Clarkdale, Core i3 and integrated video

As you can see the following, Intel began to migrate to high-performance processors, then switched to the mainstream line (which would be composed of the old family PC with P35 and P45 chipsets, which is used a dedicated 3D card) and finally reached the low-cost PCs, replacing the PC based boards with integrated video. 

Although technically the Clarkdale is still part of the Nehalem family, which incorporates many changes, starting off as a dual-core processor. Because it is smaller and easier to produce, ended up being the first Intel processor to be produced using a new technique to 32 nm, which resulted in a significant reduction in size and production cost of the processor. 

On other occasions, the reduction was also accompanied by a drastic reduction in power consumption and a high degree of overclocking, but unfortunately, those times are gone. The Clarkdale is more efficient than the models of 45 nm, but the difference in consumption of each core is not as dramatic and overclocked frequencies remain stationed in the region of 4.0 GHz 

The striking feature of Clarkdale is the fact that he is a dual-processor chip. Instead of integrating all the circuits directly on the processor core, Intel chose to create a separate chip, containing the video chipset, the PCI Express lanes and memory controller, which is connected to the processor through a QPI link. 

In other words, Intel was downgraded to an architecture based on using a separate chip for the north bridge chipset, similar to what we have on the Core 2 Duo The only difference now is that the northbridge chipset is integrated directly into the CPU:U:

Contrary to what might seem at first glance, the larger the chip that includes the GPU and not the main processor, as shown in this diagram below, provided by Intel. You may notice that most of the space inside the second chip is consumed by the graphics chip itself, illustrating the difficulties in integrating GPUs into processors (since even a low-GPU performance ends up consuming nearly as many transistors as the processor itself). The processor itself uses a conventional layout, with two cores (256 KB of L2 cache each) and a shared L3 cache:

This combination has allowed Intel to combine the output of factories from 45 to 32 nm, but at the same time brought an obvious limitation, which is the fact that the memory controller to be separated again, negating the gains made earlier with the Bloomfield and Lynnfield. The GPU now get the first bite and the processor went to stay with the leftovers. This translated into latency times in his 75Ns, up from 51ns offered by Lynnfield. In this cache processor with little downside could be catastrophic, but the Clarkdale get out more or less unpunished due to L3 cache and scaled.

The model Clarkdale spread between sets of Core and Core i5 i3, and the Pentium G:

Core i5-670: 3.46 GHz (3.76 GHz Turbo), GPU 733 MHz, 2 colors + SMT, 4 MB, TDP of 73W. 
Core i5-661: 3.33 GHz (3.6 GHz Turbo), GPU at 900 MHz, 2 colors + SMT, 4 MB, TDP of 87W. 
Core i5-660: 3.33 GHz (3.6 GHz Turbo), GPU 733 MHz, 2 colors + SMT, 4 MB, TDP of 73W. 
Core i5-650: 3.2 GHz (turbo 3:46 GHz), GPU 733 MHz, 2 colors + SMT, 4 MB, TDP of 73W.

Core i3-540: 3.06 GHz (without turbo), GPU 733 MHz, 2 colors + SMT, 4 MB, TDP of 73W. 
Core i3-530: 2.93 GHz (without turbo), GPU 733 MHz, 2 colors + SMT, 4 MB, TDP of 73W.

Pentium G9650: 2.8 GHz, 533 MHz GPU, 2 colors (no SMT), 3 MB, TDP of 73W.

All processors offer the same basic package, with two cores (each with 256 KB L2 cache) and shared L3 cache, a sort of middle Bloomfield. The difference is in the details.

The models within the series i5 offer the complete package, with support Turbo Mode (though far less aggressive than in Lynnfield), 4 MB of cache and support for LMS, which allows the processor to process 4 threads simultaneously, providing some of the benefits a quad-core processor. The difference between the i5 and i5-660-661 is that the 661 offers a higher clock for the video chipset, resulting in a 3D performance and also a slightly higher TDP (the rest of the two processors are equal and are sold for the same price).

Down to the Core i3, the clocks are lower and you lose support Turbo Mode. In return they are much cheaper and can cover the difference in performance via overclocking.

