[pauldanielash]

As noted here back in August, the French HardMac site released information from their sources that indicated Apple had been testing the next generation Intel "Gulftown" Core i9 processors. Recently, a Polish website released results from tests of the new processor before quickly taking them down. HardMac reports that the tests had showed that the six-core processor running at 2.8 GHz - with 50% more transistors than the top-of-the-line quad-core processors used in the new iMac 27" - operates 50% faster while using 10-50% less power:

First figures indicate that this CPU is very promising. At equivalent clock speed, it is 50% faster than the corresponding quad core Xeon for parallel tasks. Despite having 50% more transistors, the CPU strongly benefits from 32-nm engraving as it drains 50% less power in idle mode and 10% less in full loading mode.

Not all the tests that were run showed such large gains. Processes that were limited to a single core, or which were not optimized for multi-core processing, saw little or no advantage at all over Core i7 performance benchmarks. It's possible that the results may just show limitations of the prototype chip used in the tests didn't have the memory performance that the released chip will have, though reports suggest memory speed of the Core i9 will not be as great as the Core i7.

HardMac's anonymous sources maintain that the Apple will have exclusive use of the new chip when it is released in the early part of next year, most likely in a new Mac Pro model. A dual-Core i7 Mac- with two hexacore processors on the motherboard and each core functioning as two using threading - would be the first mass-market PC with 24 logical cores. The top of the current Mac Pro line sports dual 2.93 Ghz quad-core Intel Xeon processors.

Apple's Grand Central Dispatch technology - released in Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard - was specifically designed to allow programs written for the Mac to take full advantage of many cores. When the new Core i9 line of processors is released, it will provide a good opportunity to compare performance of Mac programs versus their PC and Linux/Unix equivalents.

image via PCLab.pl

[rhekt]

wow this sounds awesome

[Melech518]

I hate rumors...

[hollow0]

i hate rumors too but this sounds interesting. How can the processor be 50% faster and up to 50% less with power consumption??? Daanngg...I wonder if the macbooks will have this 6core processor! ehh...prob not likely

[nebulis]

The power usage is a little off. But yes it does use less power because of the 32nm architecture vs 45nm architecture. More transistors closer together causes less power leakage. 50% less power usage at idle may be pushing it but the the performance is correct.

[steve-z17]

Originally Posted by Melech518

I hate rumors...

I agree, all these supposed rumors that are coming out about Apple products is really getting old. Most of them probably aren't true in the first place and it just ruins some of the stuff. I like it better when a product is released and we find out it has awesome features.

[tudtran]

Cool. Apple should put that in the next iphone.

[rhekt]

Originally Posted by Melech518

I hate rumors...

yes..it may be a rumor and it may not become 100% fruitfull. but how else can art become life? the dreamers are the fabric makers. they weave thousands of hopefull thoughts together to create one working organism. if it doesnt become reality today...or tomorrow..or next year...it will.

[rwin84]

sounds bada$$