Intel : Behind The Name

Intel hasn�t officially announced the code for deciphering the names of the soon-to-be-released Sandy Bridge chips, but Intel sources have confirmed the names will work as shown here.

Intel will retain the Core i3, i5, i7 brand names from the previous generation for these processors. Intel has changed the �badge,� or logo, for the Sandy Bridge processors, as the i7, i5, and i3 names are more prominent than they were with the Nehalem architecture. For comparison, you can see the previous generation i7 badge, where the �i7� text designation is shaded and not as obvious and prominent.

A sample model name is shown below�Intel Core i5 2500K�along with a photo of a Sandy Bridge chip. We�ve broken down each segment of the model name so you know exactly what�s going on with Sandy Bridge�s naming scheme.

� The brand name and chip designation will lead off the model name.

� Next, because Sandy Bridge is the second generation of the Core i3/i5/i7 chips, Intel will add a �2� in front of the model number.

� Finally, some chips will include a letter as a final designation. The exact significance of all of the different letters is still not official, but �K� should signify a chip that can be overclocked, for example. An �S� chip should be a chip with a low clock speed, while a �T� chip should be one that runs at a low clock speed with a low TDP. Not every chip will have a letter identifier.

Source of Information : Computer Power User (CPU) December 2010

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor

The Intel Core 2 Duo processor was developed to meet the insatiable demand for increased performance from PC users running multiple intense software applications simultaneously.

In the office, PC usage has changed from data entry and word processing to e-Commerce, online collaboration, and an ever-increasing need for continual security and virus protection.

In the home, interests have shifted from low-bandwidth photos and Internet surfing to downloading and viewing high-definition videos, as well as advanced photo and video editing.

Intel�s new 45nm manufacturing technology, with hafniuminfused Hi-k transistors, enables even more processor performance by doubling the transistor density, improving efficiency and speed relative to the previous generation, and increasing cache size by up to 50 percent.

These new Intel Core 2 Duo processors deliver more performance without using more energy.

Built on the innovative Intel� Core� microarchitecture, the Intel Core 2 Duo desktop processor delivers revolutionary dual-core performance and breakthrough processor energy efficiency.

With Intel� Wide Dynamic Execution, Intel� Smart Memory Access, Intel� Advanced Smart Cache, and Intel� Digital Media Boost, this new processor is designed to do more in less time.

Additional features,which support enhanced security, virtualization, and 64-bit computing, make the Intel Core 2 Duo the most impressive processor developed for an increasingly multimedia-centered, high-definition world.

Energy Efficiency

Design changes in the Intel Core 2 Duo processors that improve performance also increase processor energy efficiency by operating at lower frequencies that require less power to run.

Intel� Intelligent Power Capability, a feature that optimizes energy usage of the processor cores, turns on computing functions only when needed. These more energyefficient processors support smaller, more capable, and quieter desktop PCs to conserve critical power resources.

Better Acoustics

Intel� Core�2 Duo processors are equipped with a Digital Thermal Sensor (DTS) that enables efficient processor and platform thermal control.

Thermal sensors located within the processor measure the maximum temperature on the die at any given time. Intel� Quiet System Technology, included in the Intel� Express Chipset families1, uses the DTS to regulate the system and processor fan speeds.

The acoustic benefit of temperature monitoring is that system fans spin only as fast as needed to cool the system, and slower spinning fans generate less noise.

Core 2 Duo

• Core microarchitecture
• Desktop CPU
• Dual coreUp to 3.33 GHz
• Up to 6 MB L2 cache
• Up to 1333 MHz FSB
• 64-bit
• Execute Disable bitSSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1
• Virtualization
• Trusted Execution
• Socket 775

Intel History

Intel is the largest manufacturer of microprocessors in the world, and they got their start by being the brains behind the world's most advanced consumer calculator.In 1972, the Busicom high-powered business calculator was released, and it was powered by an Intel 4004 chip, Intel's first microprocessor.Shortly after, in 1974, Intel broke into the personal computer market when they put their 8080 microprocessor in the Altair 8800, the first successful personal computer ever released.In 1978, Intel struck a deal with IBM to produce the 8088 microprocessor chip to power the brand-new IBM PC for home and small business use. With an ad campaign that featured a re-creation of Charlie Chaplin's "Little Tramp" character, the IBM PC went on to be a huge success and established Intel as a premier microchip manufacturer.

Significance

In 1982, Intel released the 80286 microprocessor, which it eventually shortened to just the 286. This was the first attempt by Intel to create a microchip that could run any of the software written for previous Intel processors. Prior to the release of the 286, none of the Intel processors were backwards compatible--able to run programs written for previous generations of processors. The ability to be backwards compatible with all previous generations is now standard with Intel products. The expanded compatibility of the 286 resulted in the sale of over 15 million personal computers throughout the world.

Time Frame

The 386 generation of microprocessors was released in 1985, and it was the first processor to allow a computer to multi-task, which is the ability to run more than one program simultaneously. The programs were simple, and they were limited to only two or three at one time, but this was a huge jump in technology for home computing.The next generation 486 was released in 1989, and this processor had a built-in math co-processor that allowed it to do complicated computations at a fraction of the time of previous generations. The 486 also allowed for a wider array of colors, and it also allowed for the introduction of true point-and-click technology.Prior to the 486, it was necessary to purchase a math co-processor separately to get the maximum speed out of an Intel microprocessor.

Effects

The Pentium processor was first introduced in 1993 at speeds of 60 Mhz and 66 Mhz. It contained over 3 million transistors that greatly expanded the processor's computing capability and that increased its speed.In 2000, Intel introduced the Pentium 4 family of processors, which featured an initial speed of 1.5 Ghz.Intel continued to make design changes to the Pentium line, which included introducing dual core and quad core processors that were the equivalent of two processors in one and four processors in one.In 2009, Intel finally retired the Pentium name and introduced a new core technology called Merom.

Considerations

The Pentium line of processors was actually going to be called the 586 line, but Intel found it difficult to put patents on a product that was referred to only by a number, so they decided to use the Pentium name instead. The name "Pentium" was created by a marketing firm named Lexicon Branding in 1992 and then used by Intel in its 1993 release. The very first line of Pentium processors was not very successful. A floating point error in the processor caused it to miscalculate on a regular basis, and this prompted one of the largest recalls in the history of the computer industry. It wound up costing Intel over $450 million to recall the defective chips. To avoid the problem ever happening again, Intel created a quality control division that checks each microprocessor before it leaves the factory.