Meet the next generation of Intel microprocessors, code-named Penryn, scheduled to appear later this year - and also scheduled to take your next Mac to new heights of performance.
Major microprocessor developments don't come along every other day - or even every other decade, for that matter. But today's announcement from Intel about its next line of chips, scheduled for delivery in the second half of this year, is an exception.
Who says? Well, take a look at this quote from Gordon Moore, Intel cofounder and author of the computing world's First Commandment, Moore's Law. (While reading his words, by the way, don't worry about technoterms such as "high-k" and "polysilicon gate" - just focus on the historical implications.):
"The implementation of high-k and metal gate materials marks the biggest change in transistor technology since the introduction of polysilicon gate MOS transistors in the late 1960s."
A founder of the world-changing digital revolution - and a man with a well-earned reputation of being a straight-shooter - says that today's Intel announcements are the most important microprocessor developments in 40 years.
Damn.
When Gordon Moore talks, you should listen - and you should also listen when we say that he's right.
This morning, Intel held a worldwide conference call with top technology journalists (blush) during which the company made three major announcements. First, that it's moving its high-end microprocessor line from its current 65-nanometer process to a new 45-nanometer process. Second, that these new processors will be built using a new "high-k, metal gate" technology. (More - and more easily understood - info on this in a moment). Third, that in the latter half of this year it'll deliver five new microprocessors based on this new technology: a power-miserly 35-watt dual-core processor for notebooks (think MacBooks, MacBook Pros, Mac minis, and iMacs), dual and quad-core processors for desktops (high-end iMacs? entry-level Mac Pros? we'll see...), and dual and quad-core processors for servers (think screaming-fast Mac Pros). These five processors are all lumped together under the code name of Penryn.
Let's examine these announcements in order:
> 45-nanometer process. In the microprocessor world, the size of the transistors of which a chip is composed is defined as its process. In general, the smaller the process, the faster the chip, the less power it consumes, the cooler it runs, and the more features and functions that engineers can stuff onto a single chip, or die. A 45-nanomenter (45nm) process is exceedingly tiny, seeing as how one nanometer equals one billionth of a meter - you could fit more than 30,000 45mn transistors on the head of a pin. 45-nanometer chips will be fast, efficient, and versatile. Intel currently has one 45nm-capable manufacturing plant (in microprocessor parlance, a fab) operating in Oregon, with two others under construction in Arizona and Israel.
> High-k metal gate. In a transistor, a gate tells the circuit to which the transistor is attached whether that transistor is off or on. Think of it as a light switch - except a really, really, really tiny light switch. The better a gate can hold an electric charge, the more efficent and better performing the transistor can be.
High-k metal gates hold electric charges much better than do today's polysilicon gates. Intel explains high-k metal gate technology like this: "'k' (actually the Greek letter kappa) is an engineering term for the ability of a material to hold electric charge. Think of a sponge: it can hold a lot of water. Wood can hold some, but not as much. Glass can’t hold any at all. Similarly, some materials can store charge better than others, and hence have a higher 'k' value." Translation: High-k metal gates are highly efficient at holding electric charges, and thus make for highly efficient and fast chips. In addition, Intel claims that they have figured out how to equip their new 45-nanometer microprocessors with high-k metal gates affordably and reliably.
The high-k metal gate is a radical departure from the polysilicon gate technology used since the 60s. We could bore you to tears with the reasons why, but we'll instead simply say, "Trust us. It is." And if Gordon Moore says it's a Very Big Deal, who are we to argue? (To interject a bit of non-geekitude: This all may more sound more than bit sound esoteric, but later this year when you're watching complex iMovie effects render in the blink of an eye, thank the high-k metal gates in the processor that powers your new Mac.)
> Penryn microprocessors. Intel announced today that it has already produced 45nm microprocessors, is now putting them through the qualification process, and is slipping them into existing computers and using them to boot various flavors of Windows. We'd love to be able to report that they're also booting Mac OS 10.5 Leopard, but you know how notoriously secretive Apple is - in point of fact, there was no mention of Apple whatsoever in today's conference call.
The Penryn line - on paper, at least - is impressive. If you're a stat freak, you may be interested to know that while the current Intel top-of-the-line chips, the Core 2 Duos, have 291 million transistors, the dual-core Penryn's will have 410 million - and 820 million in the quad-core jobbies. The extra transistors are there to increase cache size, to improve Intel's SSE media-enhancement technology (now at SSE4), and to enable other performance enhancements. Penryn chips will also be lower-power than today's Core 2 Duo processors, and will have bigger caches and better power-management schemes.
Penryn chips may or may not be an automatic swap-out for current Core 2 Duo chips - the Intel reps on the conference call said that although there should be little problem with the new chips slipping smoothly into existing motherboards, some - many? - current 'boards may need minor modifications such as small electrical changes, although the Intel-supplied supporting chipsets will remain the same. However, knowing Apple's close working relationship with Intel, and having talked with a number of Intel engineers who expressed great satisfaction with that relationship (if a little discomfiture with the required secrecy), we expect there to be few if any problems in Apple's transition from its current Intel microprocessor line to the new Penryn chips later this year.
So, to wrap up:
> A smaller microprocessor-building process that allows for higher clock rates within the same thermal envelope, which roughly means the amount of power consumed and heat generated.
> A radical new way of managing transistor response that provides snappier performance.
> A new generation of way-fast chips that are already being produced in test quatities, are now being run through the qualification process, and which will be available in quantity for Apple to put into your next Mac later this year.
Do any of you still think the switch to Intel was a mistake?
