CPU microarchitecture by Intel
Nehalem Logo for Core i7 Bloomfield processors
General information Launched November 11, 2008; 16 years ago (November 11, 2008 ) Marketed by Intel Designed by Intel Common manufacturer Performance Max.CPU clock rate 1.06 GHz to 3.33 GHz QPI speeds4.80 GT/s to 6.40 GT/s DMI speeds2 GT/s Cache L1cache 64 KB per core (32 KB data + 32 KB instructions) L2 cache 256 KB per core L3 cache 2 MB to 24 MB shared Architecture and classification Technology node 45 nm Microarchitecture Nehalem Instruction set x86-16 ,IA-32 ,x86-64 Instructions MMX ,SSE ,SSE2 ,SSE3 ,SSSE3 ,SSE4 ,SSE4.1 ,SSE4.2 Extensions Physical specifications Transistors Cores Sockets Products, models, variants Core names Product code name Models Core i5-7xx Core i7-8xx Core i7-9xx Extreme Xeon 3000/5000/7000 Mobile Core i7-7xxQM Mobile Core i7-8xxQM Mobile Core i7-9xxXM Extreme History Predecessors Core (tock) Penryn (tick) Successors Westmere (tick) Sandy Bridge (tock) Support status Unsupported
Nehalem /n ə ˈ h eɪ l əm [ 1] codename forIntel 's45 nm microarchitecture released in November 2008.[ 2] Intel Core i5 andi7 processors, and is a major evolution over the olderCore microarchitecture , which is used byCore 2 processors and is the previous iteration of theP6 microarchitecture series which started in 1995 with thePentium Pro .[ 3] Nehalem River .[ 4] [ 5]
Nehalem is built on the45 nm process, is able to run at higher clock speeds without sacrificing efficiency, and is more energy-efficient thanPenryn microprocessors.Hyper-threading is reintroduced, along with a reduction in L2 cache size, as well as an enlarged L3 cache that is shared among all cores. Nehalem is an architecture that differs radically fromNetBurst , while retaining some of the latter's minor features.
Nehalem later received a die-shrink to32 nm withWestmere , and was fully succeeded by "second-generation"Sandy Bridge in January 2011.
Microarchitecture of a processor core in the quad-core implementation Cache line block on L2/L3 cache was reduced from 128 bytes in NetBurst & Merom/Penryn to 64 bytes per line in this generation (same size as Yonah and Pentium M). Hyper-threading reintroduced.IntelTurbo Boost 1.0.[ 6] 2–24 MiBL3 cache withSmart Cache in some models. Instruction Fetch Unit (IFU) containing second-levelbranch predictor with two levelBranch Target Buffer (BTB) andReturn Stack Buffer (RSB). Nehalem also supports all predictor types previously used in Intel's processors like Indirect Predictor and Loop Detector.[ 7] sTLB (second level unifiedtranslation lookaside buffer ) (i.e. both instructions and data) that contains 512 entries for small pages only, and is again 4 way associative.[ 8] 3 integer ALU, 2 vector ALU and 2 AGU per core.