Nehalems for all but a year from now

We’ve known for some time now that Intel will launch the Bloomfield, a high end version of its Nehalem architecture, in the fourth quarter of 2008. You may recall, 3 models are planned:

- 3.20 GHz, 4 cores, 8 MB of cache, 3x DDR3-1333
- 2.93 GHz, 4 cores, 8 MB of cache, 3x DDR3-1066
- 2.66 GHz, 4 cores, 8 MB of cache, 3x DDR3-1066

These processors are destined for the Socket LGA1366 and will be accompanied by the X58 chipset that has support for 32 PCI-E lanes (for 2 ports in x16 or 4 in x8). They are meant to replace the QX9770, Q9650 and Q9550, respectively, and we hope that prices will remain relatively affordable like those of its predecessors.

So what about more widespread integration of the Nehalem architecture in Intel products? This will be done via other processors, the Lynnfield and Havendale, which unfortunately will be based on a different platform and Socket.

The Lynnfield is actually a quad core version while the Havendale is a dual core. Compared to the Bloomfield, in both cases there are two instead of three DDR3 channels and while the cache of the Lynnfield is still 8 MB that of the dual core version is at 4 MB. PCI-Express will be directly controlled by the chips with 16 PCI-E lanes for the Havendale, functioning in 2x8 or 1x16, and 16 lanes are attributed to a single port on the Lynnfield. Moreover, the latter processor, will have an integrated graphic component.

This move of functions from the chipset to the processor means that the accompanying Ibex Peak chipset will only be comprised of a single chip compared to the previous two for Intel. Finally, the Lynnfield, Havendale and Ibex Peak are planned for the third quarter of 2009 and they will cover a rather broad segment which is currently occupied by CPUs ranging from E5xxx’s to the Q9650.

Even if the Bloomfield will not be available in an « Extreme » version, we can only be disappointed by the relatively late widespread integration of Nehalem architecture in Intel products. The lack of serious competition is certainly not unrelated.