Previews - Intel introduces CPUs with GPUs on 32nm Westmere: Nehalem axed

[=assassin=]

I don't need IGP and the 2 core 4 thread cpu's are a step back performance wise.

I think the same, I'd rather have a full quad with 8 threads minus the IGP....

Although I think the point of the IGP/dual core is that it'll be aimed towards the budget end of the market anyway.

[cobhc]

Well that's all well and good as long as the 6 core 12 thread derivative doesn't cost £400+.

[Lucio]

Ok, silly question time possibly; If these new CPU's will feature additional instruction sets that haven't been used before, how on earth will the majority of programs actually benefit from them? After all if they weren't there are the time the program was written, then they couldn't have coded for them or can they?

[Sinizter]

but GFX on the CPU isn't going to be very powerful at all.. so what exactly would the gains be?
gaming on less powerful PC's?
but still, there's the problem of heat again.

If these gfx solutions can play perfect 1080p without any tweaking or messing around, it will do for anything I do. Reduced power consumption and having to only use one single cooler with its associated fan would also be beneficial.

[kalniel]

Ok, silly question time possibly; If these new CPU's will feature additional instruction sets that haven't been used before, how on earth will the majority of programs actually benefit from them? After all if they weren't there are the time the program was written, then they couldn't have coded for them or can they?

In a lot of cases you only need the compiler to be aware of them, so you just recompile the same code and the executable will take advantage of the new instructions where possible. Intel already provide (very good) compilers which most places keep up to date anyway.

[DataMatrix]

I wish you people would look at the graph correctly. Intel is not intending to replace the graphics card. They are simply moving what was already existing, closer to the CPU. Doing so is a GOOD thing.

[cobhc]

I wish you people would look at the graph correctly. Intel is not intending to replace the graphics card. They are simply moving what was already existing, closer to the CPU. Doing so is a GOOD thing.

It isn't all good if Intel are going back to Dual Core processors for the mainstream, because the hyperthreading doesn't mean anything until programs start making use of it.