How soon until we see 3ghz Quad Core chips?

[Kaido]

I'm planning on buying a decked-out Mac Pro for work/personal use after OS X 10.5 comes out later this year. Currently, the top-end Mac Pros are offered at 3ghz x 4 cores. In the interest of getting the most bang for my buck, I'd want to pick up a couple quad-core processors for 8 cores total as detailed in this Anandtech article. However, the current fastest quad core chip is the QX6700, clocked at 2.66ghz per core. The computer will be used for a mix of multimedia applications, including video and 3D rendering. I'm particularly interested in an 8-core machine for 3D rendering; that has the potential to cut my render times nearly in half (assuming the software can handle it!). So, how long until we see quad-core chips in the 3ghz range?

Also on a tangent, what would you take for multimedia work - four 3ghz cores or eight 2.66ghz cores?

 

[Roguestar]

You could buy the QX6700 and overclock it, seeing as it handles 3Ghz fine...?

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: Roguestar
You could buy the QX6700 and overclock it, seeing as it handles 3Ghz fine...?

If it is to be used in the Mac Pro, you can't. First, the MP uses a different socket that takes only Xeon series processors (socket 771); Core 2 processors use socket 775. Second, the MP would not support any kind of overclocking.

 

[The-Noid]

There is already a 3 ghz Cloverton processor. X5355. The X5355 is mutl-unlocked so you can change the multi up and be able to run it at 3 ghz easily in a mac pro.

Also you can pinmod the board and still end up with a faster Cloverton by purchasing the less expensive verison. 2CPU.com for information.

 

[ChunkyBarf]

kaido: I always lean toward more cores. You get much better responsiveness. I am sure a clock increase will save you time all things considered, but that is better suited for being away from your desk (i.e. compiling overnight). For actual "sit down at your desk and interface with your computer" work, I recommend more cores (i.e. 8 cores versus 4 cores). This is my personal opinion. I am confident you will be happy no matter what seeing as how you can afford such a behemoth !

Best wishes,
ChunkyBarf

 

[aka1nas]

Unfortunately, that sentiment doesn't scale very well past 2 cores. Regardless of how well programmers are able to multithread programs, Amdahl's Law limits the performance gains possible by adding more cores to single task. Even a hardcore multitasker can only run so many CPU-bound programs at once. At some point, you will be limited by the latency of how long it takes for a single task to complete, in other words single-core performance. In many instances, you will also be I/O bound even trying to keep a quad-core chip busy.

 

[Duvie]

What apps do you run? I have seen in my Autodesk ADT2004 which uses viz renderer not using all 4 cores during rendering. Also 3dsmax7 did not use all of my 4 cores. I think you will start to run into IO factors....

 

[Duvie]

Originally posted by: Yoxxy
There is already a 3 ghz Cloverton processor. X5355. The X5355 is mutl-unlocked so you can change the multi up and be able to run it at 3 ghz easily in a mac pro.

Also you can pinmod the board and still end up with a faster Cloverton by purchasing the less expensive verison. 2CPU.com for information.

intel says the 5355 is only 2.66ghz....

http://processorfinder.intel.com/List.aspx?ProcFam=528&sSpec=&OrdCode=

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: ChunkyBarf
kaido: I always lean toward more cores. You get much better responsiveness. I am sure a clock increase will save you time all things considered, but that is better suited for being away from your desk (i.e. compiling overnight). For actual "sit down at your desk and interface with your computer" work, I recommend more cores (i.e. 8 cores versus 4 cores). This is my personal opinion. I am confident you will be happy no matter what seeing as how you can afford such a behemoth !

Best wishes,
ChunkyBarf

Yay for business machines! I could never afford a Mac Pro like this on my own lol. I wish! It's sad that I google for 3ghz Quad Core and I come up Any update on when the chips will be out?

 

[jpeyton]

Q2/Q3. Intel will respond to AMDs Barcelona launch with a few new Clovertowns, but my guess is that 3GHz 53xx series Xeons will run close to $1k each.

You have no overclocking options with a Mac, unfortunately. Pin-modding isn't an option because any new Clovertowns will run at a default FSB speed of 1333MHz; pin-modding is only an option for 1066MHz FSB CPUs.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
Q2/Q3. Intel will respond to AMDs Barcelona launch with a few new Clovertowns, but my guess is that 3GHz 53xx series Xeons will run close to $1k each.

You have no overclocking options with a Mac, unfortunately. Pin-modding isn't an option because any new Clovertowns will run at a default FSB speed of 1333MHz; pin-modding is only an option for 1066MHz FSB CPUs.

Q2/Q3 is about my target, so I'd have to either pay a premium or wait. I would like to get this machine by the end of the year, so it may be worthwhile to wait it out a bit for Leopard to get the kinks worked out and for the 3ghz Quad chips to drop in price.

 

[Kaido]

Quick update - the grapevine says that 3ghz Quad Core chips from Intel will be out in October. Supposed schedule:

May 2007: C2D mobile (1.8, 2.0, 2.2, 2.4, 2.6ghz)
October 2007: C2D mobile (2.8ghz), 3ghz Quad desktop chips
Q1 2008: 4ghz Quad Core/12mb l2 cache/1333mhz bus :Q

Rumors are rumors...my plan for now is to pick up a 15" MacBook Pro within the next 6 months (if/when the LED-backlit model is released) and then supplement it with a Mac Pro at the end of the year.

 

[jpeyton]

Penryn 45nm quads will probably use a different chipset than current Mac Pros come with.