Bloomfield

Bloomfield is the code name for Intel high-end desktop processors sold as Core i7-9xx and single-processor servers sold as Xeon 35xx., in almost identical configurations, replacing the earlier Yorkfield processors. The Bloomfield core is closely related to the dual-processor Gainestown, which has the same CPUID value of 0106Ax (family 6, model 26) and which uses the same socket. Bloomfield uses a different socket than the later Lynnfield and Clarksfield processors based on the same 45 nm Nehalem microarchitecture, even though some of these share the same Intel Core i7 brand.

Features

Bloomfield has many new features that represent significant changes from Yorkfield:

• The new LGA 1366 socket is incompatible with earlier processors.
• On-die memory controller: the memory is directly connected to the processor. It is called the uncore part and runs at a different clock (uncore clock) than the execution cores.
  • Three channel memory: each channel can support up to two DDR3 DIMMs. Motherboards for Bloomfield generally have three, four (2, 1, 1), or six DIMM slots.
  • Support for DDR3 memory only.
• The front side bus has been replaced by the Intel QuickPath Interconnect interface. Motherboards must use a chipset that supports QuickPath Interconnect.
• The following caches:
  • 32 kB L1 instruction and 32 kB L1 data cache per core
  • 256 kB L2 cache (combined instruction and data) per core
  • 8 MB L3 (combined instruction and data) "inclusive", shared by all cores
• Single-die device: all four cores, the memory controller, and all cache are on a single die, instead of a Multi-chip module of two dual-core dies as in Yorkfield
• "Turbo Boost" technology allows all active cores to intelligently clock themselves up in steps of 133 MHz over the design clock rate as long as the CPU's predetermined thermal and electrical requirements are still met.
• Re-implemented Hyper-threading. Hyperthreading was introduced in the older NetBurst microarchitecture, but omitted from the subsequent Core, which was a descendant of the Pentium III family. With hyperthreading enabled, each of the four physical cores can process up to two threads simultaneously, so the processor appears to the OS as eight logical CPUs.
• Only one QuickPath interface: not intended for multi-processor motherboards.
• 45 nm process technology.
• 731 million transistors.
• 263 mm² die size.
• Sophisticated power management can place an unused core in a zero-power mode.
• Support for SSE4.2 & SSE4.1 instruction sets.