Rumor: Intel to Launch 65W Low-Power CPUs for All-in-One Desktops

Paul Lilly — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:51:55 -0600

With all the attention netbooks and nettops have been getting lately, it would appear that small form factor (SFF) and all-in-one PCs are getting lost in the shuffle. That won't be the case for long, as according to DigiTimes' un-named sources at PC vendors, Intel is gearing up to launch three new 65W low-power quad-core CPUs specifically for these two market segments.

Core 2 Quad Q8200s (2.33GHz, 4MB L2 cache) - $245
Core 2 Quad Q9400s (2.66GHz, 6MB L2 cache) - $320
Core 2 Quad Q9550s (2.83GHz, 12MB L2 cache) - $369

From a specification standpoint, the new chips will be identical to existing CPUs with the same model number, but the TDP drops from 95W down to 65W. Vendors said to already be on board include Apple, Acer, Hewlett-Packard, and Dell, with Asus still mulling it over. But because the chips won't come gimped, the lower power draw could also make them popular choices for users with standard desktop setups concerned about heat management.

Pricing for the Q8200s, Q9400s, and Q9550s will sit at $245, $320, and $369 respectively for thousand-unit tray quantities.

Image Credit: Intel

AMD Launches New 65W Tri-Core CPUs

Paul Lilly — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:10:54 -0500

For the AMD faithful not quite ready to step up to quad-core processing, AMD this week will start adding to its triple-core lineup. The new processors are based on AMD's Toliman core.

Phenom X3 8750 (2.5GHz, 95W)
Phenom X3 8550 (2.2GHz, 95W)
Phenom X3 8450e (2.1GHz, 65W)

Note the 'e' designation in the last processor, which will represent AMD's new lower wattage CPUs. The X3 8450e will be the first 65W tri-core out of the gates, followed by the Phenom X3 8250e (1.9GHz, 65W).

Astute readers might also notice that the Phenom X3 8750 is incorrectly clocked at 2.5GHz instead of 2.4GHz. That's not a typo, and according to TomsHardware, AMD plans to bump up the clockspeed by 100MHz. Not only that, but THW says the flagship tri-core CPU will sport an unlocked multiplier. Oddly enough, the site also reports AMD will release a Phenom X3 8850 clocked at 2.5GHz this October, with an unlocked version to follow in December. Go figure.

Image Credit: AMD

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Rumor: Intel to Launch 65W Low-Power CPUs for All-in-One Desktops

AMD Launches New 65W Tri-Core CPUs