At the base we have the Pentium G, which assumes the role of low-cost processor, as successor to the Pentium E.Besides not offering Turbo mode, it deletes the SMT and provides support for only 3 MB of L3 cache. He can still offer a pretty respectable performance in overclocking, but the margins tend to be lower than in other models, since they represent the remains of production after the binning process. Another disadvantage is that the Pentium G video chip operates at only 533 MHz

Although a dual-core processor, the Clarkdale is capable of combating the quad-core processors in many situations due to support SMT. In the case of Core i5 it ends up not being as significant (because otherwise they cost the same as many quad-core), but rather it strengthens the position of Core i3, which are capable of overcoming versions clocked considerably higher than the Phenom X4 II, and win by a good margin of the old Core 2 Duo You can see some benchmarks on:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/intel-clarkdale-core-i5-661 .2514-8. html http://techreport.com/articles.x/18216/6 http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3704&p=7 http://hothardware.com/Articles/Intel-Clarkdale-Core-i5-Desktop-Processor-Debuts/?page=7 http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/intel_core_i5_661/4.html

All models use the Clarkdale socket LGA1156 boards but there are some peculiarities. The most obvious is that the P55 chipset based cards are not able to use the integrated video, since they lack the necessary interface and connectors.Processors with integrated video have a pin less (ie have only 1155 pins), which signals the presence of video integrated into the motherboard.

The video signal is transported from the processor to the motherboard via a link FDI (Flexible Display Interface), a single bus, to carry the digital signal to the output circuits. It is supported by the chipsets H55, H57 and Q57, launched in conjunction with the new processors.

Except for the inclusion of the link IDF, these three chipsets are very similar to P55. The differences are so few that there's need 4 chipsets, rather than a single model is questionable. In fact, the main reason for segmentation is not technical but the segmentation between Intel's products for workstation and business mainstream.

The H55 is the base version, with 12 USB 2.0 ports, 6 SATA-300 ports and supports a single PCIe x16 slot. The H57includes two additional USB ports (14 in total) and supports Rapid Storage (RAID), while the Q57 adds support for AMT (Intel Active Management Technology), with support and vPro remote management features offered by it, similar to what we have in the case of Q35 and Q45 chipsets. Excluding these artificial distinctions, the three chipsets are glorified versions of the old chip ICH10, like the P55.

Support for two slots is officially available only in P55, although the card manufacturers have just learned to circumvent the limitation, releasing boards based on the H57 with two x16 slots (8 data lines each), as in the case of Asus P7H57D- V EVO.

We have here the traditional block diagram of the platform. As in Lynnfield, the processor uses a memory controller, DDR3-1333 dual-channel, 16-lane PCI Express. The link to the chipset is made by traditional DMI bus, combined with the IDF, which carries the video signal. Besides the lines PCIe integrated into the processor (which are dedicated to video slots), the chipset offers more than 6 (in H55) or 8 lines (the other models) that are used by x1 or x4 slots on the motherboard and the other peripherals .

The main developments in relation to family chipsets for Core 2 Duo chipset is integrated video (now called "HD Graphics), which received a good grinding. Even optimists will not be able to say that he is "fast", but at least the performance began to be competitive in relation to integrated chipsets from nVidia and AMD, providing a platform for casual players.

HD Graphics received two processing units, bringing the total to 12 (against 10 of the GMA X4500HD). Combined with other minor improvements, this resulted in a gain clock for clock at around 20%.

The clock varies with the model, the 900 MHz Core i5-661, 733 MHz in the other versions of i3 and i5 and 533 MHz Pentium-G, but everyone has the ability to overclock via the Setup, raising the frequency to 1.0 GHz or more.

Good overclocking margin ends up being the main argument in favor of HD Graphics, as it allows you to get a performance significantly superior to that offered by a 790GX. You can for example play Left4Dead 2 to 1280x800 at around 30 FPS with the graphics settings at least, not to mention older games. Although few regular players are content with a performance so low, we have a much larger number of casual players, who rarely go beyond that offered by the integrated video. For them HD Graphics is undoubtedly a welcome development.