Intel Core (microarchitecture)
 |
|
| L1 cache | 64 kB per core |
|---|---|
| L2 cache | 1 MB to 8 MB unified |
| L3 cache | 8 MB to 16 MB shared (Xeon) |
| Model | Celeron Series |
| Created | 2006 |
| Transistors | 105M 65 nm (A1, M0) |
| Architecture | Intel Core x86 |
| Instructions | MMX |
| Extensions | |
| Socket(s) | |
| Predecessor | Enhanced Pentium M |
| Successor |
Penryn (tick) Nehalem (tock) |
The Intel Core microarchitecture (previously known as the Next-Generation Micro-Architecture) is a multi-core processor microarchitecture unveiled by Intel in Q1 2006. It is based on the Yonah processor design and can be considered an iteration of the P6 microarchitecture, introduced in 1995 with Pentium Pro. The high power consumption and heat intensity, the resulting inability to effectively increase clock speed, and other shortcomings such as the inefficient pipeline were the primary reasons for which Intel abandoned the NetBurst microarchitecture and switched to completely different architectural design, delivering high efficiency through a small pipeline rather than high clock speeds. The Core microarchitecture never reached the clock speeds of the Netburst microarchitecture, even after moving to 45 nm lithography; however, after many successor microarchitectures which improved upon the Core microarchitecture (such as Nehalem, Sandy Bridge and others) Intel managed to surpass the clock speeds of Netburst using the Haswell microarchitecture which reached 4 GHz using 22nm lithography and ultimately derives from the P6 microarchitecture through the Core microarchitecture and many other succeeding improvements.
The first processors that used this architecture were code-named 'Merom', 'Conroe', and 'Woodcrest'; Merom is for mobile computing, Conroe is for desktop systems, and Woodcrest is for servers and workstations. While architecturally identical, the three processor lines differ in the socket used, bus speed, and power consumption. Mainstream Core-based processors are branded Pentium Dual-Core or Pentium and low end branded Celeron; server and workstation Core-based processors are branded Xeon, while Intel's first 64-bit desktop and mobile Core-based processors were branded Core 2.
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