Intel pumps the Mobile Extreme again

Santa Clara (USA) – A little over a month after the introduction of the first Core 2 Duo Extreme processor for notebooks, the X7800, Intel has already announced its heir: the X7900, which brings the clock frequency from 2, 6 GHz a 2.8 GHz .

Aside from the core clock, the new chip retains the same characteristics as its predecessor: 4 MB L2 cache, 800 MHz front-side bus, 44 watt thermal design power and 65 nanometer process technology. Belonging to the Extreme family, the X7900 has the bus frequency unlocked, and therefore allows users to overclock it: generally, however, the thermal requirements of notebooks provide little room for maneuver in this regard.

The X7900 is wholesaled at the same price as the X7800, equal to 851 dollars .

In mid-August Intel also introduced two new quad-core Xeons , the X5365 ($ 1,172) and the L5335 ($ 380), both aimed at high-performance servers. The chipmaker claims that the X5365 is the first quad-core processor to hit the frequency of 3 GHz a clock that, however, caused consumption to rise a 120 watts .

Those who want a quad-core processor less demanding of electricity must turn their gaze to the L5335 which, giving up a thousand megahertz (its clock is 2 GHz ), brings the TDP to 50 watts . The two new Xeons have one in common new extension of Intel Virtualization Technology which improves interrupt handling when virtualizing a 32-bit version of Windows.

Yesterday Intel then unveiled the new evolution of its vPro business platform , first introduced in September last year. As known, vPro is based on virtualization and manageability technologies developed by the Californian chipmaker and Core 2 Duo processors. The platform now embraces the most recently introduced chipsets, such as the Q35 Express, and introduces the Trusted Execution Technology (TXT, formerly codenamed LaGrande), which protects data within virtualized environments.

“Used in conjunction with next-generation virtualization technology, Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I / O, Intel TXT ensures that virtual machine monitors are less vulnerable to attacks that cannot be detected by conventional security software” Intel explains in this release. Basically, Intel TXT takes advantage of the security features built into hardware to isolate data in protected virtual memory partitions from unauthorized access from software running in different partitions.

With the new version of vPro Intel also claims to have improved filters for network threat detection, to have extended support for manageability solutions for 802.1x wireless networks, and to have added Intel Active Management to its management technology. Technology (AMT) tool for remote system configuration and stricter compliance with industry standards such as DASH 1.0 and WS-MAN specification.