Intel plans launch its new mobile dual-core that supports
four threads, Turbo overclocking and has IGP graphics on the same socket in Q1
2010, probably in early January. Intel calls it Arrandale if you talk about notebooks,
and it's Clarksdale in the desktop environment.
Part of this new CPU is a graphics core that will end up
in many Calpella platform based notebooks. The fun part is that Intel brands
Arrandale as Core i7 or Core i5, even though it would be more fair to users to brand it
as Core i3, but since Intel can get away with it, it will use more powerful
brands for less powerful CPUs with key goal to boost its sales.
Intel promises “great 3D experience for mainstream consumer
usage” which does mean that this IGP will be faster than GM45, but it’s very
hard to make any IGP worse than any of the Intel’s legacy ones.
Intel also promises high quality Windows 7 experience and
DirectX 10 and OpenGL 2.1 support, but we would not bet that you will be able to
play any modern DirectX 10 games in this environment. The first tests indicate
that Nvidia’s ION eats Arrandale's GMA HD graphics alive, and remember, Nvidia
should have Ion 2 by the end of the year. In all fairness, Arrandale GMA HD does score much
better than GM45.
You will be able to play HD including Blu-ray and Intel
promises perfect HQV and HD-HQV scores, but fails to back this up with any facts.