Westmere (microarchitecture) (original) (raw)

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CPU microarchitecture by Intel

Westmere

Topside of a Core i7-970
General information
Launched	January 7, 2010; 15 years ago (January 7, 2010)
Performance
Max. CPU clock rate	1.06 GHz to 4.40 GHz
QPI speeds	4.80 GT/s to 6.40 GT/s
DMI speeds	2.50 GT/s
Cache
L1 cache	64 KB per core
L2 cache	256 KB per core
L3 cache	2 to 30 MB shared
Architecture and classification
Microarchitecture	Nehalem
Instruction set	x86-16, IA-32, x86-64
Extensions	AES-NI, CLMULMMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4, SSE4.1, SSE4.2VT-x, VT-d
Physical specifications
Transistors	382M to 2600M 32nm
Cores	2-6 (4-10 Xeon)
GPUs	533 MHz to 900 MHz177M 45nm (K0)
Sockets	LGA 1156LGA 1366LGA 1567rPGA988A
Products, models, variants
Model	Core i_n_, Xeon
History
Predecessor	Nehalem
Successor	Sandy Bridge
Support status
Unsupported

Connection of the GPU inside the Westmere microarchitecture

Westmere (formerly Nehalem-C) is a CPU microarchitecture developed by Intel. It is a 32 nm die shrink of its predecessor, Nehalem, and shares the same CPU sockets with it. Some Westmere models have integrated graphics processors, branded as Intel HD Graphics, that support DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL 2.1 API.

The first _Westmere_-based processors were released on January 7, 2010. They were labeled under Intel's Core, Pentium, Celeron, and Xeon brandings.

Westmere's feature improvements from Nehalem, as reported, include:

• Native six-core (Gulftown) and ten-core (Westmere-EX) processors.[1]
• AES-NI instruction set support:[2]
  • Out of the total seven new instructions, six implement the AES algorithm specifically, the remaining PCLMULQDQ instruction (see CLMUL instruction set) accelerates carry-less multiplication for use in cryptography and data compression.[3]
• Integrated graphics, fabricated on a separate die using 45 nm process, and added onto the processor package, beside the CPU die, (for dual core Arrandale and Clarkdale only).
• Improved virtualization latency[4] and support for VMX Unrestricted mode, allowing 16-bit guests to run in real mode and big real mode.
• Support for "Huge Pages" of 1 GB in size.

Translation lookaside buffer sizes [5]

Intel Xeon E7-2850 die shot (Westmere-EX)

• TDP includes the integrated GPU, if present.
• Clarkdale processors feature 16 PCIe 2.0 lanes, which can be used in 1x16 or 2x8 configuration.
• Clarkdale and Arrandale contain the 32 nm dual core processor Hillel and the 45 nm integrated graphics device Ironlake, and support switchable graphics.[7][8]
• Only certain higher-end CPUs support AES-NI and 1GB Huge Pages.

Server / Desktop processors

[edit]

The successor to Nehalem and Westmere is Sandy Bridge.

• List of Intel CPU microarchitectures
• Tick-Tock model

1. ^ Valich, Theo (2009-04-16). "Intel says no to 28nm, focuses on 22nm: Ivy Bridge/Haswell & Larrabee". Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
2. ^ Smalley, Tim (2007-09-19), Westmere is Nehalem's successor, bit-tech.net
3. ^ Carry-Less Multiplication and Its Usage for Computing The GCM Mode – Intel Software Network, 2008-04-11, retrieved 2009-03-01
4. ^ Fuad Abazovic (2008-09-16), Westmere 32nm to improve Nehalem features, Fudzilla.com, archived from the original on 2015-02-19, retrieved 2009-03-01
5. ^ "Intel® Developer Zone" (PDF). Retrieved January 16, 2013.[_dead link_]
6. ^ "Westmere-EX 10 core CPUs announced by Intel at IDF". TweakTown. September 14, 2010.
7. ^ Bell, Brandon (2009-02-10), Intel CPU Roadmap 2009–2010, FS Media, Inc, retrieved 2009-03-01
8. ^ CPU list, archived from the original on 2012-03-01
9. ^ Westmere-EX: Intel Improves their Xeon Flagship, archived from the original on April 9, 2011
10. ^ Intel Launches New Xeon Chips with Up to Ten Cores, archived from the original on 2012-07-17, retrieved 2012-08-20
11. ^ Hilbert Hagedoorn (March 15, 2011). "Intel ships a 4.4GHz Xeon X5698". The Guru of 3D.
12. ^ Intel pushes workhorse Xeons to six cores
13. ^ Intel Xeon X5690 - AT80614005913AB (BX80614X5690)
14. ^ Intel Launches Its Most Secure Data Center Processor, archived from the original on 2011-09-29, retrieved 2018-11-18
15. ^ Intel Clarkdale Processor, XTREVIEW, 2009-02-09, retrieved 2009-03-01

• Official Intel homepage for Westmere-EP
• Official Intel homepage for Westmere-EX
• Westmere-EX: A 20 thread server CPU Archived 2014-02-02 at the Wayback Machine (PDF)