Intel Takes Quad Core To the Desktop

Rob writes to mention a Computer Business Review Online article about Intel's official launch of the Kentsfield chipset. Their Quad Core offering, Intel is claiming, is up to 80% faster than the dual-core Conroe released this past July. From the article: "Kentsfield, a 2.66GHz chip with a 1066MHz front-side bus, is more for computational-heavy usage, including digital content creation, engineering analysis, such as CAD, and actuarial and other financial applications. Steve Smith, director of operations for Intel digital enterprise group, claimed rendering is 58% faster for users building digital content creation systems, for video, photo editing or digital audio. In other words, Kentsfield is for high-end desktops or workstations only. For the average office worker who uses their PC for general productivity apps, such as communications and garden-variety computing, Smith recommended the Core 2 Duo from 'a price point and performance perspective.'"

Office Apps

[Ginnungagap42]

So how does Minesweeper run on it?

I can't help but feel they're...

[NoMoreNicksLeft]

Missing a marketing opportunity. ... now with Intel Foursome!

I have one of these babies

[Nichotin]

.. since I am a journalist for a computer rag. Anyway, I would say it is a waste of money for most people at this time. Applications can barely use two cores properly, and games are still not as SMP aware as they should. On the other hand, if you run gentoo, THIS CPU IS KILLER :)

Two what?

[Anonymous Coward]

However, when only running two threats, "Kentsfield is quite wasteful with its power consumption," Shimpi said.

Two threats? You surely aren't running Windows, man...

Hype

[h2g2bob]

It's going like razorblades - the razorblade companies just try to outdo each other on how many blades that can be placed in a single razor. At this rate, expect as many processors as you can physically fit on, plus an extra processor for those tricky, hard to reach programs.

WTF?

[LibertineR]

"Currently the quad-core is pretty useless for gamers unless you like to run video encoding apps at the same time as you play your game."

What? I thought EVERYONE used WinDVR to encode MPEG2 files of Battlestar Gallactica from their TIVO while playing F.E.A.R., and turn it into H262 for uploading as a a killer torrent while kicking but in Call of Duty 2? I suck the life out of an X2 4400 bitch, and I am NOT alone.

We cant all have a life, so I NEED that chip!

You insensitive clod!!!

Re:I can't help but feel they're...

[Anne_Nonymous]

>> ... now with Intel Foursome!

Sounds... hot.

My recommendation

[LeedsSideStreets]

For Minesweeper, you should have at least one processor core per game square.

It's the only way to play.

Re:whats next

[hunterkll]

1.8GHz ... is ... slow?! *slaps you with his 40mhz sparc workstation*

In 2013...

[dorianh49]

In 2013, Intel will look back and say, "Four cores and seven years ago, our engineers brought forth on this continent a new microarchitecture, conceived in Santa Clara, and dedicated to the proposition that all men's wallets are created equal."

Re:My recommendation

[Minwee]

To truly appreciate Minesweeper you have to play it in the original Klingon.