Core blimey: Intel to demo octo-core CPU

Just when we'd run out of words to describe the performance offered by quad-core CPUs, along comes Intel with an eight-core chip. What are we supposed to do now -- start conjoining superlatives? Damn you, Intel. Damn you and your amazerific new CPU to hell!

Anyhoo, this new batch of 45nm octo-core chips are built on the same Nehalem architecture as the quad-core models, and will form a part of the enterprise-oriented Xeon range. Each has 2.3 billion transistors, eight individual CPUs on a single die, and will also be hyperthreading-enabled so they can execute two concurrent threads on each, for a total of 16 concurrent threads. If you run two on a dual-socket motherboard, you've got the processing equivalent of Professor EinsHawking.

Obviously you, the humble Crave reader, don't need that kind of performance in your home PC right now, but you didn't need dual-core CPUs a few years ago, and look at you now. Go on, look at you, you dual-core-using, multi-threading nerk, you. We're willing to bet within 18 months you'll be fiending for octo-core chips like your life depended on it.

Intel will demonstrate the new CPUs at the IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference (IISSCC) in San Francisco from 8 February, if you fancy popping over to have a look. Tell 'em we sent you.

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