IDF Day 1 - Paul Otellini's Keynote

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Otellini also showed that the first "Sandy Bridge" silicon is already back in Intel's labs and happily running Windows 7 and simple video encoding tasks. Apparently, it's been back in the labs for about a month.

"Sandy Bridge" is Intel's next-generation micro architecture and is based on Intel's 32nm process - we'll hopefully hear more about the chip later on in the conference.

Given that Intel will be shipping its first 32nm "Westmere" processors later this year, we're expecting to see the company introduce the first "Sandy Bridge" chips towards the end of next year.


"We've begun production of the world's first 32nm microprocessor, which is also the first high-performance processor to integrate graphics with the CPU," said Otellini. "At the same time, we're already moving ahead with development of our 22nm manufacturing technology and have built working chips that will pave the way for production of still more powerful and more capable processors."


The 22nm wafer that Otellini showed off is made up of multiple dies about the size of a fingernail; they contain 364 million bits of SRAM memory and more than 2.9 billion transistors. Additionally, Otellini said that the chips use the smallest SRAM cell used in working circuits ever reported at 0.092 square microns. Intel expects to ship products based on its 22nm process in 2011.