Intel Kickstarts 32nm Westmere Processor Chips

Monday, September 14th, 2009 | #Tags: Core i7, CPU, Hardware, Intel, Multicore, westmere

Intel begins production of 32nm Westmere processors
Intel’s Core i7 with 45nm fabrication-technology is just a piece of chip that brings good things for today. Tommorow’s superiority will last with a new generation of chips Intel has started producing.

Intel announced that initial production of 32nm processors has begun. It’s taken many years (and a $7 billion investment) to get these Westmere chips onto silicon, with the Clarkdale (desktop) and Arrandale (notebook) lines expected to start showing up in over-sized cardboard boxes before the end of the year.

What’s next for 45nm chips, like those new Lynnfields? A regular fate that one sees in hardware industry: fade till obsolescence.

Check out the video from Intel’s clean room:

In addition, as per PCMag, Intel is also expected to announce a system-on-chip technology.

The IDF (Intel Developer Forum) starts on Sept. 14.

Intel will, also, talk about a new 2nd-generation high-k+ metal gate transistor formula, which will give Intel “a 3+ year advantage in addressing leaky and energy inefficient transistors”.

High-k metal technology has been around for more than 7 years. Still getting better and better every year. High K dielectrics is the key to smaller CPUs. Let’s see how far it goes.