Looks like Intel quad cores will be this november
 

"It was reported earlier that the launch of the new Extreme processors by Intel, the quad-core "Kentsfield", was moved formward to the last quarter of 2006. The processor would initially be released in the first quarter of 2007. Eweek.com now claims to have information that this chip will be officially released as soon as November, less than two months from now.


The Kentsfield is basically two Core 2 Duo chips on one die, similar to the early Pentium D processors. The chip will run at a clockspeed of 2.66GHz and sport an FSB of 1066MHz, same as the current Core 2 Duo chips. The earlier release means that the processor can most likely be found in desktop PC's from OEM manufacturers this year."

Awesome!

Isn't that always the way - just bought a Intel Core 2 Duo and then 3 months later its out-of-date!

Not just out-of-date but half-as-fast out-of-date!


Bloody technology!

Whats the point of quad core though? Why not just make duo core faster and faster? I mean what next? 5,6,7,8,9 core processors?

I believe there already are 8 core processors.

The whole point is the chip designers have reached physical barriers in getting the speed increased so the best way of improving is to multiply rather than waste money.

Its like building skyscrapers - there is a limit to how high you can go so build another one next to it... and so on...

Playstation 3's "Cell" is 8 core.

After looking at the new Core2 dual cores, if you look at the silicon the chips are embedded on to, they're shown to be only half full (one core in two corners) - the other two corners are empty.... It's as if dual core was only ever meant to be a transitionary phase to quad core (ie. that they've already got the means to do it, but they are 'trickling out' the technology in order to reap the best financial curve.)

Thats exactly what they're doing...

They know how to milk it!


I didn't realise the PS3's are going to be 8 core! Wow

Now imagine using the PS3's processing speed for audio...

It's nice to dream ;)

damn ps3 sounds nuts... and i'm glad i'm waiting for the mac pro I knew it was coming

I was just planning to get a mac pro, so I will probably wait and buy a cheaper quad mac or 8-core mac next spring. :D