Westmere

Westmere is Intel's codename for a family of processors built on the 32-nanometer process, introduced in 2010 as the shrink of the Nehalem microarchitecture. It represents the continuation of Intel's tick-tock strategy, delivering the same architectural design at a smaller process to improve performance and power efficiency. Westmere maintains Nehalem's integrated memory controller and I/O controller, but on a 32 nm manufacturing node.

The Westmere family encompasses several product lines for different markets. Clarkdale was the desktop entry that combined a CPU with an integrated GPU in a dual-die, two-chip package. Gulftown was the high-end desktop six-core variant aimed at enthusiasts and professionals. Arrandale served the mobile market with a dual-core CPU and integrated graphics on a single package. Westmere-EP targeted servers and workstations, notably the Xeon 5600-series.

Key technologies associated with Westmere include Intel AES-NI hardware-accelerated encryption, which improved cryptographic performance, along with the efficiency and throughput gains afforded by the 32 nm process. Some Westmere SKUs integrated graphics capabilities on the same package (as in Clarkdale and Arrandale), while others relied on discrete GPUs.

Westmere was eventually superseded by the Sandy Bridge generation, with broader adoption occurring during 2011–2012. The Westmere family remains notable for extending Nehalem’s design, introducing the 32 nm process, and delivering a mix of desktop, mobile, and server CPUs with improved efficiency and security features.