[ 9] Native (all processor cores on a single die) quad- , hex-, and octa-core processors Intel QuickPath Interconnect in HEDT, server, and workstation models andDirect Media Interface on other models replacing the legacyfront side bus .64 KB L1 cache per core (32 KB L1 data and 32 KB L1 instruction), and 256 KB L2 cache per core. Integration ofPCI Express andDMI into the processor in mid-range models, replacing thenorthbridge . Integratedmemory controller supporting two or three memory channels ofDDR3 SDRAM or fourFB-DIMM2 channels. Second-generation Intel Virtualization Technology, which introducedExtended Page Table support, virtual processor identifiers (VPIDs), andnon-maskable interrupt -window exiting.[ 10] SSE4.2 andPOPCNT instructions.Macro-op fusion now works in 64-bit mode.20 to 24 pipeline stages.[ 11] Performance and power improvements [ edit ] It has been reported that Nehalem has a focus on performance, thus the increased core size.[ 13]
10–25% better single-threaded performance / 20–100% bettermultithreaded performance at the same power level 30% lowerpower consumption for the sameperformance On average, Nehalem provides a 15–20% clock-for-clock increase in performance per core. Overclocking is possible with Bloomfield processors and theX58 chipset.Lynnfield processors use aPCH removing the need for a northbridge.[ 14]
Nehalem processors incorporateSSE4.2 SIMD instructions, adding seven new instructions to the SSE 4.1 set in the Core 2 series. The Nehalem architecture reduces atomic operation latency by 50% in an attempt to eliminate overhead on atomic operations such as theLOCK CMPXCHGcompare-and-swap instruction.[ 15]
Processing Cores (interface) Process Die Size million transistors CPUID Model Stepping Mobile Desktop, UP Server DP Server MP Server Eight-Core (Quad-Channel)45 nm 684 mm2 2.300[ 16] 206E6 46 D0 Beckton (80604)Quad-Core (Triple-Channel)263 mm2 731 106A4 26 C0/C1 Bloomfield (80601)Gainestown (80602)Quad-Core (Dual-Channel, PCIe)296 mm2 774 106E4 30 B0 Clarksfield (80607)Lynnfield (80605)Jasper Forest (80612)Dual-Core (Dual-Channel, PCIe, Graphics Core)? Auburndale (80608)(canceled) Havendale (80606)(canceled)
Lynnfield processors feature 16PCIe lanes, which can be used in 1x16 or 2x8 configuration. 1 6500 series scalable up to 2 sockets, 7500 series scalable up to 4/8 sockets.[ 17] [ edit ] Codename Market Cores Socket Processor CPUClock rate Turbo TDP Interfaces L3 Release Date Price Chipset Memory Beckton 1 MP Server / 8 (16) LGA Xeon7000[ 18]
X7560 2.26 GHz Yes 130W 4×QPI 6.4GT /s DDR3-800 / 24MB 2010-03-30[ 19] $3692 X7550 2.0 GHz 18 MB $2837 X6550 $2461 L7555 1.86 GHz 95 W 4× QPI 5.86 GT/s 24 MB $3157 6 (12) E7540 2.0 GHz 105 W 4× QPI 6.4 GT/s 18 MB $1980 E6540 12 MB $1712 E7530 1.86 GHz 4× QPI 5.86 GT/s $1391 L7545 95 W 18 MB $2087 6 (6) X7542 2.66 GHz 130 W $1980 4 (8) E7520 1.86 GHz No 105 W 4× QPI 4.8 GT/s $856 E6510 1.73 GHz 12 MB $744 Gainestown DP Server[ 20] 4 (8) LGA Xeon 5000[ 21]
