Intel Makes 32nm Core Processors Official, Turbo Boost Notebooks a Go for CES

Today, Intel announced and that it will be releasing its new Core processors – branded Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 – on January 7, 2010 at CES in Las Vegas. The new CPUs offer several distinct speed advantages over current generation Core 2 Duo and even Core i7 processors.  Among the advancements all three processors share are:

• Hyper-Threading – Two CPU cores can work like four as each can handle two threads. Windows will treat a dual core CPU like a quad core.
• Graphics and memory now on CPU – Intel’s integrated graphics and memory controllers are leaving the motherboard and moving onto the processor package, right  next to the CPU die. This allows for power savings and space savings.
• Improved graphics performance – The new integrated graphics chip has been redesigned to offer faster performance than Intel’s current 4500MHD chip. Intel says that the new GPU will be more than adequate for both HD video and casual gaming, perhaps even playing MMOs like World of Warcraft at reasonable frame rates.
• 32 nm technology –  The CPU die has been manufactured with 32nm transistors so more processing power can fit into a smaller, cooler space. The memory and graphics die, however, will still be 45 nm.

All three CPUs will be considered a step up from current Core 2 Duo technology, but in terms of price and performance, the Core i3 will be considered budget, Core i5 mainstream, and Core i7 high-end. While all three CPUs will have the benefits outlined above, including Hyper-Threading, only the Core i5 and Core i7 will have a very exciting feature called Turbo Boost.

Turbo Boost

Desktop enthusiasts have long “overclocked” their PCs by hacking their CPUs to run at higher clock speeds than they came with. Now, notebook users can get a CPU that automatically overclocks itself under the right conditions. The Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs will boost one or more of their Cores up to higher speeds when an application needs more juice and the power is available.

This Turbo Boost feature is particularly useful in single-threaded or dual-threaded apps where only one out of two cores may be in use. The CPU takes power from the idle core and uses it to temporarily raise the clockspeed of the active core. Users will be able to see Turbo in action using a Turbo Boost monitor from Intel that will come bundled on Core i5 and Core i7 systems.

At a demo today, Intel showed us a Core i5 notebook running a single threaded photo editing app. When performing the processor-intensive task of removing red eye from a batch of JPGs, we saw the Turbo Boost kick in to speed things up. When the process was complete, the CPU returned to its default clock speed to save power and leave more resources available for its second core. A chart illustrating Turbo Boost is below.

New notebooks featuring Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 will be launching at CES in January. Stay tuned for reviews and benchmarks of these systems.