A new chip unveiled by hardware maker Intel is hoping to take graphics processing back to the x86 instruction set while still offering DirectX and OpenGL support, according to TechReport. The chip will be offered as discrete chip on motherboards as well as a standalone processor to compete directly with the GeForce and Radeon products.

Dubbed "Larrabee", the chip was unveiled at this year's SIGGRAPH conference and sports a variety of new technical features, including a fully coherent memory subsystem which allows for more efficient multi-chip implementation.

Should the x86-based graphical rendering capabilities prove viable to developers, Larrabee could serve as a cost-efficient alternative to expensive PC video cards, such as those produced by AMD and Nvidia. TechReport explains the chip... Read more

Games using hardware-intensive ray tracing technology could appear in the next two to three years, according to PC component maker Intel.

"I dare say that in two to three years time we will see something [using ray tracing from game developers]," Intel engineering manager Michael Vollmer told PCGH.

Ray tracing calculates how light interacts with objects, including proper reflections and shadows. The results are often described as photo-realistic (see example above), with the process used create computer-generated effects in films and television shows.

Intel had previously demonstrated a version of Raven Software's Quake 4 that utilized ray traced graphics, which some criticized for not showing a marked improvement. However, Vollmer noted that "a complete demo, which contains the graphical aspect, too, is likely to look different."

"Ray tracing [for games] is still in an early stage," he stressed, noting that though it has "all the basic features already, like shadow cast, surface reflections," the transition to a new technology is often slow and laborious.

Hardware maker AMD and physics technology provider Havok, a subsidiary of AMD competitor Intel, have begun working together to optimize the performance of Havok technology on AMD machines.

The comes months after Intel and AMD competitor Nvidia bought physics powerhouse AGEIA, and marks the latest game-oriented move from AMD, which recently introduced AMD Game!, a console-esque PC hardware brand.

"The success of Havok as a cross platform software company is predicated on our willingness to listen to the needs of our customers," explained Havok director David O'Meara, who noted that the companies hope to investigate CPU "game play simulation" and the "capabilities of massively parallel products."

Havok's multi-platform technology is used in over 300 games, going by today's press release. Prominent examples include 2K Boston and 2K Australia's BioShock, Midway Chicago's Stranglehold, and Ensemble Studio's Age of Empires III.

"By working with the clear market leader in physics software, AMD can optimize our platforms to consistently deliver the best possible visual experience to the gamer," added AMD graphics product VP Rick Bergman.

The major Intel CPU price cuts are in and if you've been waiting around for that CPU upgrade it's about as good of a time as any. Cuts by as much as almost 40% on some chips. Sassy.

Some of you may remember AMD took Intel to court for being a mean monopoly a while back. Well it looks like a court has now ordered Intel to produce documents pertaining to their affairs outside of the US. A little earlier the US part of the case was thrown out but that has now been reversed along with this ruling.

"Intel's acquiescence to the Special Master's findings is a big win for AMD,” said Thomas M. McCoy, AMD executive vice president, legal affairs and chief administrative officer. “This case remains firmly focused on the worldwide misbehavior of a global monopolist. This ruling also removes any basis for Intel or its foreign customers to withhold evidence of Intel's exclusion, regardless of where it occurred. We will proceed vigorously to prove that Intel abuses its global monopoly power by limiting or excluding competition, which ultimately hurts consumers worldwide.”

As TR mentions Intel is also being investigated in Europe and South Korea for antitrust issues. Last March Intel was also given a warning by Japan's FTC for possibly being a little naughty instead of nice.

Related to the news below is this bit-tech.net article about the Source Engine's support for multicore CPUs. Valve's Gabe Newell, Tom Leonard, Brian Jacobson and Jay Stelly talk about what becomes possible with the technology's multithreading support.

Got quadcore? Intel does, with the release of the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 CPU. Reviews can be found at HardOCP, Tech Report, AnandTech, PC Perspective, Digit-Life, Motherboards.org, bit-tech.net, Trusted Reviews, Nordic Hardware, Sharky Extreme, Legit Reviews, Techspot, Neoseeker, Boot Daily and HardCoreWare, Hexus.

