CPU clock speeds - in general

[The Borg]

Why is it that since the P4, CPU speeds (appart from OC) have all hovered around 3GHz. Sure, the performance has gone thru the roof, but not the speeds.

Has it not been necessary? Not possible for some physical reason for main stream - remember reading something like that once.

Any comments?

 

[MarcVenice]

It most likely has something to do with the TDP's, which hover around 130w at most. They improve architecture's, so at each cycle a CPU can make more calculations, so even at the same amount of cycles, newer cpu's can still do more work.

But, it might be something physical reason as well, because both AMD and Intel are 'stuck' around 3.0ghz. Then again, most CPU's can overclock a fair bit PAST 3.0ghz, so for intel not to be releasing CPU's faster then the e8600 might have something to do with pricing and marketpositioning.

 

[masteryoda34]

They weren't able to keep the thermals under control as they ramped clockspeed. (Remember the 3.8GHz P4?)

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: The Borg
Has it not been necessary?

You hit it on the head here.

Since neither the Athlon X2 nor the Phenom X4 clockspeeds ramped at 65nm in a way to bring performance pressures to Intel's 2.4-3.2GHz line of SKU's there has simply been no need for Intel to release higher clocked SKU's.

PhII rumors suggest this could change in the forthcoming 6-12months. Time will tell.