i7 Auburndale upgrade.

I was just reading about the nahelem chips coming out sometime next year that will have integraded gpus on the cpu itself if I read correctly. Does anyone know if these will be compatable with the PM55 chipset in these initial i7 laptops? I just ordered a new i7 lappy and it would be cool to upgrade to one of these to save battery by not using dedicated graphics. Im hoping that this will be possible because all these new i7 laptops dont have switchable graphics because its not in the chipset.

 

Auburndale is dead, the new chips are called Arrandale. They will debut at CES 2010 which is January 7-10th. I don't think you'll be able to do that swap between the 45nm Clarksfield chip and a 32nm Arrandale chip.

 

You will be, they will use the same socket and motherboard. But they will be dual cores (Arrandale) as opposed to the current quad cores (Clarksfield).

 

What about BIOS support?

 

There's no point of using PM55 if you are going to use the integrated graphics. You need HM55 or some sort in order to use the Flexible Display Interface which will allow it to output to display. With PM55 even if you can run on it it'll just run like a dual core without IGP.

 

I thought you just needed BIOS support since I believed that there was only one chipset released...

 

bummer that seems like a pretty significant upgrade. Are they going to support these chips simultaniously or is clarksfield dead when the new one arrives? I would hate to see the current clarksfield as the only 3 cpus that I would ever be able to upgrade too.

 

There's going to be at least 2. The PM55 doesn't even support integrated graphics, so there's no way it could possibly work with Arrandale's IGP.

I don't believe Intel has said anything at all about whether there will be any more quad-core i7 CPUs. Given that, it would be better to anticipate the worst - that is, aside from Gulftown for the desktop, all 32nm Nehalems will be dual core. I suppose all we can do is pray that Sandy Bridge delivers.

 

Well, just looking at the model numbers for the standard voltage Arrandales: Core i5-520M, Core i5-540M, Core i7-620M, and for Clarksfield: 720QM, 820QM, 920XM, I figure there is room for higher numbers in each series--which probably means that over the course of the coming year, Intel will release additional versions with higher clock speeds.

Just my two cents.

 

cool I need to read up more on this. So when they came out with the last gen quads did they all the chips that got released come in one batch or were there subsiquent releases?

 

Well, the number of quad core Penryn notebook processors is still rather sparse. But if we use dual core Penryns as an example, general introduction occurred in January 2008, and then faster models were introduced during 2008--especially in July. See this Wikipedia article. I would expect the same to happen with Nehalem--especially the Arrandales (less sure about Clarksfield since 45 nm is now a mature process).

 

http://www.intel.com/Products/Notebook/Chipsets/PM55/PM55-overview.htm

The other chipsets will be enhanced chipsets. The PM55 should work with the integrated GPU since it's built on the CPU die and Intel says they will add support to i7/i5 (Arrandale) when released in Q1 2010.

edit: sorry it's PM55

 

Wait, I am reading this correctly, if I get a machine with the PM45 chip set, intel will release an update that gives me support for core i5/i7? Because I thought PM45 was using the intel socket that current Core 2 Duo/Core 2 Quad/Core 2 Extreme are on.

 

Hold on, what are you guys talking about? The PM45 is not even a Nehalem chipset.

 

I haven't read the specs of i5 nor i7 CPUs. Can you guys point out the main features/differences between the two?
I guess AMD hitted a low with these?

Thanks.

 

Specs below for Arrandale (from Wiki via Apple Insider). Note the TDP includes the integrated 45nm 5 series gpu.

520M/540M/620M have an 25W cpu.
620UM/640UM have an 8W cpu.
620LM/640LM have an 15W cpu.

Second column of cpu speed is with Turbo Boost on.

 

How would the PM55 use the IGP? As far as I know, the PM55 chipset lacks the hardware to output video.

 

Sorry typo'ed earlier, meant PM55. Hmm it seems that although Arrandale will work on PM55, guess you need a new motherboard for IGP support. Well that sucks.

edit: finally found a source that identifies the chipsets (desktop - though mobile should be similar)

http://www.techpowerup.com/?82318

Just for clarification, Lynnfield (45nm) is the desktop equivalent of Clarksfield (45nm) and Havendale (45nm) has been replaced by Clarkdale (32nm), which is the desktop equivalent of Arrandale (32nm, which replaced Auburndale (45nm) respectively).

 

So basically people who have the PM55 chipset now will be able to use arrandale if that line becomes the better choice although the integrated graphics feature wont be there. I guess the bright side is the next gen gpus like the 5000 series will have lower draw at idle and the arrandale has lower draw so battery life might still improve if you upgraded to this next gen stuff later.