 Mbps data rate. After the creation of USB firewire came into play running at 400Mbps. USB needed a newer version! Intel hit back with version 2.0 of their USB interface which runs at 450Mbps. In today’s data transfers standards the transfer rates were perfect for MP3, printers and even Internet connections via modems, USB wireless dongles etc.

So where is USB heading? What happens when systems need faster transfer rates? what happens when the bandwidth of the technology is to low for peripherals? Well USB 3.0 is ready to hit the computer market in 2009.

USB version 3.0 is to potentially run at speeds of 5gGbit/s, to put this into perspective this translates to downloading a 27GB HD movie in 70 seconds!

With the newer video technology of HD (high definition) HDTV and so-forth USB needs to contemplate moving forward. Apple invented firewire for either apple platforms and USB 2.0 counter attached the technology. Now Intel is in the correct frame of mind by bringing this faster data transfer to the market.

How will Windows OS use this technology? Do you remember when USB 2.0 driver was only found with Service Pack 2 of Windows XP OS? So will Windows Vista use 3.0 and make XP redundant? Who knows?

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The Cell processor architecture developed by IBM Toshiba and Sony is said to start sampling under the name of SpursEngine 1000 or SE1000. The processor design was originally used on the Sony PS3 using seven cores synchronously.

Their targeted market is set to be for the consumer electrical products. The powerful design and advanced capabilities of the cell processor is to target video processing capabilities in particular. The cell processor will ideally be used for the growing high definition market especially with high resolution encoding/ decoding.

The SE1000 co-processor will include four slave cores used for the streaming of media. The chip is built on a 65nm process using 10W to 20W of power. The team are considering shrinking the die to reduce the power consumption.

You can see the SpursEngineis implemented into a PCI-E board which runs at a X1 bus speed. Toshiba are also working with third party companies to create applications and the development of HDTV set top boxes.

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The new socket is to be named LGA1366 for the Bloomfield and Gainestown Processors. The socket contains 600 extra pins than the socket LGA775 not to mention the three 64bit DDR3 memory channels. The Socket design seems similar to the current Intel Socket but the installation implementation is different.

I can imagine a lot of enthusiast out there are contemplating the new hardware, there no ability of backward compatibility! New heat sinks, new motherboard, new Die size! Well to be honest it is a new socket!

The LGA1366

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Before I start typing away for the next 5 to 10 minutes I’d like to say that the Skull Trail motherboards are in fact as fast as the Nvidia 790i chipsets. The skull trail motherboard can take DDR3 with the FSB (Front Side bus) of 1600 MHz with the memory clock to match. Nvidia do support slightly higher memory clock speeds of 1800 MHz and 2000mhz with EPP I’m assuming. The update is free online via a flash BIOS upgrade (I was expecting a new series of motherboards).

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Its friday! There isnt really much to say on the hardware front, nothing I can think of any way! But i thought id post a quick message. Im currently thinking of upgrading my P.C. but im not quite sure what to go for. Below is a compiled list of my hardware wish list.

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 Socket 775 @ 2.66 GHz 45nm
Asus Striker II Extreme, NF790i, 3-way SLI
Corsair Dominator 4gig DDR3 1800mhz (EPP RAM would be ideal) -release date anyone?
Western Digital Rapter SATA 2 Raper 10,000 RPM
nvidia 9800 GX2 (Just one)
Case ????

I think that will do for now, I will be editing the post over the next couple of days but thats my current ideal system for the time being. The problem still exists! Should I or Shouldnt I? Theres always Q1 of 2009 to look forward to! Check my post on Intel Nehalem . It a matter of being able to wait 10 months to upgrade! Yeh right!

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The Intel Nehalem Processor as we know of uses 2 to 8 cores. The processor also supports simultaneous multi threading which allows 4 to 16 thread computation. You have to remember this is all done on one processor, impressive!. The new Processor has a so called building block design, this allows non-CPU cores to be added to the architecture. Could this be implementation for their long awaited Larrabee integrated graphics?

The processor is currently clocking at 3.20Ghz using 256kib of L2 Cache. The processor will also share 8mib of level 3 Cache. The processor surprisingly has integrated tri-channel DDR3 memory running at 1333 MHz. Not to mention communicating with a whole new I/O hub. I previously mentioned Larrabbee and how I though the integrated memory was ingenious, something that has been long awaited.

I’d also like to point out that the architecture could change the communication between the C.P.U and the motherboard completely. The Processor will always need to communicate with the main-board but the trick is to completely remove bottlenecks between the two. Hopefully this is it. Read my previous post Collision of the top players which just explains the Larrabee compettion.

Nehalem is ready to hit the shelf’s in Q1 of 2009 this will be a long wait but I’m really contemplating upgrading at this stage and waiting near enough another year. Exciting Stuff!

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