W5590 3.33GHz Yes 130 W 2× QPI 6.4 GT/s 3×DDR3 -13331 8 MB 2009-08-09 $1600 W5580 3.2 GHz 2009-03-29[ 22] $1500 X5570 2.93 GHz 95 W $1286 X5560 2.8 GHz $1072 X5550 2.66 GHz $858 E5540 2.53 GHz 80 W 2× 5.86 GT/s 3× DDR3-10661 $744 E5530 2.4 GHz $530 E5520 2.26 GHz $373 L5530 2.4 GHz 60 W 2009-08-09 $744 L5520 2.26 GHz 2009-03-30 $530 L5518 2.13 GHz $ 4 (4) E5507 2.26 GHz No 80 W 2× 4.8 GT/s 3× DDR3-8001 4 MB 2010-03-16 $266 E5506 2.13 GHz 2009-03-29 L5506 2.13 GHz 60 W $423 E5504 2.0 GHz 80 W $224 2 (4) L5508 2.0 GHz Yes 38 W 2× 5.86 GT/s 3× DDR3-1066 8 MB $ 2 (2) E5503 2.0 GHz No 80 W 2× 4.8 GT/s 3× DDR3-800 4 MB 2010-03-16 $224 E5502 1.86 GHz 2009-03-29 $188 Jasper Forest
4 (8) EC5549 2.53 GHz Yes 85 W 1× 5.86 GT/s 3× DDR3-1333 8 MB 2010-02-11 $530 LC5528 2.13 GHz 60 W 1× 4.8 GT/s 3× DDR3-1066 $519 LC5518 1.73 GHz 48 W 4 (4) EC5509 2 GHz No 85 W $265 2 (4) EC5539 2.27 GHz 65 W 1× 5.86 GT/s 3× DDR3-1333 4 MB $387 Bloomfield UP Server[ 23] 4 (8) Xeon3000[ 24]
W3580 3.33 GHz Yes 130 W 1× QPI 6.4 GT/s 3× DDR3-1333 8 MB 2009-08-09 $999 W3570 3.2 GHz 2009-03-29[ 24] W3565 3.2 GHz 1× QPI 4.8 GT/s 3× DDR3-1066 2009-11-01 $562 W3550 3.06 GHz 2009-08-09 W3540 2.93 GHz 2009-03-29[ 24] W3530 2.8 GHz 2010-03-16 $294 W3520 2.66 GHz 2009-03-29[ 24] $284 2 (2) W3505 2.53 GHz No 4 MB $ W3503 2.4 GHz $ Jasper Forest
4 (4) EC3539 2.13 GHz 65 W DMI 8 MB 2010-02-11 $302 2 (4) LC3528 1.73 GHz Yes 35 W 3× DDR3-800 4 MB 1 (1) LC3518 No 23 W 2 MB $192 Lynnfield 4 (8) LGA X3480 3.06 GHz Yes 95 W DMI 2× DDR3-1333 8 MB 2010-05-30 $612 X3470 2.93 GHz 2009-09-08 $589 X3460 2.8 GHz $316 X3450 2.66 GHz $241 X3440 2.53 GHz $215 L3426 1.86 GHz 45 W $284 4 (4) X3430 2.4 GHz 95 W $189 Bloomfield Enthusiast[ 25] 4 (8) LGA Core i7 975X[ 26] 3.33 GHz Yes 130 W 1× QPI 6.4 GT/s 3× DDR3-1066 2009-05-31 $999 965X 3.2 GHz 2008-11-17 Core i7 960[ 27] 3.2 GHz 1× QPI 4.8 GT/s 2009-10-20 $562 950[ 26] 3.06 GHz 2009-05-31 940 2.93 GHz 2008-11-17 930 2.8 GHz 2010-02-28 $294 920 2.66 GHz 2008-11-17 $284 Lynnfield Performance LGA 880 3.06 GHz Yes 95 W DMI 2× DDR3-1333 2010-05-30 $583 875K 2.93 GHz $342 870[ 28] 2009-09-08 $562 870S 2.66 GHz 82 W 2010-07-19 $351 860 2.8 GHz 95 W 2009-09-08 $284 860S 2.53 GHz 82 W 2010-01-07 $337 4 (4) Core i5 760 2.8 GHz 95 W 2010-07-17 $209 750[ 28] 2.66 GHz 95 W 2009-09-08 $196 750S 2.4 GHz 82 W 2010-01-07 $259 Jasper Forest
Embedded 1 (2) LGA Celeron P1053 1.33 GHz No 30 W 3× DDR3-800 2 MB 2010-12-02 $160
Intel states the Gainestown processors have six memory channels. Gainestown processors have dual QPI links and have a separate set of memory registers for each link in effect, a multiplexed six-channel system.[ 29] [ 30] Codename Market Cores / Socket Processor CoreClock rate Turbo TDP L3 Interface Release date Price Clarksfield Extrememobile
4 (8) Socket G1 rPGA 988
Core i7 940XM 2.13 GHz Yes 55 W 8 MB * DMIPCIe 1 x16 / 2 x8 2010-06-21 $1096 920XM 2.0 GHz 2009-09-23 $1054 Quad-coremobilePerformandemobile
Core i7 840QM 1.86 GHz 45 W 2010-06-21 $568 820QM 1.73 GHz 2009-09-23 $546 740QM 6 MB 2010-06-21 $378 720QM 1.6 GHz 2009-09-23 $364
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Intel CPU core roadmaps from
P6 to Panther Lake
Strike-through indicates cancelled processorsBold names are microarchitecturesItalic names are future processors
