Published in 2005
Chip makers are already creating designs that stretch beyond two cores. Just last month, Raza Microelectronics Inc. in Cupertino, Calif., began shipping its XLR processor line with up to eight cores operating at a frequency of up to 1.5 GHz. Each processing core supports four threads, or simultaneous instructions, for 32 total threads.

The product family is aimed at converged networking and computing applications, according to the company. It will reportedly be in manufacturers’ equipment late this year. Sun’s 90-nanometer UltraSparc IV chip for high-end servers, code-named Niagara and due in 2006, will also reportedly support up to eight cores, each handling four threads.

Meanwhile, as the industry moves to 65nm technology, more transistors will fit on the same silicon real estate. “Operating them at a slightly lower frequency and voltage allows chips with four or more cores to run without significantly increasing the power envelope,” explains Jeff Austin, product marketing manager in Intel’s business client group.

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