Published on June 13, 2006

'Tri-gate transistors' could also yield a speed boost

Researchers at Intel Corp. have found a better way to insulate circuits, enabling them to save energy as they pack more transistors onto each processor.

Intel could start building chips with these new "tri-gate transistors" by 2010, enabling either a 45% increase in speed or a 35% reduction in total power used, compared to the company's current 65-nanometer process transistors, said Mike Mayberry, director of components research and vice president of Intel's Technology and Manufacturing Group.

AMD Opteron chip will reduce electricity costs compared to Intel

The advance could be a powerful sales tool, since power efficiency is a crucial marketing metric for chips in PCs ranging from powerful servers to mobile laptops and handheld PDAs.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) has purchased billboard ads that claim its Opteron chip will reduce electricity costs compared to Intel's Xeon chips. And Sun Microsystems Inc. frequently taunts competitors Hewlett-Packard Co. and IBM Corp. for using fans to cool their servers, instead of using more efficient chips like Sun's UltraSPARC T1.

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