As the IDF continues to roll out, Intel is releasing more information on some of their upcoming technologies, such as 45nm processors and expanded instruction sets. This includes the information they've revealed regarding SSE4, which as its name implies is the fourth generation of the Streaming SIMD Extensions, originally introduced with the Pentium III. Not really an expansion of functionality, SSE4 is intended to overhaul SSE3, providing improved efficiency for the instructions on newer processors. Both SSE4 and 45nm processors are expected to arrive at the same time:
SSE4 instructions are expected to arrive in Intel's first 45nm product that is expected to sample in the second half of 2007. This includes Intel's upcoming Nehalem, which will be Intel's second generation Core architecture. Intel Nehalem and other 45nm processors are expected to begin sampling the second half of 2007 and begin shipping in the first half of 2008.
While not very popular for games, SSE has found a home in many media applications. Currently, AMD releases their CPUs with the same SSE instruction set as Intel.