Monday, August 15th 2011
Sandy Bridge-E Won't Pack Stock Coolers, Intel to Sell them Separately
Intel's upcoming Core i7 processors in the LGA2011 package, codenamed "Sandy Bridge-E," will come in a unique package that's completely different from what's being reported as AMD's, in which self-contained liquid CPU coolers will be bundled with some FX-series processors. Intel's upcoming Core i7-3820, Core i7-3930K and the Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition processor boxes will lack Intel's certified (stock) heatsink-fan (HSF). Instead, Intel plans to sell the certified coolers separately, probably having the same market reach and availability as the processors themselves.
The idea behind this is that the target users of Sandy Bridge-E will most likely use third-party cooling solutions. Hence it makes sense to save them of a chunk of metal they'll probably never use. For those who do use stock cooling, seldom/never overclock, and rely on the Intel certification to go with the cooler, Intel will have the certified cooler available separately for purchase, with its retail partners. Sandy Bridge-E processors have a rated TDP of 130W, though tests by those having access to engineering samples have shown that it can reach as much as 180W on load, even without overclocking. It is expected that PC cooling products manufacturers will have entire lines of LGA2011-ready coolers in time for the launch of Sandy Bridge-E.
Source:
VR-Zone
The idea behind this is that the target users of Sandy Bridge-E will most likely use third-party cooling solutions. Hence it makes sense to save them of a chunk of metal they'll probably never use. For those who do use stock cooling, seldom/never overclock, and rely on the Intel certification to go with the cooler, Intel will have the certified cooler available separately for purchase, with its retail partners. Sandy Bridge-E processors have a rated TDP of 130W, though tests by those having access to engineering samples have shown that it can reach as much as 180W on load, even without overclocking. It is expected that PC cooling products manufacturers will have entire lines of LGA2011-ready coolers in time for the launch of Sandy Bridge-E.
65 Comments on Sandy Bridge-E Won't Pack Stock Coolers, Intel to Sell them Separately
Intel has a smaller packaging that costs them less, they can continue hold the same retail price as the last high end boxed unit. Environmentally it’s good as for them as they aren’t expending energy wasted in design, production, and shipping a cooler that never gets used. Probably like a bunch I’ve had that end up taking up space; you just tossed in the trash after 5 years. While the very green thing is the savings Intel makes on not supplying them, it’s like a $25 price increase for doing less that’s green!
Honestly, it is a very sensible strategy for all CPU’s to no longer include them, just sell the certification and right to add Intel/AMD “certified” to the cooler manufactures.
usually the stock heatsinks sit in the box and do nothing but take up space in my parts closet, so IMO no biggie.
No HSFs for high-end CPUS sounds like a fine idea to me.
And people said that BD's temps were going to be bad because they were offering LCS :laugh:
To me, this sounds just as bad.
I'm actually still using the stock HSF for my E8400 because I don't need any more than what I have it clocked at. Gaming, which is the main decider in PC hardware for me personally, will not be improved that much if I OC it just a few more hundred MHZ.
And, you keep all your old out-date stuff... I image the show Hoarders!
I'll be anything they'll have a big red warning label on the outside of the box that says "STOP etc." and they'll probably have another one on the inside right across the processor itself.
As far as the overclocking thing, this is something else that I believe many people have misconceptions of. First of all "overclocking" is an intimidating word. The "over" part sounds like something you shouldn't do, like overheat. A lot of people wont try it just because of this. I guarantee you that there are a good percentage of people who buy the best just because they think if they do it'll save them from overclocking, or they may be ignorant to the whole process entirely.
Out of date .. . no . .. anything I can use or is in use I keep the retail box for so I can sell it when it's no longer needed or when I upgrade as most people do. Why would I toss the stock heatsink . . . . I may not want it but the next person who i sell the chip to might.
However, this is the first time we are seeing CPUs shipped without HSFs. It doesn't matter if they put a big bullseye on it, there will be an increasing amount of customer returns because of this. Even if Intel can save this money, it WILL be passed onto pre-built systems via cyberpower/falcon nw or whatever other place builds machines and sells them as wholes...which in turn get passed down to us (depending on what HSFs are put onto them).
But hey....here's hoping they don't pass it down onto regular ole builders like you and me :rolleyes:
Also SATA cables and the like aren't quite the same because these are relatively ubiquitous interchangeable parts. This isn't the same as something as something that's quasi-unique absolutely necessary to operate a piece of equipment.
As a computer forum, I can guarantee that TPU gets an influx of help requests when these chips hit retail. I sincerely hope I'm wrong and I will admit it gladly if I am, but I fear that I will be right.
I agree that the argument is far from absurb, but keep in mind this is not OEM PC's, also people recieving top-end CPU's as gifts seems really minimal to me :)
I don't care about this at all. In fact, I prefer it. I can't count how many stock heatsinks I have floating around, or have thrown away. I'd pay the same price for the cpu without the heatsink just for not having to deal with the damn things. I would've have been buying them in OEM packaging, but those come with a reduced warranty compared to retail.
And I don't know too many people that buy the very best cpu at retail that don't know what they are doing. The ones that don't know what they are doing usually just buy the very best OEM they can afford. Sure, there are going to be exceptions, but that's not the norm.
Actually hate the stock coolers being included:(