Intel 'Nehalem' pictured - next generation CPUs

A user at XtremeSystems forums has posted pictures of what he claims to be a Nehalem processor from an A1 revision that runs at 1.66GHz with a QuickPath Interconnet also at 1.66GHz, and the corresponding motherboard. No other details were spilled for now, like cache sizes. The motherboard in question is a dual-socket server board:


Although the sockets are covered, they will be of the LGA type since the desktop "Nehalem" is also expected to use the LGA format, in the form of the LGA1366 socket.
One thing to like about it is the digital VRM design employed on the board. As comparison, the Skulltrail D5400XS motherboard employs a five phase analog design. This is possibly due to the increased current draw on the new CPUs since some of them, among other improvements, are supposed to be have eight cores. A digital VRM design is then employed to provide excellent power supply to the CPU in a smaller footprint than the one needed by adding more phases to an analog design, thereby saving PCB area for other components.

Tags: Nehalem pictures processor board motherboard socket
Some form of Intel Nehalem is reported to show up by the end of the year, and for now the only parts we have seen are the server ones, possibly in anticipation of the release of the new server platforms while neglecting the desktop, where Intel currently has the "performance crown".