[NEWS] - Prescott to dissipate over 100W

[CougTek]

From X-bit Laboratories :

Despite of the fact that the code-named Prescott will be made using 90nm fabrication process using Intel Strained Silicon technology, the babe will be very hot and will eat loads of electricity. According to this report, the Prescott 3.60GHz processor’s Thermal Design Power will be about 103W, 15% more from initial expectations of 89W. A version of Prescott processor for DTR notebooks will typically dissipate about 94W heat.

Don't put your finger on it.

This kind of power requirement starts to feel a tad insane to me.

Submitted by CougTek

 

[Groltz]

Weird.

Here I was thinking that the migration to the 90nm process would allow for relatively cool running CPUs.

 

[jtr1962]

One of the problems with migration to a smaller transistor size is increased leakage current, meaning that even if the clock speed is zero the chip will still have a substantial power dissipation. Besides that, the other reason behind the large power dissipation is obvious-the 3.60 GHz clock speed. I know I might be alone here thinking that clock speeds and power dissipations are getting ridiculous but what we really need is for one manufacturer to make a processor with a power dissipation < 10W as part of an entirely passively cooled system. I'll guess that we could have clock speeds of maybe 1 to 1.5 GHz, which is more than adequate for 95% of users. This way we save the hot, fast machines for those who really need them. Excessive overkill seems to be a symptom of too many things nowadays, including computers. Stop software bloat and then you ease the need for such machines.

I'll admit that one nice side effect of high power dissipation is that the $10 uprocessor heat sinks can double for use on my thermoelectric cooler projects. I guess every dark cloud has it's silver lining

 

[CougTek]

...what we really need is for one manufacturer to make a processor with a power dissipation < 10W as part of an entirely passively cooled system.

That would be VIA. I would like to see desktop processors like Banias though. Great performances combined with very low power dissipation.

Excessive overkill...

Redundant.

 

[NRG = mc²]

The current limitation regarding cooling on todays system is just the lack of a proper form factor. Or should I say, compatibility issues.

If you have a custom designed system that doesn't need to retain compatibility with various third party hardware and adhere to ATX standards, an entire system including 150W CPU can be -quietly- (<25dB) cooled by two fans (even one - e.g. Papst 3412L 23dB 36CFM) if ducting and efficient heatsinks are used for both the CPU and the power supply unit.

But as most systems use inpingement cooling and recirculate the hot internal air, one has the same amount of cooling from a 25CFM fan as could be obtained with a proper blow through heatsink (eg. Xeon) with cool outside air being blown at it with a 15CFM fan (22dB vs 15dB unmounted).

In short,the system sucks.

 

[NRG = mc²]

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=i...$g25.836@newsfep3-gui.server.ntli.net&rnum=19

 

[Buck]

<dream>

In other words, get a 170mm diamter pipe, put a 170mm fan at both ends (intake and exhaust) and strategically place all of the computer components in between the fans inside of the pipe in order to take advantage of the airflow.

</dream>

 

[timwhit]

Hey it's possible. You can never tell what the future will hold.

 

[jtr1962]

Better yet, lower the power requirements enough, and/or use the case for passive cooling of the processor and hard drives, and you get rid of the fans entirely. The point of having no fans is that you have a sealed case(no dust) and only noise from the drives. This can only help from a reliability standpoint. When solid state drives are in common use you'll have a completely silent system(finally).