The Core i7 family, also known as Nehalem, are Intel's second-generation 45 nm chips. They are the company's first to build in a memory controller and Intel QuickPath interconnect, using an architecture popularized by the Opteron from archrival Advanced Micro Devices.

The Intel chips also support two threads per core and three channels of DDR3 memory per chip. AMD has opted not to support multithreading, and may not transition to DDR3 for at least some of its products until 2010.

"We believe all the data shows we have the fastest microprocessor on the planet and we have moved away other bottlenecks in the system," said Stephen L. Smith, director of operations for Intel's digital enterprise group.

The new chips include the 965 Extreme Edition, a 3.2 GHz part with 8 Mbytes L3 cache aimed at enthusiast systems and costing $999. The low-end 920 part runs at 2.66 GHz and sells for $284.

All the processors include four cores capable of issuing up to four instructions per clock cycle. The CPUs come with a new X58 chip set supporting PCI Express version 2.0.

Intel claims its use of high-k metal gates at 45nm helps reduce current leakage at the circuit level and that will translate to lower power and high performance at the chip level. The processors target users in performance markets such as content creating and gaming.

As many as 18 OEMs will show products based on the Core i7 chips in an event in San Francisco Monday where the company will detail key benchmarks for the CPUs. Systems will go on sale as early as this weekend.

Looking forward, Intel will roll out early next year versions of the chips for servers using up to two sockets. Late next year it will introduce a high-end version with eight cores for servers with four or more sockets, said Smith. Notebook versions will include dual-core chips.

By: DocMemory
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