For quite some time now, Intel has been the undisputed leader when it comes to laptop CPU performance. This advantage comes from the fact that Intel has successfully scaled its desktop processor technology for use in the mobile platform. That trend continues with the latest mobile processor platform being unleashed today from Intel: the “Clarksfield”-based Core i7 Mobile processor family and the new PM55 Express Chipset.
What this means is that Core i7 Mobile-based notebooks will see a number of the same benefits that Core i7 desktops already have, such as integrating the memory controller into the processor die, using a three-level cache hierarchy, utilizing Hyper-Threading technology, and taking advantage of Intel Turbo Boost Technology. What Lynnfield/Clarksfield adds to the equation is on-die PCI Express connectivity, getting rid of the Northbridge chip, and improving the Intel Turbo Boost Technology (from the original Nehalem architecture). Additionally, whereas only the previous Centrino 2 mobile (“Penryn”) microarchitecture had primarily dual-core offerings, all of the Core i7 Mobile solutions are quad cores. The three Penryn-based quad-core mobile processors (the 2.53GHz Core 2 Extreme QX9300, 2.26GHz Core 2 Quad Mobile Q9100, and 2.0GHz Core 2 Quad Mobile Q9000) are made from two dual-core chips merged together in a single CPU package, while Clarksfield uses a single-chip (monolithic) design.
Core i7 Mobile processors are available in three versions. The flagship processor is the Core i7-920XM, which has a base speed of 2.0GHz and goes up to 3.2GHz using Turbo Boost. The Core i7 has a die size of approximately 296mm2 and contains roughly 774-million transistors. The die includes four physical execution cores, three levels of cache, an integrated memory controller, and PCI Express interconnects. is that unlike the Core i7 900-series support for triple-channel DDR3 memory, the Core i7 Mobile instead supports just dual-channel DDR3. The Core i7 Mobile processor supports configurations of 16 PCI Express 2.0 lanes per GPU or two sets of 8 PCI Express 2.0 lanes.
Clarksfield is the next generation of the Nehalem microarchitecture and brings with it a number of new technologies to the Intel-based mobile platform, such as a three-level cache, integrating the memory controller and PCI Express interconnects onto the processor die, as well as getting rid of the Northbridge chip. Clarksfield also represents the return of Hyper-Threading to the Intel notebook platform, which it hasn’t seen since the Mobile Pentium 4 (not counting netbook-based Intel Atom processors). And whereas only a handful of the higher-end Penryn processor are quad core chips (two dual-core processors coupled together), all of the Clarksfield processors are quad core and utilize a monolithic die.
The Core i7-820QM and Core i7-720QM processors are more reasonably priced ($546 and $364, respectively), which will equate to more affordable notebooks. In fact, Dell has just started selling a Core i7-720QM-based notebook today with a starting price of $999: