Roadmap update: Intel aims to release first 45 nm CPU in 2007

Chicago (IL) – Intel already confirmed that 45 nm processors will be in mass-production by the end of the year, but there have been questions about the actual announcement and availability of these new Penryn core-based processors.

According to industry sources, Intel in fact aims to announce the first members of its 45 nm processor family this year, most likely late in Q4. The first Penryn CPU to be available on the market will be the quad-core Yorkfield, followed by the dual-core Wolfdale early in Q1 2008. Clock speeds will be inching up and hit 3.33 GHz, we heard.

It is unclear whether Intel will be able compete this year with AMD’s Phenom X4 quad-core processor, which is expected to to launch in November.

45 nm mobile processors will follow in Q1 2008, presumably with a CES 2008 introduction date in the first week of January of next year.

The 65 nm cores will get one more update, with the big news being the FSB1333 6x50 variants (up to 3.0 GHz) coming “very soon,” according to Intel and the company’s first Extreme Edition mobile processor as well as faster upper mainstream models also being prepped for launch within Q3. Intel is rumored to be planning the release of T7800 (2.6 GHz) and T7900 (2.8 GHz) versions of the CPU.

Information about Intel’s second generation 45 nm processor also has begun trickling in : Gainstown, expected to be available with up to eight cores, will be using a dual-die design (with up to 2 x 4 cores) as well as the flip-chip LGA8 package. The die size will climb substantially from currently 143 mm2 of the 65 nm Core 2 Duo and an expected 107 mm2 of the upcoming 45 nm Penryn generation to 191 mm2, due to larger caches as well as an integrated memory controller, which will be one major factor that is responsible for an increased pin count : Gainstown processors will have 1366 pins, up from 775 in the current (desktop) Core 2 Duos.