Leaked Roadmap Reveals Two Lines of Enthusiast Sandy Bridge-E Processors

[btarunr]

In Q4 2011, Intel will unveil its new Sandy Bridge-E (enthusiast) platform, consisting of new multi-core processors in the 2011-pin LGA package, and Intel X79 Express chipset. A roadmap slide leaked to the Chinese media reveals an interesting way in which Intel will approach the platform to monetize it best. To begin with, it appears like Sandy Bridge-E will keep up with the trend set by LGA1155 processors where only certain models can be overclocked, while others are greatly limited. Among those that can be overclocked (or "unlocked", as Intel puts it,) there will be two classes.

The first class are the 6-core chips at the very top of the pile, probably branded "Extreme Edition", which feature both unlocked BClk multipliers, and have 15 MB of L3 cache, among several other features enabled. Traditionally these processors cost around US $1000. The first of such chips will be clocked at 3.30 GHz. The second class of "unlocked" chips are those which make overclocking more accessible at lower price points (we're thinking under $600), probably branded with the "K" brand identifier extension (eg: 2600K). These 6-core chips will feature unlocked multipliers, while having 12 MB of cache enabled. The first of these chips will be clocked at 3.20 GHz.



The third kind of LGA2011 chips are quad-core chips in which overclocking is limited. We don't expect them to overclock any better than non-unlocked Core i5/i7 LGA1155 chips. These chips get 10 MB of L3 cache enabled. Perhaps to compensate, Intel will clock these chips high. The first one will be clocked at 3.60 GHz. So what exactly differentiates these chips from LGA1155 non-unlocked Core i7 chips? Well, apart from the 10 MB L3 cache, these chips will have massive quad-channel DDR3 integrated memory controllers (IMCs), and integrated 32-lane PCI-Express 2.0 hubs that can drive up to four graphics cards without needing external bridge chips.

Other short-term changes given out by that slide includes:

• New non-XE Core i7 980 "Gulftown" LGA1366 six-core chip clocked at 3.33 GHz, with 12 MB L3 cache, 6.4 GT/s QPI, very soon, in Q2 2011
• Core i7 995X Extreme Edition in Q3 2011
• Non-XE Core i7 990 around the same time as 995X
• New Core i7 >2600K, new LGA1155 chip faster than 2600K in Q3
• Core i7 970 could get more affordable in Q3

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[entropy13]

Well at least it confirms my accidental choice of CPU. I got a i7 2600, but within a year I would be able to go to an Ivy Bridge CPU (and a better cooler and PSU).

 

[Over_Lord]

Sandy Bridge E will also have locked multiplier versions? What shit. So you buy a 400$ CPU from the Sandy Bridge E series and all you can do is bump it up 300Mhz..

...fail

 

[arnoo1]

Plz stop with that bullshit that you can't oc the cpus's by blck(that is what this page tells mr) i want a 500mhz+blck not a high multiplier! And plz more cores, just make it the same way as 1366 with i7 and cpu's that handle 200mhz buss, but improve it zo will do 400mhz , or els it will be a fail again as sandy bridge. I still want to go for s1156

 

[happita]

15mb L3 cache? That sounds crazy. My concern would be with the issues regarding latency when having that much cache. I guess maybe that's a little part of the reason why they're taking their time releasing these procs so that it will be WORTH having that much cache. It's going to be real interesting to see how this all pans out with Bulldozer being only a few months away from launch.

 

[Melvis]

The prices will all depend on how Bulldozer goes. No 8 core from intel? AMD has a chance to stay on top by the end of the yr maybe?

 

[cheesy999]

i'm wondering about turbo-boost speed - i'm thinking about 5ghz

One thing i might point out is that even though these are a small architecture chips - traditionally high ghz means high power consumption, and if that holds true - i think were gonna need plutonium to generate the 1.21 gigawatts of power required

 

[KieX]

Little dissapointed, wish they'd announced 6 core for the LGA1155 socket. There's always hoping LGA2011 will be reasonably priced... but that's just wishful thinking.

Surprised they are still announcing LGA1366 CPU's still

 

[20mmrain]

This sucks.... Bought a i7 2600k. Great CPU.... but come on Intel and you wonder why people get frustrated with you.

I mean as far as the CPU's go though... I am sure they will be a beast! I just hope the price is right so I can justify getting one.

