Intel announces 80-core microprocessors and offers $1m in PC design competition
Intel (a SVW sponsor) Tuesday announced an advanced chip design that has 80 cores and can perform at a trillion floating point operations per second.
This would make possible inexpensive supercomputers that could model complex events such as global warming, designing safer cars, and be used in drug discovery.
Prototypes of the chip were shown by Paul Otellini during his keynote speech that opened the Intel Developer Forum conference in San Francisco. The chips are about five years away from commercial introduction.
Intel also said that a quad-core server microprocessor would be introduced in November and followed by a desktop PC version early next year.
The announcements reflect Intel's bid to regain some lost ground to rival Advanced Micro Devices. Intel has focused strongly on its chip design and manufacturing prowess to produce chips that use much less electric power.
Large computer data centers are running out of electric power. In order to expand computing facilities, computer systems that use less electric power are in high demand.
To boost sales of PCs in the home Intel announced it would pay up to $1m in prizes to designers and manufacturers of "sexy" PCs. The Intel Core Processor Challenge aims to encourage PC makers to go beyond the "beige box."
Intel is trying to establish its Viiv PC platform in the living room as the heart of a digital entertainment system for the entire home. And a stylish format would help sales.
Eric Kim, vice president and general manager, Intel’s Digital Home Group said:
Consumers today make home PC purchase decisions based on more than just price and features; they also consider the size, shape and style. Ultimately we want to see more stylish and smaller PCs that have the performance and power efficiency thanks to Intel Core 2 Duo processors, as well as the essential multimedia capabilities that Intel Viiv technology delivers. . .
Related links:
Intel To Pay Up To $1 Million Bounty For Sexy, Small, Stylish PCs
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Intel CEO: Silicon Advances Usher in New Era of Energy Efficient Performance ›
Intel, DIRECTV Poised to Connect PCs and TVs in U.S.
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