Are graphics cards (and processors) now going green? AMD is certainly trying, having noted that its E-350 APU “demonstrated a significant reduction in the overall product ‘carbon footprint’” compared to previous AMD Anthlon processors and Mobility Radeon graphics cards. We’re talking a 40 percent reduction in carbon emission over the life of the APU. This is the part where the smart-aleck… → Read More
NEC has developed an eco-friendly cooling system for CPUs, claiming the technology [JP] uses uses 60% less energy than a water-cooling system and even 80% less than an air-cooling system. The core of the system is a liquid chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) substitute, which circulates around the CPU to draw away heat and has low greenhouse effects. → Read More
Intel cut loose some benchmarking samples of their new, top of the line CPU, the i7-980X Extreme Edition. This is not a CPU intended for the causal use, but rather aim directly at the gaming market. MSRP for the CPU all by itself is a jaw dropping $999, and rumors are already circulating that the OEMs are already looking at coming out with systems that utilize the new processors. → Read More
There is exactly one 800-pound gorilla in the CPU arena, and that’s Intel. But the company, which controls about 80% of the global CPU market, is soon getting some serious competition from Japan. A pool of Japanese companies has decided to team up and produce a made-in-Japan CPU that’s supposed to rival Intel’s products.
The CPU will be jointly developed by Fujitsu, Renesas, NEC, Canon… → Read More
In my youth, all those long years ago, I kept up with hardware — specifically CPUs — a lot more than I do now. Of course, it was easy when there was only the 486, 486DX, 486SX and 486SLC CPUs to keep track of. Now we have a mind numbing array of CPUs and codenames: Core, Core 2, Core 2 Duo, Celeron, Atom, Xeon, Conroe, Kentsfield, Yorkfield, Lions and Tigers and Bears oh my! Intel recognizes… → Read More
What’s the matter with AMD? The number two chip maker in the whole world just posted some numbers that don’t reflect too kindly on its performance over the last few months. The big, bad Sunnyvale, Calif.-based corp lost $416 million last quarter; about $195 million of that was related to a corporate spinoff (see: GlobalFoundries). When put into scary percentages, AMD’s sales fell off 21 percent. → Read More
According to some, Intel is trying to focus its future business on their Atom processor, vying to get it included in anything that needs a CPU. Not servers, of course: Intel will keep pushing its Xeon CPUs for servers. Except for those instances where an Atom processor actually makes sense in a server… → Read More
The days for Japan’s mobile digital TV standard One-Seg may be counted Renesas, the world’s biggest manufacturer of microcontrollers, is planning to unveil a processor that will make it possible to view full HD video in 30fps on cell phones during the ISSCC 2009 (International Solid State Circuits Conference) that will take place in San Francisco from February 8 to 12, 2009. The… → Read More
Intel’s got a dual-core Atom chip on the way, likely in September to dovetail with the release of a new motherboard that’s compatible with the CPU. The processor is called the 330 and, although the clock speed hasn’t yet been revealed, it does have a 533MHz frontside bus. The motherboard is called the D945GCLF2 and is a mini-ITX 945GC-based system with Intel’s integrated 950 graphics. The… → Read More
Advanced Micro Devices is apparently getting set to split up into two companies, according to TG Daily. There are two fluffy, happy, candy-cane strategies currently in place, one called Asset Light and one called Asset Smart. It looks like each may become more than just a strategy, though, as they’re expected to split into two distinct companies in a matter of weeks. The two companies are… → Read More
About a month ago, we reported that Intel would begin production on a dual-core Atom chip in July. I said “Might as well just wait for the quad-core Atoms to come out in August, huh?” Nobody laughed at the joke and we all moved on. Now DigiTimes is reporting that production on these dual-core Atoms has been pushed back to September due to shortages of the single-core Atom chips. “Finally… → Read More
To combat the red ring of death and other problems that plagued the 360, chip evolution and improvement has been an important consideration for Microsoft. The Falcon revision, for example, has improved things slightly. Microsoft, then, hopes with this next update, codenamed Jasper, will let them put the rash of console problems behind them. Microsoft is setting up provisions to start updating the… → Read More
Remember the good old days of scouring Pricewatch.com to see who had the cheapest processors? You’d wait for Intel to release a new chip and watch the one it was replacing plummet to half its original cost, right? Ah, simpler times. Anyway, Intel’s been busy slashing prices and putting out new chips over the past couple of days, so let’s take a look at what’s what. → Read More
