Intel launches 'extreme speed' mobile processors

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Tuesday, 17 July 2007 07:02

Opinion and Analysis

‘Extreme’-ly fast mobile processors from Intel have just been launched, giving notebook users desktop speeds, giving hardcore gamers the best mobile experience and granting talented digital media artists maximum on-the-move power.

Intel has announced the ‘Core 2 Extreme X7800’ dual core processor for notebook computers, with both cores running at 2.6Ghz, giving mobile users 28% more power than Intel’s previous best mobile processor.

In addition, Intel have removed overclocking restrictions from this mobile version of the Core 2 Extreme, letting power users (and OEMs) overclock their new notebook’s processor for ever more performance, whether playing the latest games or using demanding digital media creation software.

Mooly Eden, Intel’s Mobile Platforms Chief, says laptops are “the fastest-growing computing market segment, and there is increasing demand from those who crave the ultimate in video, gaming and design computing performance yet want the freedom and flexibility that a laptop brings. Due to our innovative technology and design capabilities, we can offer world-class, power-smart performance for the most demanding mobile users, and are proud to offer it under our Intel Core 2 Extreme brand -- a name that has become synonymous with ultimate performance."

In addition to this announcement, which comes almost on the one-year anniversary of the introduction of Intel’s Core Microarchitecture technology , Intel have also announced new processors for desktop PCs while also flagging that battery-friendly Core 2 Quad processors, which have four cores, will be available for notebooks in 2008.

On the desktop side of things, Intel’s new desktop processor is the Core 2 Extreme QX6850.

It's a quad-core processor running at speedy 3.0Ghz, and with its bus speed boosted to 1333Mhz. Intel says it's aimed at ‘game developers’, but anyone wanting maximum performance will no doubt be investigating this processor as it's their fastest yet, and as such, comes priced at a premium.

Intel quotes Bo Anderson, the CEO of the GRIN Development studio as saying that: “Thanks to the Intel Core 2 Extreme quad core processor, the PC version of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 raises gaming to new heights. Developed by GRIN and published by Ubisoft, the game draws upon the power of Intel's next-generation multi-threaded engine to provide amazingly realistic gameplay. Intel's quad-core processor uses one core for physics, one for rendering, one for game logic and one for miscellaneous tasks, which can provide consistently higher and more stable frame rates."

The benefits of quad core and multi core computing mean much more capable and intelligent software can be built. With Intel launching a quad core processor for mobile in 2008, it won't be long before more people are using quad core and better processors than aren't.

To celebrate the upcoming ‘this-month’ one year anniversary of the Intel Core Microarchitecture, Intel has listed a range of achievements that can be read in full at the link above, although they include milestones such as 14 quad-core processor variations to date, more than 75 independent awards and accolades from publications worldwide, doubling of mobile performance while maintaining battery life and the work that has gone into developing the 45nm manufacturing process, giving processors the ability to get even smaller while packing in ever more transistors and performance.

Intel says their Core 2 Extreme X7800 2.6Ghz dual core mobile processor will cost OEM’s US $851 each in lots of 1000, with manufacturers set to release notebooks containing the processor within the next two weeks.

Intel’s Core 2 Extreme QX6850 3.0Ghz quad core mobile processor will cost US $999 in lots of 1000 and will also become available to purchase from desktop vendors within the next two weeks.

All of this activity increases the pressure on AMD and brings ever faster processors to market, action which will lower the cost of existing processors from both Intel and AMD and get more new technology into the hands of consumers worldwide as they upgrade, all of which is good news for consumers.