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Hardware Intel Plans Mobile Quad-Core
Anh Tuan Huynh (Blog) - September 5, 2007 3:15 PM

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19 comment(s) - last by dickeywang.. on Sep 9 at 12:51 PM

"Penryn" to spawn a mobile quad-core variant

Intel plans to unleash quad-core Penryn-based processors on its upcoming Montevina mobile platform. The new mobile quad-core processor features a 35 mm x 35 mm die in PGA packaging. The chip will drop into a Socket P infrastructure.

However, there is one catch, mobile quad-core processors feature a different pin layout then dual-core models. Notebook manufacturers have to specifically design notebooks to accommodate the thermal and electrical demands of mobile quad-core processors.

The mobile quad-core Penryn processors are similar to desktop counterparts. Expect 12MB of L2 cache on mobile quad-core Penryn’s with a front-side bus speed of 1066 MHz. Intel plans to keep thermals around 45-Watts, with idle power consumption around 3-4-Watts. Mobile quad-core Penryn’s will also support all HALT states, including C4.

Intel targets the mobile quad-core Penryn for 2H’08 with the arrival of Montevina. Expect mobile quad-core processors to most likely show up in desktop replacement notebooks as a Core 2 Extreme model.

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Sick

By Master Kenobi

(blog) on 9/5/2007 3:47:43 PM , Rating: 2

That's a pretty sick thermal envelope for a quad core, even a mobile one at that. Wonder what the clock speed will be... 2.0 maybe or lower?

RE: Sick

By therealnickdanger on 9/5/2007 3:51:43 PM , Rating: 2

If they are at least 1.8GHz, these will make for some "sick" mobile workstations when combined with mobile Quadro or FireGL graphics. Still though, I think they will be restricted to being only in DTR models.

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RE: Sick

By phaxmohdem on 9/5/2007 3:55:27 PM , Rating: 2

I'm thinking more of a "sick" power efficient file-server/render node for home. Hope they make a desktop board for this baby.

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RE: Sick

By Moishe on 9/5/2007 3:55:55 PM , Rating: 1

Pretty amazing power for a laptop. Go Intel.

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RE: Sick

By nerdye on 9/5/2007 4:13:04 PM , Rating: 1

It would be really "sick", if the next person to quote "sick" got kicked in the "sack"!

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RE: Sick

By Xenoterranos on 9/5/07, Rating: -1

RE: Sick

By 440sixpack on 9/5/2007 4:47:21 PM , Rating: 2

I thought it was funny. ;)

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RE: Sick

By defter on 9/6/2007 2:12:46 AM , Rating: 2

Definitely higher, since Intel can make 2GHz quad core CPUs with 50W TDP at 65nm.

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Hot?

By pauldovi on 9/5/2007 4:46:58 PM , Rating: 2

Considering how hot a 2.0Ghz T60p runs with a 35 Watt TDP... I imagine this may get a little toasty. People are going to start burning themselves. :p

I think that they should drop the L2 cache to around 4-8MB. I don't think it would hurt performance as bad as it would help the thermal aspects so critical to notebooks.

RE: Hot?

By iGo on 9/5/2007 5:04:00 PM , Rating: 2

I wonder if you really plan to use QuadCore Laptop in your Lap... :)

I rather see Gaming Laptops or Workstation replacement Laptops for On-The-Go profressional (Video Artists, On location Editors etc.). The way I see it, This Chip is meant for such people and will be mostly used on tables than Laps.

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RE: Hot?

By TomZ on 9/5/2007 5:11:06 PM , Rating: 3

quote:
Considering how hot a 2.0Ghz T60p runs with a 35 Watt TDP... I imagine this may get a little toasty. People are going to start burning themselves.

The temperature is also a function of the efficiency of the cooling solution. I've got an Inspiron 1720 with Core 2 Duo 2.4Ghz, plus discrete video, and the bottom of the laptop is never more than warm to the touch under heavy load. It maxes out at 100-105°F.

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Useless

By GoodBytes on 9/5/2007 6:25:43 PM , Rating: 1

I said it before and say it again, Quad core is useless. We barely have programs using dual core. And your not going to have 3 or 4 3DStudioMax running and rendering graphics at the same time. Specially not on a laptop. What I'm trying to say, is that IM program, Web browser, Music player and office programs, can perfectly sit nice on a single core. You don't need a core for each program.

It's going to be heavier because and louder, moreover, lower battery life. Already 3h is nothing. Why push it down more to 45sec?

For those that will say that it will be probably be not design to be not plug-in, well then, so remove the battery, now you have more room for cooling and other components, AND rename it to it's real name, a portable computer (not a laptop\notebook)

RE: Useless

By retrospooty on 9/5/2007 7:17:40 PM , Rating: 2

Not entirely useless, and not built for the average user... Agreed the average user using "IM program, Web browser, Music player and office programs" will not need it, but there are graphics pro's and other high end users that will need it.

Also, keep in mind, now that multicore is the future, and Intel and AMD both have 8 and 16 core's on thier roadmaps future games and other high end apps are all being coded for multiple threads and will be able to take better advantage as time goes by.

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RE: Useless

By RogueSpear on 9/5/2007 7:23:42 PM , Rating: 4

Don't want one, don't buy one. There are those of us who could easily drown out all four cores on a regular basis. Just because you fail to see how doesn't mean it isn't reality.

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Mobile Quad Core

By PlasmaBomb on 9/5/2007 7:36:40 PM , Rating: 2

Intel’s T7800 and T7900 are both rated at 44W TDP so a quad core at 45W TDP is hardly a big jump.

As for speeds look at the Xeon sector at the minute->
L5320, 1.86GHz, 50W TDP, 65nm process.
The top of the range mobile quad core certainly isn't going to be slower than the L5320 as it will be based on a 45nm process. Intel may even bring in several mobile quad cores just because AMD are unlikely to be able to match them (initially at least).

RE: Mobile Quad Core

By Master Kenobi

(blog) on 9/5/2007 10:01:30 PM , Rating: 3

Without a 45nm process its unlikely AMD could bring a quad core to a laptop it would be too hot for a small enclosed space.

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RE: Mobile Quad Core

By coldpower27 on 9/6/2007 9:40:25 AM , Rating: 2

Yeah though there is also now a L5335 at 2.0GHZ, 50W TDP as well, with a L5430 at 2.66GHZ, 50W TDP on 45nm coming soon as well.

So I expect the Mobile Penryn based Quad Core to be in the low 2GHZ range at minimum.

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w00t!

By Xenoterranos on 9/5/2007 4:13:50 PM , Rating: 2

I felt very bitter that I bought my laptop pretty much the nanosecond before dual core laptops became affordable.

I feel much better now knowing that, upon upgrading to this hawt 4 core goodness, the increase in performance will be pretty much quadratic.

45w TDP is too much

By dickeywang on 9/9/2007 12:51:00 PM , Rating: 2

I know 45w TDP is not that much to be used in a 8lb+ desktop replacement, but it is definitely too much for the mainstream thin-and-light laptops(like the Thinkpad T series). Unless the laptop designers come up with something revolutionary for both the HSF and battery technology, I don't see a 45w TDP CPU can fit in a 5-6lb 14" laptop. Anything heavier than 6lb is just too heavy for many people.
Not to mention that the high FSB means the chipset itself will draw a lot more power.