I've Got the Power: 45nm vs. 65nm

Since we're dealing with the same clock speeds as Intel's 65nm processors, power consumption has definitely gone down with the move to Penryn. Let's look at this thing at idle and under load running our WME9 test:

At idle, the QX9650 draws an impressive 34W less than the QX6850 - there's 45nm high-k + metal gate transistors in action for you.

Under load the power advantage is even more impressive, with a 47W delta the QX9650 under load uses only 11W more than its predecessor at idle. If you weren't dazzled by the performance improvements of Penryn, the reduction in power consumption is worth getting excited about.

Diving Deeper: SSE4 Performance Overclock Me Baby
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  • emenk - Sunday, January 20, 2008 - link

    From first page (this article): "As we saw in our original Penryn preview, Penryn's cache performance remains unchanged; latencies in our final stepping are identical to Conroe."

    From the original Penryn preview (3rd page):
    "Not only is Wolfdale's L2 cache larger, but it also happens to be slightly faster than its predecessor. Intel has shaved off a single clock cycle from Wolfdale's L2 access time; we're already off to a good start."

    Isn't this a contradiction?

    Ignore this (testing quote tags):
    [quote]Quote goes here.[/quote]
  • IntelUser2000 - Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - link

    You know that will not be true in the true Phenom comparison right Anand?? Take a look here: http://techreport.com/articles.x/8236/14">http://techreport.com/articles.x/8236/14

    Dual Opteron is slower than a Single Opteron, yet you still used Dual Opteron against a single Barcelona. Why?? No really, WHY?!?

    "Because of these limitations we refrained from running any comparative benchmarks to desktop Athlon 64 X2s, instead we chose to run a single quad-core Opteron in our server platform against a pair of dual-core Opterons to simulate Phenom vs. K8 on the desktop."

    You could have took games like Oblivion with Single socket Opteron to see the real advantages. This is the worst comparison, ever. And to make it worse, you put "simulated" benchmarks.
  • victory - Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - link

    Wouldn't Intel be able to take immediate advantage of the new SSE4
    instructions in a new integrated graphics chipset perhaps then
    competing with nVidia as well as beating AMD's integrated chipsets?
  • magreen - Monday, October 29, 2007 - link

    It does 4GHz easily on the stock cooler? So why don't you strap a TR ultra 120 ex on there and tell us what it can really do? Cmon Anand, stop teasing us and tell us what we really want to know!
  • AnnihilatorX - Monday, October 29, 2007 - link

    It's a shame that they delay the release date of more affordable Yorkfields to January, just missed to Christmas sales.

    I am p0lanning to upgrade my computer and not sure whether to wait for Yorkfield or buy a Q6600.
  • idgaf13 - Monday, October 29, 2007 - link

    Intel is trying to suppress Christmas sales and have a negative influence on "other companies" earnings while relieving themselves of Old Inventory.
    45nm process is going to produce so many CPUs per wafer that prices will fall fast or inventory will rise quickly.
    With respect to the traditional cycle of product releases and price changes ,
    A January launch date allows for the longest possible time before prices begin to tumble
    typically after the trade shows in the first two quarters of the year.
    It also more time to perfect the production process.
    Question is do really need to be "the first on the block" to have this CPU ?
    Or can you wait until the price falls by 50% or June/July for the best price?
    Possibly even a faster CPU by then.
  • MGSsancho - Monday, October 29, 2007 - link

    anand, could you be so kind as to point to where you got the info on the new sse4 instructions? the chart would be cool but some pdfs or something from into would be awsome
  • jsaldate - Friday, November 9, 2007 - link

    Penryn SDK: http://softwarecommunity.intel.com/articles/eng/11...">http://softwarecommunity.intel.com/articles/eng/11...http://softwarecommunity.intel.com/articles/eng/11...
  • Ryan Smith - Monday, October 29, 2007 - link

    http://www.intel.com/technology/architecture-silic...">From Intel's website
  • MGSsancho - Monday, October 29, 2007 - link

    thanks a lot =)

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