 

[TheLostSwede]

LGA-2011 CPU's have 40 lanes of PCI Express bandwidth, although it seems like four lanes might not be used in the consumer CPUs and four lanes are connected to the chipset directly to the SAS/SATA controller which leaves 32-26 lanes for "other stuff".

 

[yogurt_21]

The prices will all depend on how Bulldozer goes. No 8 core from intel? AMD has a chance to stay on top by the end of the yr maybe?

intel has 8 and 10 cores out right now. google Xeon E7

 

[ERazer]

intel has 8 and 10 cores out right now. google Xeon E7

same can be said with 12-core opteron

 

[btarunr]

LGA-2011 CPU's have 40 lanes of PCI Express bandwidth, although it seems like four lanes might not be used in the consumer CPUs and four lanes are connected to the chipset directly to the SAS/SATA controller which leaves 32-26 lanes for "other stuff".

32 lanes for PEG, 4 lanes for DMI, 4 for DMI-assist. So the CPU will never be directly running anything other than graphics cards (or whatever is installed in those x16/x8 slots).

 

[Trackr]

One thing I don't get:

They show Ivy Bridge as being far less than Sandy Bridge-E.

How does a 22nm CPU not beat a 32nm? I was sure they'd be saying that Q1 2012 would be Ivy Bridge in the mainstream.

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

So the difference between the affordable chips and the extreme edition is the cache this time around? Not sure how I feel about that, is this a bigger or smaller difference than we had previously? Unlocked multipliers were nice, but you could go just as far with fsb clocking in most cases, but here this is a clock for clock advantage...

You know it feels like this is all wrong really. The extreme chip should be an 8 core right out of the gate. That would justify the price for sure. Between 22nm and the size of 2011 chips it shouldn't be a space issue, so why did they hold back?

 

[Fourstaff]

They show Ivy Bridge as being far less than Sandy Bridge-E.

Ivy Bridge is just a die shrink of the current Sandy Bridge, so obviously its going to be weaker (architecture wise) than Sandy Bridge-E. Intel is being a dick again, trying to cheat us out of our money. But this time our saviour will not be AMD (at least for now), but Sandy Bridge and potentially Ivy Bridge.

 

[Melvis]

intel has 8 and 10 cores out right now. google Xeon E7

Where talking about desktop CPU's not server CPU's. Read post one again.

 

[TheLostSwede]

32 lanes for PEG, 4 lanes for DMI, 4 for DMI-assist. So the CPU will never be directly running anything other than graphics cards (or whatever is installed in those x16/x8 slots).

No, DMI is still PCI Express 2.0, not 3.0, so that's not what the other four lanes are for.

 

[nINJAkECIL]

The prices will all depend on how Bulldozer goes. No 8 core from intel? AMD has a chance to stay on top by the end of the yr maybe?

So the difference between the affordable chips and the extreme edition is the cache this time around? Not sure how I feel about that, is this a bigger or smaller difference than we had previously? Unlocked multipliers were nice, but you could go just as far with fsb clocking in most cases, but here this is a clock for clock advantage...

You know it feels like this is all wrong really. The extreme chip should be an 8 core right out of the gate. That would justify the price for sure. Between 22nm and the size of 2011 chips it shouldn't be a space issue, so why did they hold back?

I'm sure Intel will be releasing an 8-core desktop cpus, but not this year. Maybe next year.
Just look at the trend of LGA1366. How many years since LGA1366 were out until Intel releasing 6-core i-7 980X?

If you can milk out your buyer with a $1000 cpus with 6-core, why would you releasing an 8-core cpus?

 

[btarunr]

No, DMI is still PCI Express 2.0, not 3.0, so that's not what the other four lanes are for.

There's no PCI-Express 3.0 anywhere. And DMI-assist lanes don't connect directly to anything on the PCH. They can be toggled on/off (maybe to free a/few port(s)).

 

[EarlZ]

Who ares if AMD gets out 8 cores on the desktop market first, their 6 core is not even that much of a faster than the previous generation C2Q heck its barely able to keep up on the i920.

AMD needs to push out better architecture and at least perform on par with SB ( clock per clock ) but I dont see this happening as AMD was slacking since the Core2Duo came out.

 

[Makaveli]

I believe BD will put up a much better fight than Phenom II ever did. However I believe and intel also believes it won't out perform a 6 Core SB-E chip with 15mb's of cache.

BD's IP may just match Nehalem, which is already 10-15% lower than the current midrange SB chips.

I may be wrong but I don't see BD being another Ahtlon 64 > p4 of years past.

Intel is sitting on a very different architecture this time around.