Just when you thought computer chips could get no smaller and no more compact than the existing crop, Intel has come out and unveiled the latest in its microchip technology – the 3D transistor structure. This new transistor structure, known as Tri-Gate, will make processors that are smaller than ever before, yet faster and also providing an eco-friendly touch by running at a lower voltage than the standard processor chips of today.
Talk of Tri-Gate processors has been going on for the best part of a decade now and should Intel get mass production underway quickly (factory upgrades are planned for 2012), researchers say that the premier computer chip manufacturers could have as much as a 3-year technological lead over their competition, which, in case you were wondering, is huge.
As far as the technical aspect of the Tri-Gate (also nicknamed Ivy Bridge) is concerned, it will implement the 22nm production design. If Intel’s statistics are to be believed, this new design would reduce power consumption by almost 37% as compared to the existing 32nm architecture and that can only be a good thing for the world in the current climate. We should expect to see Tri-Gate products hitting the market and available for mass consumption sometime next year.
Via: CNet
