Get ready for the new generation of Pentium Processors<\/p>\n
By Zatni Arbi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Here's another term you'll be hearing a lot in
\nthe next couple of months: Media rich. Coming from the
\nmicroprocessor maker that far and away dominates the PC world,
\nthis buzzword is expected to have a strong impact, particularly
\nwhen the next generation of Pentium processors become widely
\navailable. Which won't be long, maybe about next April.<\/p>\n
These new, 4.5 million-transistor Pentiums are not processor
\nchips with higher clock speed ratings. They are still the Pentium
\n166 and 200 MHz for the desktop with the implementation of the
\nMMX technology. This time, however, Intel breaks the tradition of
\nletting the mobile computing world lag behind the desktop. This
\ntime it has simultaneously introduced the 150 and 166 MHz for the
\nmobile computer with the same new technology implemented.<\/p>\n
I've mentioned the MMX technology in a couple of my past
\narticles, but since Intel formally launched the new
\nmicroprocessors in the United States last week, I guess it's time
\nwe take a closer look at the new technology in order to get some
\nidea of where it is moving so as to make a better decision in our
\ninevitable next purchasing plan.<\/p>\n
Eight bit<\/p>\n
The computer users' thirst for better graphics performance,
\nhigher quality audio and video never seems to be satisfied.
\nFurthermore, the Internet is no longer merely a source for
\ninformation, it has become the place for in interactive
\nentertainment. The media-rich content of the World Wide Web, 3-D
\ngraphics, virtual reality, real-time animation, all further whet
\nthe users appetite for better and better multimedia performance.<\/p>\n
The MMX technology, which Intel claims to be their biggest
\ninnovation in the last ten years (they consider it as monumental
\nas the move from the 16-bit 80286 to the 32-bit 80386
\narchitecture), promises what users with an insatiable hunger for
\nmore processing power want.<\/p>\n
A Pentium processor with the MMX technology will process eight
\nbits of data in a parallel fashion as opposed to one at a time as
\nin the conventional Pentium processors. Intel calls this mode
\n'Single Instruction Multiple Data', or SIMD. A set of 57 new
\ninstructions has been added specifically to handle in parallel
\nthe integer computation common in multimedia algorithms. As can
\nbe expected, this yields a performance increase of up to eight
\nfold--depending on the degree to which the application has been
\ndesigned to take advantage of this feature.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, because of the new instructions, the processor
\nhas less work to do. This creates a 'headroom', which software
\ndevelopers can take advantage of by adding new features to their
\nprograms.<\/p>\n
Performance<\/p>\n
The new Pentium processors, according to Intel, will have an
\nimprovement of up to 60 percent in executing multimedia
\ninstructions over the non-MMX ones. In addition, the internal
\ncache has been doubled in size to 32 KB. This, obviously, yields
\na performance boost over the conventional Pentium processors,
\nwhich have only a 16 KB internal cache. The new chips also have a
\nmore efficient branch prediction, which Intel says will increase
\nperformance over the plain-vanilla processors of the same clock
\nspeed by 10 to 20 percent.<\/p>\n
With all these enhancements, the MMX technology will usher in
\nsuch features as life-like color, full-screen video and graphics,
\nreal time animation and manipulation of images, 3-D audio and
\ndynamic lighting. Furthermore, it will turn the PC into a world-
\nclass virtual reality machine. Game lovers have never had it
\nbetter.<\/p>\n
As we'd expect, Intel will incorporate MMX in their future
\nprocessors, including the Pentium Pros and Pentium OverDrives.
\nAll new PCs based on the MMX-capable Pentium chips will bear the
\nMMX logo in addition to the ubiquitous 'Intel Inside' logo. The
\nlogo looks like a triangular 'hat' on the upper left corner,
\npainted in rainbow colors.<\/p>\n
Other characteristics of the new Pentiums include the dual
\nvoltage use. Their I\/O still uses the 3.3 Volt current so that no
\nmodification is necessary to the existing PC components. The core
\nof the processors uses 2.8 Volt instead, so--contrary to what
\nsome observers in the industry have suspected--heat is not a
\nproblem. The mobile version utilizes even lower voltage level,
\ni.e., 2.45 Volt, so that thermal performance is better than the
\nolder generation. Except for the dual voltage supply, the MMX
\nPentium processors are pin-compatible with the other Pentiums.<\/p>\n
The chips are built on Intel's enhanced .35 micron CMOS
\nprocess technology, which results in low power consumption. If
\nyou're a do-it-yourselfer, you can buy the boxed version of the
\nprocessor. In the box you'll get the processor, the fan and
\nheatsink, a CD-ROM sampler containing demos and applications that
\nare already optimized for MMX, and the 'Intel Inside plus MMX'
\nsticker.<\/p>\n
Applications<\/p>\n
In order to reap the benefits of this technology, we have to
\nrun software that has been developed specifically for it.
\nDevelopers of MMX-enabled software programs, such as interactive
\ngames and references, will place the MMX logo on their boxes, so
\nthat consumers will be able to tell them apart from non-MMX
\nsoftware.<\/p>\n
Who will benefit most from this new technology? If you use
\nthe PC only for creating text-based documents or spreadsheets,
\nyou won't really have to go after the MMX technology. But if you
\nwork with the so-called media rich content, you'll be able to
\nwork more efficiently with MMX processors. Voice recognition,
\nsuch as IBM's VoiceType, will definitely benefit from MMX, and
\nIBM has pledged their support for this technology. Video playback
\nwill be improved, as both the frame rate and color depth are
\nincreased. Image manipulation, such as photo-retouching, will be
\nsnappier, as the processors now work on eight pixels
\nsimultaneously instead of only one.<\/p>\n
MMX will also help those who use videoconferencing
\napplications over the plain old telephone system (POTS) network,
\nan application that will become more common in 1997.<\/p>\n
Decision<\/p>\n
Here comes again the classic question: Should you wait until
\nthese new processors become widely available, or should you go
\nahead and buy a new Pentium machine today? As always, it depends
\non when you need the new machine.<\/p>\n
If you envision the applications you'll be using will not deal
\nmuch with media rich content, you don't really have to wait. But
\nif you use multimedia, including voice recognition and video
\nconferencing, you should definitely wait for a couple of months.
\nMMX technology will give you significant performance boost for
\nyour video, audio and communication tasks.<\/p>",
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