Intel rolls out 45nm 'Penryn' gaming, server chips

Intel yesterday rolled out its first 45nm 'Penryn' processors, including a new top-of-the-line gaming chip, the Core 2 Extreme QX9650.

The other 45nm neophytes were Xeon-brand server chips, though Intel also used the opportunity to roll out a set of 65nm Xeons too.

The 45nm, LGA771 Xeons split into two groups: the 65/80W E5xxx series and the 80/120/150W X5xxx family. The former run from the 1.86GHz E5205, with 6MB of L2 cache and a 1066MHz frontside bus (FSB) speed, to the 3GHz E5472, which sports a 1600MHz FSB and contains 12MB of cache. The E505 consumes 65W - all the rest of the E5xxx line consume 80W. In between are a series of CPUs with 1333MHz FSBs.

The X series comprises the 80W X5260 and X5272, clocked at 3.33GHz and 3.4GHz, respectively. Both have 6MB of L2, but FSBs of 1333MHz and 1600MHz, respectively.

The X5450 and X5460 consume 120W, as does the X5472. The first two run 1333MHz FSBs, while the X5472 sits on a 1600MHz FSB, as does the top-of-the-line, 150W X5482. The four CPUs all contain 12MB of L2 and are clocked, respectively, at 3GHz, 3.16GHz, 3GHz and 3.2GHz.

The new 65nm, LGA775 Xeons are models designed for uni-processor servers and workstations. The line-up comprises the 2.33GHz 3065, the 2.66GHz 3075 and the 3GHz 3085. All three support the 1333MHz FSB speed - up from previous 3xxx-series chips' 1066MHz - and all have 4MB of L2.

Intel's current price list, which includes all these CPUs, can be found here.

The QX9650 contains 12MB of L2, is clocked at 3GHz and sits on a 1333MHz FSB. Like all previous Core 2 Extreme CPUs, it costs $999 when sold in batches of 1000 processors. You can read Register Hardware's review of the chip here.