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.