The usual suspects like Tech Report, HardOCP and AnandTech have gotten their hands on Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme chips, the new Intel CPUs based on a brand new architecture. Intel is introducing five such CPUs, ranging in price from a $163 1.86Ghz Core 2 Duo E6300 to a $999 2.93ghz Core 2 Extreme X6800. Though HardOCP's tests don't show much difference between the top of line Core 2 and Athlon FX-62 CPUs, AnandTech and Tech Report are very impressed with Intel's latest.

After years of wandering in the wilderness, Intel has recaptured the desktop CPU performance title in dramatic fashion. Both the Core 2 Extreme X6800 and the Core 2 Duo E6700 easily outperform the Athlon 64 FX-62 across a range of applications—and the E6600 is right in the hunt, as well. Not only that, but the Core 2 processors showed no real weaknesses in our performance tests. (I would say that Core looks like a more balanced architecture than Netburst, but at this stage of the game, Netburst just seems slow almost across the board.) No matter what you're hoping to do with your PC, a Core 2 processor should be a very solid choice.

Intel is set to launch the Core 2 CPUs July 27, though availability might be limited for quite some time. In case you want more benchmarking articles, you can find them at bit-tech.net, Bytesector, Phoronix, Gamepyre, Sharky Extreme, Hexus, GDHardware, SimHQ, FiringSquad and GotFrag.

AnandTech's Computex coverage includes this Core 2 Duo (Conroe) benchmarking article, where they independently assembled a machine for testing. Gaming performance was tested with Quake 4, Battlefield 2 and F.E.A.R.

Tech Report has a story up with details on Core, the new processor microarchitecture that Intel will be using for server, desktops, and mobile applications. One Core based CPU will be the Conroe desktop processor, which Intel says will be up to 40% faster than the Pentium D 950 while using 40% less power. Core-based products will come out later this year. Update: AnandTech has a Conroe preview with some nice looking benchmark numbers.

After many years Intel is set to replace its Intel Inside slogan, switching over to the goofy "Leap ahead" as the company starts a rebranding campaign. As part of this campaign, Intel will also change its logo. Additional details of the campaign will be unveiled during next week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Thanks Tech Report.

New at Anand Tech today is this article taking a look at overclocking Intel's upcoming Pentium and Pentium D processors, which are being manufactured with a new 65nm process.

Tech-Report is wrapping up some details from the most recent Intel Developer Forum which always gives a good idea of where Intel is heading with their CPUs.

Tech-Report has compiled up quite a few details on the next generation of Intel CPU architecture burning up a wallet near you in the coming years.

There's an Intel Q&A on PenStar Systems, asking George Alfs about the company's current & upcoming products and technologies.

Here's one to get the tech nerds hot and bothered. Some early details on the Pentium 5 chip which is said to be coming to market late next year. Make sure and hold your breath.

As noted in this press release on Intel.com, the CPU manufacturer will be releasing a special version of the Pentium 4 3.2Ghz called the Extreme Edition. This CPU, targeted towards gamers, features a whopping 2mb of level 3 cache, much more than the current Pentium 4 and actually much closer to the Xeon MP server CPU. Pricing is not yet available, the CPU should be available in stores in one or two months. Thanks [H].

According to this CNET story, AMD will be releasing their XP 3200+ CPU soon. Besides the CPU Mhz increase, the front side bus speed will go from 333mhz to 400mhz. Intel's already at a 800mhz FSB though, and it's expected they'll release a 3.2Ghz Pentium 4 soon.

According to this story on HardOCP, Intel has resumed shipment of their Pentium 4 3.06Ghz CPU with 800mhz FSB. The anomaly found last week is fixable through a BIOS update, and Intel will issue such a software update.

If you just bought a Pentium 4 CPU last week, Intel has now owned you. The company has announced price cuts for its fastest CPUs, which means the 3ghz is now 32% cheaper and the 2.4ghz is now 38% cheaper.