Intel has unveiled a new family of microprocessors which it says will be initially targeted at the graphics card for the personal computer. Code-named Larrabee, it will feature between 16 and 48 cores instead of the single and dual cores commonly found in current generation of processors. Intel argues that having a greater number of smaller cores will result in a superior experience for gamers.
In fact, Intel will continue to focus on its multi core design, eventually putting up to hundreds of processing units on a single silicon chip. Moving ahead, Intel plans to make such a chip design available across a spectrum of devices--ranging from the personal computers to handhelds and even supercomputers. Until then, Intel hopes to capture as much as a third of the graphics add-on market--with an estimated worth of $4.6 billion, in 2010.
To learn more about Intel's "many core" design:
- check out this Register Hardware article [1]
Links:
[1] http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/08/04/larrabee_gpu_benifits/