Intel Introduces 4 New Mobile CPUs

Model Cores Threads Frequency Turbo Frequency L3 cache Graphics TDP

Core i7-2640M 2 4 2.8 GHz 3.5 GHz 4 MB 650 / 1300 MHz 35 Watt

Core i7-2760QM 4 8 2.4 GHz 3.5 GHz 6 MB 650 / 1300 MHz 45 Watt

Core i7-2860QM 4 8 2.5 GHz 3.6 GHz 8 MB 650 / 1300 MHz 45 Watt

Core i7-2960XM 4 8 2.7 GHz 3.7 GHz 8 MB 650 / 1300 MHz 55 Watt


All 4 chips will support up to DDR3-1600 memory and integrate HD 3000 graphics controller with 650 MHz base frequency and 1.3 GHz max dynamic frequency with the i7-2960XM being the Extreme Edition featuring higher TDP (55W) and unlocked multipliers.

Source:CPU World

 

Whoa!!! And I was just about to buy a new alienware! I wonder when they will be available!!! It better not be that much more $$$ is already expensive!!!!

 

Hmm, well I just bought an M18x with the 2620M. Is the 2640M offering much of a performance increase at all?

 

divide the 2640m freq. by the 2620m freq. that is the performance boost.

 

The 2640M is a dual core it looks like. But the 2760QM @2.4 is the comparable one to yours 2620QM @2.0 and has a .4ghz jump it should yield some good jumps in performance and also looks like the best bang for your buck

 

Do we need these? lol I just thought everyone was getting done with how the 2920xm is way more than enough for anything right now lol

 

These were announced about 4 weeks ago. Are slated for a Q4 release. I imagine Alienware will adopt farily quickly and have them as an option before Christmas.

Likely not to cost anymore and will replace existing speed range.

Im still buying now.

 

Just a tiny freq bump, not a true refresh.

 

This is definitely old news. It's a SB refresh, just like they did with the first gen i7 CPU (720/740QM 820/840QM, 920,940XM), but they pushed the multi a bit more than last time.

 

4th Q? From what they have mentioned in various articles is that these processors are already released. We are already entering the 4th Q. I dont think you would have to wait till Christmas. Remember how fast Sandy Bridge was adopted?

If only we have some news now from the OEM manufacturers.

 

I don't see the huge draw with updating the cpus. Unless they aim to directly replace each cpu with they respective counterpart, most likely it, these are all pointless upgrades. In terms of gaming you won't see a difference once so ever. To top it off, the 2760/2860 are still locked so they will get destroyed by a 2920xm that is unlocked. I wonder if the 2960xm will be the 940xm of this generation. Making it absolutely pointless to own a 2960xm if you can overclock the 2920xm to the same level.

 

They are replacements. Most laptops (at least last generation) were offered upgrades at the same price as the model it replaced, so a nice free boost in clock speed, but nothing significant. IMO the Extreme CPUs are almost always pointless because of limited laptop overclocking and poor value over the basic quad core for most users.

 

Assuming architecture wasn't changed, and these were just binned higher, wouldn't that also make them run hotter? Akin last gen Nehalems.

 

a 35 watt tdp is a 35 watt tdp no matter how 'fast' a cpu might be........

 

3.7GHz for the 2960XM. Pretty impressive speed if you ask me

Yes, but it is also the maximum heat required to disspate. I think a higher clocked CPU will stay closer to this limit at most times, while the lower clocked may be cooler on less than high demanding tasks.

No?

 

only if they increased the average voltage. otherwise, the chip is just more efficient

 

Same architecture and irregardless of TDP, lower speed CPUs will run slightly cooler and consume slightly less power.

 

P (power/heat) = C*F(frequency)*V(voltage)^2

Frequency increases heat as well, even at the same voltage. It's just a voltage bump increases heat more than a frequency bump.

 

Say a chip can run at 3GHz and stay within a 35W TDP. Another chip might exceed the thermal limits at 3GHz so probably the easiest way to bring it into the 35W design limit is down clock and sell it as a lower binned chip, say 2.5GHz for instance.

 

Lol...
I think this could demonstrate just what kind of a performance boost we could expect out of Ivy Bridge (on a lower TDP).

Essentially, either the 2630QM (entry quad) got a 20% performance boost at the same TDP or the same applied for the 2720QM (10% boost).
I think it's reasonable to think that Ivy Bridge will bring a similar/same performance boost on the cores (about 2.6 to 2.8Ghz on the entry quad).

And as far as SB refresh goes, the 2760QM seems to be the best bang for buck (other 'versions' are way too low on performance boost - 100Mhz difference).