[ltp] Slightly OT: where are the 10GHz P6 thinkpads?

Alejandro Bonilla linux-thinkpad@linux-thinkpad.org
Tue, 6 Dec 2005 14:57:41 -0600


On Tue, 06 Dec 2005 01:36:24 +0000, Richard Neill wrote
> Dear All,
> 
> An interesting thought struck me today. For the last 8 years, I have 
> upgraded every 2 years, in order to (roughly) double the performance 
> of the computer. 2 years has now elapsed since my last upgrade, and 
> it is time for another one. Yet there isn't any compelling new 
> product to buy! I wonder why that is, and if anyone can explain it?

There are a lot of new technologies on their way...

1. Intel did not reach the 4GHZ cause they said it was useless, therefore,
they are now adding more memory to their cache and speeding the bus. See
400/533/800/1066 or so...

2. Intel is making CPU's differently depending on your system. They now want
to make some sort of flash memory to be in the system, in that case you would
install the OS in a "flash drive" and then it would boot like half the time it
normally takes.

3. I don't think EM64T or AMD64 is the answer to change to a 64bit CPU, but
other more broad and strong technologies, in this case the "flash drive", the
L2 cache, the Bus and any other crazy ideas are the ones to make our computing
lifes nicer. ;-)

4. Intel is coming out soon with "Yonah" which is the new CPU which will be
dual core (second generation of Yonah) then the system will have HD audio,
SATA2 maybe. I also heard it might have a technology where the keyboard would
light up if a sensor notices that you are in a dark room, I think the CPU
comes with 800 FSB and like 4 or 2 MB Cache. ;-) Plus some new technology in
the battery.

Who knows? Just give Intel/AMD some time with the OEM's and they will surely
release something crazy for all of us. ;-)

.Alejandro



> 
> There's no obvious answer to this, either from intel,google or 
> wikipedia. Also, the quantum limit should allow a 10nm process. So,
>  why has Intel, in particular, stagnated?
> 
> A datapoint: 2 years ago, the top desktop CPU was a 3.0GHz/800MHz 
> P4. Now, the best available (at a sane price) is 3.6GHz. Similar 
> things have occurred for laptops [admittedly, there have been gains 
> in efficiency with the P4m, so the numbers are less meaningful] -
>  and although my 4-year-old A22p (P3, 1GHz) could certainly use an 
> upgrade, I wouldn't call it obsolete. It should be, though!
> 
> Is it just economic (Intel having failed to market desktop Itania),
>  or is there any real physics behind it?
> 
> I hope this is an interesting enough subject to merit being a bit O.T.
> 
> Richard
> 
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