Why no 45nm technology?

charliecrosslan · Feb 29, 2008

I just don't understand why there's no 45nm in the MBA. I suspect intel must have been working on it for a while and the 45nm has been developed since that.

Any comments welcome and that!

rogair · Feb 29, 2008

I thought it was 45nm..... or is it just a smaller 65nm?

cwa107 · Feb 29, 2008

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Intel custom made the chip for this specific application and it's not a part of their regular Core 2 Duo line-up?

Just a guess....

charliecrosslan · Feb 29, 2008

rogair said:
I thought it was 45nm..... or is it just a smaller 65nm?

yes, it's 65 nm.

dtravis7 · Feb 29, 2008

cwa107 said:
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Intel custom made the chip for this specific application and it's not a part of their regular Core 2 Duo line-up?

Just a guess....

That is the exact reason. Intel even stated that.

fleurya · Feb 29, 2008

cwa107 said:
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Intel custom made the chip for this specific application and it's not a part of their regular Core 2 Duo line-up?

Just a guess....

dtravis7 said:
That is the exact reason. Intel even stated that.

I wouldn't exactly put it that way. It's not like the MBA is going to be the only computer with this chip. Intel isn't going to put all that work in and only sell it to Apple for the relatively microscopic number of MBA's they'll sell. I'm pretty sure all the major manufacturers interested in building ultraportables are building systems around this new chip.

cwa107 · Feb 29, 2008

fleurya said:
I wouldn't exactly put it that way. It's not like the MBA is going to be the only computer with this chip. Intel isn't going to put all that work in and only sell it to Apple for the relatively microscopic number of MBA's they'll sell. I'm pretty sure all the major manufacturers interested in building ultraportables are building systems around this new chip.

Right, but from what I understand, Apple commissioned the product, which is a deviation from the rest of the Core 2 line, regardless of whether it will eventually be used in other products.

charliecrosslan · Feb 29, 2008

What exactly is the advantage of the new technology/ how is it better and that.

cwa107 · Feb 29, 2008

charliecrosslan said:
What exactly is the advantage of the new technology/ how is it better and that.

According to initial reports, performance-wise, it's about the same. The primary benefits of a die-shrink are generally better power and thermal efficiency.

dtravis7 · Feb 29, 2008

cwa107 said:
According to initial reports, performance-wise, it's about the same. The primary benefits of a die-shrink are generally better power and thermal efficiency.

Exactly, better battery life and lower heat. Anand has his review up on anandtech.com. Good review.

Also check his first comments back when the Air came out. He also thought Jobs was exaggerating about Intel making the CPU in the AIR basically for them, but he has friends at Intel and found out it was pretty close to the truth.

Yes others will use it down the line but it was done for the Macbook Air way ahead of time.