July 15, 2008: Intel Corporation today unveiled the Intel® CoreTM2 Duo processor T9400 and Mobile Intel® GM45 Express chipset, both now offered for embedded customers with 7-year extended life cycle support. This processor and chipset are part of the new Intel® Centrino® 2 platform that delivers better performance, longer battery life and broad wireless network interoperability for mobile applications. Today, the T9400 processor is also validated with the Intel® 5100 Memory Controller Hub (MCH) chipset with 7-year extended life cycle support for embedded platforms. The T9400 processor, GM45 Express chipset and 5100 MCH chipset are optimized for the low-power needs of the embedded, security, voice and wireless infrastructure markets. Details of the processor and two chipsets as they relate to the embedded market are summarized below.
Combination: Intel Core 2 Duo processor T9400 and Mobile Intel GM45 Express chipset
The latest Intel 45nm Core 2 Duo processor validated with the new Mobile Intel GM45 Express chipset enables embedded applications that demand rich graphics and vivid video playback, such as gaming, point-of-sale and in-store media networks for retailers. Intels low-power platform can power digital signage such as billboards in supermarkets and displays on cash registers and shopping carts. This new combination will also be valuable in the print imaging segment, in which low thermals for electronics equipment such as the multi-functional printer, are becoming a requirement to meet international standards such as the Environmental Protection Agencys ENERGY STAR* standard.
Increased Processor Performance
The new 45nm Intel Core 2 Duo processor T9400 uses a Hafnium-infused high-k reinvented transistor formula that increases processor performance by doubling transistor density. Improving processor efficiency and speed, the T9400 cache size is increased from 4MB to 6MB, and the front-side bus is increased from 800 MHz to 1066 MHz relative to the previous-generation 65nm Intel Core 2 Duo processors.
Improved Chipset Graphics Capabilities
The GM45 Express chipset includes the Mobile Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MDH, Intel® Clear Video Technology and graphics core speeds up to 533 MHz. System performance is improved with high-speed memory transactions from the dual-channel memory controller supporting DDR2 or DDR3. These advancements improve graphics and 3-D rendering performance and enable high-definition video playback, which are important for embedded applications, such as ruggedized laptops, digital signage, medical imaging and print imaging.
Combination: Intel Core 2 Duo processor T9400 and Intel 5100 Memory Controller Hub chipset
Expanding the bladed product line for the embedded and communications markets, the Intel Core 2 Duo processor T9400 is also validated with the Intel 5100 MCH chipset. This combination provides a compelling performance-per-watt advantage for single-processor bladed and dense-bladed form factor applications that require reduced power consumption, such as routers, Internet Protocol-Private Branch Exchange, converged and unified communications platforms, content firewalls and unified threat management systems.
Low-power Design Option for Bladed and Dense-bladed Applications
Designed specifically for developers seeking single-processor design solutions, this processor and chipset combination provides high-performance and low-power uni-processing capability derived from lower thermal design power in the memory controller hub, a low-power Intel® I/O Controller Hub 9R, and standard native DDR2 memory technology. The Intel 5100 MCH chipset-based platform provides 30 lanes of PCI Express* (PCIe) for I/O connectivity and supports up to 48GB of dual-channel DDR2 registered ECC memory to help safeguard data and improve reliability. PCIe provides the bandwidth needed to support the T9400 processor, and the high memory capacity provides customers with the flexibility to optimize platform memory configurations.
Pricing and Availability
Samples of both platform combinations are available to embedded customers today. The T9400 processor costs $316 USD in quantities of 1,000. The Intel GM45 Express chipset costs $43 USD. The Intel 5100 MCH chipset costs $60 USD.