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Intel demonstrated a SkullTrail system at IDF. SkullTrail is a high-end desktop with SLI graphics and two quad-core CPUs. That’s eight cores total.

SkullTrail is designed for Intel’s next-generation Penryn processors.

The SkullTrail motherboard had two LGA-771 sockets. These are Xeon workstation and server sockets. However, the processors used were the desktop processors codenamed Yorkfield.

Some analysts have commented that they do not think there is any difference between the quad-core Yorkfield and its quad-core server counterpart called Harpertown. Both Yorkfield and Harpertown are based on the same process technology and the same second-generation microarchitecture, so they are very similar. However, according to Intel, “there are slight differences in the hardware prefetchers in Xeon vs. desktop Core 2″ (p. 2).

SkullTrail also featured SLI from NVIDIA. SLI was made possible by putting two media and communications processors (MCPs) on the motherboard. “This isn’t an SLI licensing deal; this is Intel purchasing NVIDIA MCPs” (p. 2).

Intel still does not own a license for SLI. So if Intel can do it this way, why can’t others?

SkullTrail, like the V8 before it, performs remarkably well for those applications that take advantage of eight cores. It’s a question of performance vs. “price, power and noise” (p. 2).

Penryn and SkullTrail Benchmarked at IDF

In a twist, one financial analyst has lowered expectations for AMD, yet retains his Buy recommendation for the stock.

Downgrading the company, the analyst cites the late introduction of Barcelona and slow clock speeds, which we already knew about, but also “poor uptake” (24/7 Wall St.).

The AmTech analyst furthermore attributes the problems of Barcelona to “a bad marriage of process technology and design” (EE Times, Barron’s).

There exists an “architectural mismatch of Barcelona with the 65-nm process node” (EET).

Let’s not forget, the problems of performance which have besieged Barcelona extend to AMD graphics as well.

The analyst expects AMD to introduce results and demonstrations of 45-nm processors as early as December. It “will be more important to deliver early 45-nm samples than a 2.5GHz Barcelona processor” (EET).

While the analyst mentions the importance of introducing smaller process geometries and new CPU designs, he seems to disregard that to introduce both at the same time can be a recipe for disaster, as evidenced by Barcelona.

AMD needs to get the kinks out of Barcelona before introducing sweeping architectural changes and migrating to 45 nanometers.

By keeping the design of Barcelona more or less the same, while ironing out imperfections and introducing relatively minor architectural improvements, AMD can better move to a new 45-nm process.

The analyst expects AMD to do better, not in the next 3-6 months but in the next 12. Those expecting “a strong Barcelona ship-in in Q4 will be disappointed” (Barron’s).

AmTech nevertheless maintains a “Buy rating on the stock” (Barron’s).

AMD Gets A Downgrade, Analyst cuts AMD forecast amid MPU snags, AMD: AmTech Trims Ests On Concerns Over Barcelona

Intel’s SkullTrail is to feature both Media and Communications Processors from NVIDIA and HyperTransport, which is a technology from AMD.

MCPs contain core logic. However, the core-logic features of the MCPs shall be turned off with the exception of SLI, which Intel wants and does not have a license for.

HyperTransport is a high-speed interconnect. The HyperTransport connects the MCPs to one another.

The MCPs connect to the Intel north bridge via PCIe 2.0. Data then has to travel over the FSB to the CPU. This journey could carry latency penalties.

The primary chipset that SkullTrail uses is Intel’s.

Intel’s Skulltrail sports HyperTransport links