Intel creates 3-D transistors. Expect amazing CPUs (GPUs?) in coming years.

[KScorp]

Story here.

 

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

 

Intel announces a major technical breakthrough and historic innovation in microprocessors: the world's first 3-D transistors, called Tri-Gate, in a production technology.

The transition to 3-D Tri-Gate transistors sustains the pace of technology advancement, fueling Moore's Law for years to come.

An unprecedented combination of performance improvement and power reduction to enable new innovations across a range of future 22nm-based devices from the smallest handhelds to powerful cloud-based servers.

Intel demonstrates a 22nm microprocessor – codenamed "Ivy Bridge" – that will be the first high-volume chip to use 3-D Tri-Gate transistors.

 

Basically, we get faster, more efficient CPUs. The biggest change is in the handheld market (smartphones will likely get a hell of a lot smarter), but high end desktops will see some change as well. The new CPUs are scheduled for release in 2012.

 

The technology isn't particularly new, it was theorized long ago. But Intel is the first one to bring the technology into mass production.

[Repus]

They have spoken of theese "amazing" breakthrus for years, and nothing has happened.

 

Last one that I heard was 1 atom thin metal as cunductor and as superclear screen.

[KScorp]

The breakthrough is they finally managed to create a feasible method of mass producing these. To be fair, it's not an "OMG we skipped 100 years with this technology!" breakthrough if that's what you're expecting. The planar transistors that are currently being used are close to approaching limits in how small you can make them with the problems that come with making them smaller. The 3D transistors alleviate a lot of these problems.

[Repus]

Heat will be the problem, now and forever, its not cool.