How many cores does a processor need before it’s officially overkill? Not eight, according to Intel. Here comes the “Skulltrail” platform, “for those who crave more performance than what four processing cores and a single graphics card can deliver today…” Skulltrail was actually the codename for the new platform, which has now taken on the much more intimidating… → Read More
[photopress:nvidiateslac870.png,full,center] News from the rumor mill (read that again… yes, it’s contradictory) is that Nvidia is developing a GPGPU for Apple. GPGPU stands for general-purpose computing on graphics processing units and, in English, is a GPU that’s able to carry out CPU instructions. A GPU that can crunch non-graphics numbers, in other words. Or you can read all… → Read More
Via is going to release 64-bit chips that “provide double the performance of the company’s current chips but consume the same amount of power,” according to CNET. The dual-core chips will run at 2GHz and are being marketed under the “Isaiah” moniker. → Read More
Oh, wonderful. Apparently Iran has used 216 AMD processors to build the largest supercomputer in the country. AMD immediately responded by saying that it’s never shipped anything to Iran due to the big fat embargo the US has that prohibits exports to Iran. The computer system will be used for weather research and forecasting, according to Iranian scientists. Iranian Scientists Develop… → Read More
According to a recent economic study, Intel has taken in some $60 billion in monopoly profits between 1996 and 2006. Guess who’s a little brassed off? AMD. The condensed version of the study is that AMD and other microprocesser companies aren’t allowed to fully compete within the marketplace thanks to a predominance of the x86 architecture and existing exclusivity agreements between… → Read More
Those guys over at AwkwardTV are really good at what they do, don’t get me wrong, but I’m pretty sure they just have a lot of free time on their hands and I’m going to guess that partying with chicks is at the bottom of their list of priorities. User Professafresh has successfully setup an AppleTV render farm using OS X’s Xgrid technology. Though Xgrid is geared more… → Read More
Over on the Mactalk forums, user macdave posted a picture of his G5′s coolant leak. The results are not pretty. His logicboard, power supply, coolant system, and processors were all destroyed and now he is sans a G5 tower. He warns that any of the G5 towers that used liquid cooling could be at risk 18 to 24 months after purchase. Affected models include the G5 2.5GHz Dual CPU, G5 2.7GHz Dual… → Read More
The sleuths at llamma.com got their hands on an Xbox 360 Elite and were kind-hearted enough to crack it open for us. While the CPU and GPU do appear to be different than the regular 360′s, llamma doesn’t know if they’re the rumored 65nm design or not. (The 65nm chips are supposed to help drive down the cost of manufacturing, eventually leading to a lower priced 360.) Also of note… → Read More
Today Intel announced its new Centrino Pro processor that utilizes the same vPro technology used on desktops. Aimed at the IT and business sector of computing, these new processors allow users to manage data wirelessly via WiFi without compromising security. Intel will be using draft-802.11n so that companies can take advantage of the increased wireless speeds. Says Intel: → Read More
Out of absolutely nowhere, Apple has decided to randomly unleash the 8-core Mac Pro unto the world. As you’d probably expect though, power doesn’t come cheap. A base Mac Pro with only the CPU upgraded so it’s 8-core will cost you $4000 alone. Should you dare to upgrade the RAM and hard disks, you’re looking at a $7500 machine. Aside from the new CPU upgrade available… → Read More
working better on GPUs than CPUs has gone to nVidia’s head. After they finished high-fiving each other and downing a combined 374 Coronas, they set in motion a plan to develop a CPU with GPU features. According to nVidia, OEM manufacturers want a CPU that blends CPU functionality along with graphics functionality in order to lower costs and only have one chip instead of two on their boards. → Read More
AMD is sticking to its promise to ship 65nm processors before the end of 2006. The more energy-efficient chips, code-named Brisbane, will be available in limited quantities as dual-core Athlon 64 X2 5000+, 4800+, 4400+ and 4000+ versions. These will be joined by more powerful 90nm models: 5400+ (2.8GHz, 1 MB L2 cache), 5600+ (2.8GHz, 2 MB L2 cache) and 6000+ (3GHz, 2 MB L2 cache). The roadmap… → Read More
Attention AMD fans, Dell announced today that it will be building desktops and 2P server with AMD processors. Reports have estimated that Dell will prepare between 1 million and 1.2 million new AMD based desktops, and 800,000 AMD based notebooks. This is a huge step for AMD, but rumor has it that it is a ploy by Dell to encourage Intel to lower their prices on processors and not an actual move to… → Read More
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