Pricing and specifications are finally announced for Intel's new Sandy Bridge-E processors!
The long, painful wait for a true enthusiast replacement for Nehalem has finally arrived - say hello to a duo of Sandy Bridge-E processors: the Core i7-3960X and i7-3930K.
Running at speeds of 3.3GHz and 3.2GHz each, the new CPUs feature a heterogenous 6-core design that comes paired with a mind-boggling 15MB of L3 cache for the 3960X (and a still-impressive 12MB for the 3930K).
Each chip features the standard array of features such as Turbo Boost, for additional frequency headroom, AVX instructions for specific speed improvements under workloads that take advantage of the new instruction type, and the quad-channel memory design that gives phenomenal server-like bandwidth to desktop users.
Amusingly, Intel state that the new processors feature over two billion transistors each, and "offer the processing power equivalent of approximately 365,000 Intel 4004 processors."
It is somewhat unfortunate that these LGA2011-based Sandy Bridge-E chips are manufactured on 32nm, as Ivy Bridge is due for the LGA1155 socket later this year on 25nm, but power consumption and other factors are improved over previous designs so we'll take all we can get.
Pricing for the two processors was given in USD, but local retailers are listing the Core i7-3960X and i7-3930K for $1380 and $760 respectively - keeping these chips firmly in the enthusiast sector of the market.
A full review of these chips will come when we've had a chance to thoroughly test them in the Labs; until then feel free to check out an array of LGA2011 motherboards we've inspected and get a head-start on your upgrading wishlist.
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Issue: 137 | June, 2012