2009 was supposed to be the year we got the first processor with an integrated graphics core on the chip package itself. Sort of like what AMD promised way back in 2008 for its Fusion initiative. Things however did not go according to the roadmap and we have been informed that it won't be till 2011 before Fusion becomes reality.
Unfortunately for AMD, its vision of a processing unit merging the CPU and GPU has now become reality for its biggest rival, Intel. Broadly speaking of course, since AMD's implementation of Fusion could very well differ greatly from what Intel is launching today. But the idea of integrating a graphics core with the processor, and not onto the motherboard as is traditionally done, is the same, at least from the consumer's point of view.
In fact, even Intel was promising this integration in 2009, with Havendale the codename for this family of processors, which would be based on Intel's current Nehalem CPU architecture. However, the company decided that its shift to 32nm production was moving along so well that it could afford to skip the 45nm Havendale and jump directly to its successor, codenamed Clarkdale.
That leads us up to today's launch of six new desktop models in the Clarkdale family. (Intel is releasing new mobile processors based on the same 32nm technology called Arrandale at the same time). All of them are dual-core processors using the LGA1156 socket and thus, even more so than the previous Lynnfield, CPU launch, are squarely targeted at the mainstream and business users. Like Lynnfield, these processors are equipped with Turbo Boost that will increase the processor clock speeds by quite a few bumps when dealing with applications that are unable to use the full complement of processor cores. The Core i5 series of these Clarkdale processors also comes with HyperThreading to better deal with today's more multi-threaded environment. Below are the new models announced and some of their more relevant specifications.
As you may have noticed, while these processors are quite similar to Lynnfield (same amount of L3 cache per core, memory support and Turbo Boost), the integrated graphics core differentiates the two. Intel may have managed to shrink the processor core to 32nm, but the graphics, memory and the PCIe controllers (remember, since Lynnfield, they are now integrated with the processor cores) are still on a 45nm process. Therefore, if you ever peel open the Clarkdale processor's heat spreader package, you'll find two distinct dies as shown below:
So what are the advantages of having the graphics core integrated with the processor? The main issue here is cost, as according to Intel, moving from the three-chip package solution of the previous Intel architecture (CPU with Northbridge and Southbridge) to the two-chip package (CPU and Platform Control Hub) means a 30% savings in terms of the package area, which translates into reduced manufacturing costs.
The other issue here, power savings, has more to do with the 32nm manufacturing process used for the processor component in the Clarkdale. For those who are counting, the graphics portion too benefits from going to 45nm since the previous X4500 series integrated graphics core on the G45 chipset for instance was built using a 65nm process. So it's likely that we'll see significant power savings with these new processors, especially when the maximum TDP rating for these new models is just 87W.
Finally, these new processors all come with a new x86 instruction set meant to improve the encryption/decryption speed for AES. Applications which benefit from the new instructions include file encryption utilities like Windows' BitLocker.
As the first processor to have its graphics core right beside it, Clarkdale can be a bit underwhelming when it comes to its key feature - graphics. Of course, expectations should be lowered instantly on seeing its 0'integrated' nature, more so when the graphics architecture is a third-gen evolution of Intel's familiar Graphics Media Accelerator.
From a pure performance point of view, the new Intel HD Graphics is a slight upgrade over the GMA X4500HD, even in its fastest (900MHz) incarnation on the Core i5-661. What it does significantly better is media playback, where it certainly manages to justify its HD tag. Our Blu-ray playback may not have been very impressive, but the beta nature of both the drivers and the CyberLink application means we won't be nitpicking in this area to pass a judgment this round.
Besides, CPU utilization is not such a big deal for users once there's no discernible lag like what we experienced with the i5-661. Unless you're watching a movie and rendering some animation or encoding videos in the background, in which case we recommend a dedicated graphics card with a quad-core processor. Instead, other features like dual-stream decode, dual HDMI output support and for true HD enthusiasts, bitstreaming of audio CODECs matter more. These are all found on the Intel HD Graphics and arguably put it on par with its rivals when it comes to media playback needs.
As a processor, the dual-core nature of the Core i5-661 meant that it was rarely going to challenge the higher-end quad-core processors, even with Turbo Boost and HyperThreading. Most of its better scores were naturally recorded for system suites like SYSmark 2007 and not heavily multi-threaded applications. In fact, from some of our benchmarks
, we can't help but wonder if the smaller L3 cache on the Core i5-661 affected its performance compared to the older Core 2 Duo E8500. Plus, the memory controller located off the main CPU die might add on to latency that could show up on more intensive tests, such as our memory testing in PCMark Generally, one would rank the Core i5-661 below the Core i5-750, which would appear to be the case based on Intel's own nomenclature.
This brings us to its cost. With a US$196 price tag for 1k units, the Core i5-661 will likely be competing against Intel's own Core i5-750. And like we said, it won't surpass the quad-core. Still, we hope the new H55 motherboards are competitively prices to give these new Clarkdale processors more value. Already, unlike the i5-750, the i5-661 has a decent mainstream graphics core inside, which should be adequate for some users, including businesses. Not forgetting the impressively low power consumption figures we recorded at both idle and peak loads.
Therefore, there's certainly a place in Intel's rank for these new Clarkdale processors such as in large business organizations. Media theater enthusiasts too should be among those eagerly awaiting these processors. For consumers who have a decent desktop or a HTPC setup already, there's much more potential in the mobile version, Arrandale, which we will hopefully cover in depth once we get some hands-on with an actual unit.
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HardwarezoneThis article is taken from HarwareZone
By Vincent Chang
Category : CPU
Published by Vijay Anand on Monday, 4th January, 2010
Rating : 4 out of 5 stars
