Both The Inquirer and HotHardware published a short test of Intel V8, the prototype of a new motherboard. When looking at the specification, the dual socket supports Quad Core Xeon 5365 (Clovertown), the 1333MHz Greencreek FSB chipset and 8 FB-DIMM memory slots.

In other words, this motherboard looks almost like the one found in current Mac Pro models. Here's a list with small modifications brought by Apple:

- For improving cooling, Apple installed FB-DIMM modules on daughter cards

- Apple does not offer 6 SATA ports

- Apple did not keep the 2 PCI-X slots found on the V8 kit

- location of the Airport and BT modules

But overall the V8 motherboard is the sister of the one found in our Mac Pro. Of course it lacks the EEPROM making the one in the Mac Pro able to run OS X; and without it, running OSX on the V8 might not be so easy.

While some analysts consider this V8 kit as the first answer from Intel to AMD Barcelona; it could also be introduced because a special agreement for one-year exclusive rights between Apple and Intel will be ending soon in June. Of course, the V8 kit was identified by The inquirer as a very hot piece of hardware requiring a lot of work for cooling it down. This is exactly what Apple did more than a year ago...

Ewoud @ 01.08.2007 18:05 CEST
Once again, you rock my friend.

Shiiiit, kom er nu pas achter dat je dit ultra-coole blog hebt >_>
Als je hulp nodig hebt ofzo laat het me ff weten ^^

groet, e.