Intel Shows Off Conroe (Desktop) Processors

AnandTech provides coverage for Intel's presentations at the Intel Spring 2006 Developer Forum today.

Intel discussed their new "Core" microarchitecture which utilizes Intels' 65-nm manufacturing process. The Core Duo and Core Solo processors used in the iMac, Mac mini and MacBook Pro are already based on this new architecture. Intel is expected to offer a full line of 65-nm chips (Merom, Conroe and Woodcrest) in the second half of 2006.

These slides show what kind of performance is expected from Intel's upcoming processor lines:

- Merom (mobile) is said to offer 20% more performance than the Core Duo at the same battery life.
- Conroe (desktop) is said to offer 40% more performance at 40% less power than the Pentium D 950.
- Woodcrest (servers) is said to offer 80% more performance at 35% less power than the Xeon.

Intel performed some benchmarks of Conroe compared to the Pentium D 950. And Anandtech offers some benchmarks comparing gaming performance and media encoding on the two platforms.

Intel's Conroe processor is speculated to be the heart of the upcoming Intel PowerMac and is expected to be released in the second half of 2006.

Apple's announcement that WWDC will take place in August of this year would provide a convenient launching pad for Intel PowerMacs which were previously rumored/speculated to be delivered in September 2006.

Related Roundup: Mac Pro
Buyer's Guide: Mac Pro (Caution)
Related Forum: Mac Pro

Popular Stories

Apple Announces Special Event in New York Feature 1

Apple Reportedly Plans to Unveil at Least Five New Products Next Week

Sunday February 22, 2026 9:48 am PST by
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple will have a three-day stretch of product announcements from Monday, March 2 through Wednesday, March 4. In total, he expects Apple to introduce "at least five products." Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. A week ago, Apple invited selected journalists and content creators to an "Apple Experience" in...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3.1 Update for iPhones Coming Soon as 'Apple Experience' Nears

Sunday February 22, 2026 5:29 pm PST by
Apple's software engineers are testing iOS 26.3.1, according to the MacRumors visitor logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. iOS 26.3.1 should be a minor update that fixes bugs and/or security vulnerabilities, and it will likely be released within the next two weeks. Last month, Apple released iOS 26.2.1 with bug fixes and support for the second-generation...
Apple Foldable Thumb

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Friday February 20, 2026 3:21 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone this year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that Apple will release its first foldable device in 2026. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that have been leaked about ...
iPhone 18 Pro Deep Red Feature

Apple is Testing These iPhone 18 Pro and Foldable iPhone Colors

Sunday February 22, 2026 8:41 am PST by
The special new color that Apple is considering for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max this year is red, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Specifically, he said that Apple is testing a "deep red" finish for the two devices. If this rumor materializes, it would be the first time that the Pro and Pro Max models ever come in red, and the iPhone 18 Pro models would be the first...
tim cook data privacy day

Tim Cook Warned by CIA That China Could Move on Taiwan by 2027

Tuesday February 24, 2026 4:03 am PST by
Apple CEO Tim Cook was among a handful of top tech executives who attended a classified CIA briefing warning that China could attack Taiwan by 2027, according to a sweeping investigative report by The New York Times ($). The previously unreported briefing was apparently held in a secure room in Silicon Valley in July 2023. The meeting is said to have been arranged at the request of the...