Core i5 and i3 CPUs With On-Chip GPUs Launched 235
MojoKid writes "Intel has officially launched their new Core i5 and Core i3 lineup of Arrandale and Clarkdale processors today, for mobile and desktop platforms respectively. Like Intel's recent release of the Pinetrail platform for netbooks, new Arrandale and Clarkdale processors combine both an integrated memory controller (DDR3) and GPU (graphics processor) on the same package as the main processor. Though it's not a monolithic device, but is built upon multi-chip module packaging, it does allow these primary functional blocks to coexist in a single chip footprint or socket. In addition, Intel beefed up their graphics core and it appears that the new Intel GMA HD integrated graphics engine offers solid HD video performance and even a bit of light gaming capability."
To GPU bandwidth? (Score:1, Interesting)
Itching to see how good these chips are at some number crunching on the GPU portion. I've always had an issue with the traditional bandwidth of system memory to GPU memory. That northbridge pisses me off.
I realise these particular chips are mobile processors.
Do Not Want! (Score:3, Interesting)
Anyone else suspicious of this? Intel trying to use its CPU monopoly to gain a GPU monopoly?
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Video decoding under Linux (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Netbook (Score:3, Interesting)
No, it's a laptop CPU/GPU combo, these things are aimed squarely at high end laptops like MacBook Pros.
Interesting implications (Score:4, Interesting)
While you might have missed that Intel already is the largest GPU vendor in the world for years (gaming is small compared to B2B sales), you are right, anyway. When offering intel CPUs implies having to buy their GPU, the air will become thin for excellent integrated chipset offerings as Nvidia's. Instead of pushing customers through secret, anti-competitive contracts, they have just changed their product lineup. Want a CPU? Fine, but you can't have it without a GPU.
It will be interesting to see, wether Apple will get special treatment. The have already semi-officially let a word slip out, that they are not interested in the Arrandale GPU and won't use it. It's just not powerful enough for their GPU-laden OS and application lineup compared to Nvidia's chipset offerings.
Re:Sure -- theoretically (Score:3, Interesting)
They might be watching a video while touching up their photos in Photoshop. That's probably the most likely heavy use scenario.
Re:Do Not Want! (Score:4, Interesting)
Jepp they already said they want to bankrupt nvidia, every move in the last year was in this direction, first shutting out the ION chipset by illegal pricing now trying to push the gpus into the core so that the cheap enough solution ends wherever nvidia (and ATI but they are less bothered since they can do the same) got its core money from, third fighting a patent war on them to shoot them out of the chipset market.
The entire thing started when NVidia was blabbering about you dont need CPU upgrades anymore just use the GPU for everything, that woke Intel up, and as usual with cheapass solutions which are worse but cheaper they kill off the competition!
Worked in the past works again.
I wonder if we will see NVidia in 5 years at all in the PC market they might end up being a second PowerVR still healthy in the embedded sector but not at all present on the PC side of things.
Re:Intel branding considered harmful (Score:3, Interesting)
And as far as these new chips go, does Intel want to get a monopoly charge dropped on it?
The writing has been on the wall for a while, it will all be integrated into one chip at least on the low end. Oh sure Intel might get slapped one way or the other but by the time the dust settles it'll all be on a <30nm chip and no court will manage to force them to create discrete chips again.
The other part is games but the chips are running ahead of eyes and displays and developer time, if you looked at the latest reviews they only test at 2560x1600 with full AA/AF. I'm sure Fermi will be impressive but 30" displays is a tiny niche and the rest don't need it.
nVidia is talking about supercomputers and GPGPU but they're going the way of Cray and SGI, into some niche where they'll slowly wither away. AMD will hang in their because their CPU/GPU combos beat Intel on the GPU part.
Re:What the hell... (Score:3, Interesting)
I bought an i7 as part of a general upgrade a few months ago; it wasn't until I had it installed and happened to check Task Manager that I realised it was a quad core chip.
Re:Not that different (Score:3, Interesting)