The “core wars”. In the past few years we’ve seen the core count go from dual core all the way up to sixteen core on a single CPU. For mainstreamers the common core count is 4 cores, 8 threads with Intel’s Hyperthreading technology, that number jumps up to 6 cores and 12 threads for the high end enthusiasts. The enthusiasts were hoping that Ivy Bridge-E CPUs would bring overclockable 8 core/16 thread CPUs to market but were let down to hear that the 4930K and 4960X only were slightly boosted 6 core/12 thread chips.
However, Intel isn’t slacking in the department for server grade hardware. With their Ivy Bridge Xeons (aka E5-2600V2) line currently offering a maximum of 12 core chips. Now Intel has announced that they are bringing 15 core chips to the Ivy Bridge Xeon platform. These will not be overclockable (save minor blck boosts on very select boards) and through Intel Turbo technology. Intel has hinted that these will be used in either four or eight socket motherboards. Think either 60 cores/120 threads or 120 cores/240 threads! The 2P higher end 12 cores Xeons currently cost around $3,000. The CPUs that can be used in a 4P config are even more. I’m sure you can count on these 15 core chips costing significantly more, especially if available in an 8P solution.
AMD’s current line of Opteron processors currently limits out at a mere 16 cores in a 4P configuration to bring the total to 64 cores, no hyperthreading however. As somebody who use to be avidly involved with Folding@Home, I say bring on the core war between manufacturers!
