Intel Core (microarchitecture): Difference between revisions

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The '''Intel Core microarchitecture''' (provisionally referred to as '''Next Generation Micro-architecture''',<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bessonov |first1=Oleg |title=New Wine into Old Skins. Conroe: Grandson of Pentium III, Nephew of NetBurst? |url=http://ixbtlabs.com/articles2/cpu/p6-nexgen.html |website=ixbtlabs.com |date=9 September 2005}} Note that all mentions of "Next-Generation Micro-architecture" in Intel's slides have asterisks that warn that "micro-architecture name [[To be determined|TBD]]".</ref> and developed as '''Merom''')<ref name="hinton">{{cite web |last1=Hinton |first1=Glenn |title=Key Nehalem Choices |url=https://web.stanford.edu/class/ee380/Abstracts/100217-slides.pdf |date=17 February 2010}}</ref> is a multi-core [[central processing unit|processor]] [[microarchitecture]] launched by [[Intel]] in mid-2006. It is a major evolution over the [[Yonah (microprocessor)|Yonah]], the previous iteration of the [[P6 (microarchitecture)|P6 microarchitecture series]] which started in 1995 with [[Pentium Pro]]. It also replaced the [[NetBurst]] microarchitecture, which suffered from high power consumption and heat intensity due to an inefficient [[Pipeline (computing)|pipeline]] designed for high [[clock rate]]. In early 2004, the new version of NetBurst (Prescott) needed very high power to reach the clocks it needed for competitive performance, making it unsuitable for the shift to [[Multi-core processor|dual/multi-core]] CPUs. On May 7, 2004, Intel confirmed the cancellation of the next NetBurst, [[Tejas and Jayhawk]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Intel cancels Tejas, moves to dual-core designs |url=https://www.eetimes.com/intel-cancels-tejas-moves-to-dual-core-designs/ |website=[[EE Times]] |date=7 May 2004}}</ref> Intel had been developing Merom, the 64-bit evolution of the [[Pentium M]], since 2001,<ref name="hinton"/> and decided to expand it to all market segments, replacing NetBurst in desktop computers and servers. It inherited from Pentium M the choice of a short and efficient pipeline, delivering superior performance despite not reaching the high clocks of NetBurst.{{Efn|NetBurst had reached 3.8 GHz in 2004. Core initially reached 3 GHz, and after moving to 45nm in [[Penryn (microarchitecture)|Penryn]] would reach 3.5 GHz. [[Westmere (microarchitecture)|Westmere]], the ultimate evolution of P6, reached 3.6 GHz base and 3.86 GHz boost frequency. (Excluding the 4.4 GHz special-order Xeons.)}}

The first processors that used this architecture were code-named '[[Merom (microprocessor)|Merom]]', '[[Conroe (microprocessor)|Conroe]]', and '[[Woodcrest (microprocessor)|Woodcrest]]'; Merom is for mobile computing, Conroe is for desktop systems, and Woodcrest is for servers and workstations. While architecturally identical, the three processor lines differ in the socket used, bus speed, and power consumption. The first Core-based desktop and mobile processors were branded ''[[Intel Core 2|Core 2]]'', later expanding to the lower-end ''[[Pentium Dual-Core]]'', ''[[Pentium]]'' and ''[[Celeron]]'' brands; while server and workstation Core-based processors were branded ''[[Xeon]]''.