It seems like just yesterday we were basking in the glory of 90nm processor technology.  Those first Intel Pentium4 Prescotts of 2004 were blazing fast and people were happy.  But Intel, in its ongoing effort to uphold Moore’s law in the wake of time’s constant progression, didn’t stop with 90nm CPU architecture.  The company manufactured 65nm, and then 45nm CPU’s which continually offered increased performance while consuming less energy.

Now, Intel has confirmed its plans to manufacture 32nm processors under the codename Westmere beginning in late 2009.  While the Westmere chips will have the same architecture as Intel’s existing i7 Nehalem processors, the smaller transistor size will allow the company to cram more processing power into each CPU while decreasing energy requirements.  But even Intel’s current Nehalem CPU architecture is scheduled to change in 2010, as its new Sandy Bridge architecture nears completion.

So for those considering a PC upgrade, the prospect of even faster performance is encouraging.  But unfortunately, trying to “time the market” when buying a PC can be a futile task.  The next best thing is always on the horizon and choosing to wait for it will keep you on the sidelines indefinitely.

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