Intel X58 to Retire in 2012

[btarunr]

In 2012, it's curtain's for Intel's iconic Nehalem/Tylersburg platform, with the company issuing the Intel X58 chipset a schedule for discontinuation. The chipset has exactly 12 more months to attain EOL (end of life) status. Intel will continue to take orders for Intel X58 till April 27, 2012, the last of these orders will have shipped by October 12, 2012. Intel X58 + ICH10/R is the de facto chipset for Intel's Core i7 client processors in the LGA1366 package.

To motherboard vendors, the X58 I/O Hub (northbridge) is priced at US $39, and another $14 for the ICH10R southbridge. In November 2011, Intel is releasing the proper successor for the Nehalem/Tylersburg platform, the Sandy Bridge-E/Patsburg, consisting of Core i7 processors in the LGA2011 package, and Intel X79 chipset.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[brandonwh64]

RIP I7 920, you have served me WELL

 

[claylomax]

Goodbye to a great and epic platform.

 

[TheMailMan78]

This is one platform I wish I would have had.

 

[MikeMurphy]

Can't help but think my s775 platform is getting old.

 

[Isenstaedt]

Lol I read 'Intel to retire in 2012'

Sad day

 

[brandonwh64]

This is one platform I wish I would have had.

I went from a AMD Phenom II 965BE C3 (OCED to 3.9ghz) to a Intel I7-920 (OCed to 4ghz) and it was a real eye opener! Game FPS increased from 15-20 FPS in most games easy and multi-tasking was a breeze. Im glad I did it in the long run.

 

[mrw1986]

This is one platform I wish I would have had.

Can't help but think my s775 platform is getting old.

I sympathize with both of you...still running a Q6600.

 

[RejZoR]

RIP I7 920, you have served me WELL

No RIP on my end. If everything goes well it will continue to serve me well for some more time.
Only thing that i see required to upgrade is graphic card.

 

[brandonwh64]

No RIP on my end. If everything goes well it will continue to serve me well for some more time.
Only thing that i see required to upgrade is graphic card.

I just say that cause I know that even tho sandy bridge out performs it quite well that the newer SB and IB will murder it soon enough

 

[Ferrum Master]

Intel X79 is a complete downgrade in terms of technology... DMI instead of Quick Path... just a relabeled P67 imho...

Sandy Bridge users can rest... users on X58 should consider buying Gulftown if they are need of raw perfomance and that's it...

 

[DarthCyclonis]

I agree. The X79 chipset is a step backwards for features from the X58. The fact there is not native USB 3.0 is mind numbing to say the least. The only thing the platform as going for it is the Sandy Bridge architecture which is faster and the AVX instruction set (it will be sometime before it is really utilized).

I think I will stay with my i970 for awhile longer.

 

[Shihab]

A legend never dies !. Unless you OC it to 5GHz on air

tis a shame such a platform has to be dropped. But hey, this is how it goes in the PC world. All hail the X58. All hail the i7 9xx

 

[btarunr]

I agree. The X79 chipset is a step backwards for features from the X58. The fact there is not native USB 3.0 is mind numbing to say the least.

X58 has native USB 3.0? If not, how is X79 a step backwards in this context?

The only thing the platform as going for it is the Sandy Bridge architecture which is faster and the AVX instruction set (it will be sometime before it is really utilized).

Not just AVX:

• PCI-Express 3.0
• PCIe Root complex is inside the CPU package
• There is no northbridge chip. X79 is a PCH, that's one less hot chip to bother about
• Quad-Channel DDR3-2133 MHz capable, a 166% memory bandwidth increase over Westmere 6c/12t

That said,

I think I will stay with my i970 for awhile longer.

You really have no need to upgrade from i7-970 to anything for the next 2~3 years. After that, the rumored requirement of UEFI with future operating systems (if it's true), will force you to upgrade.

 

[WarraWarra]

The x58 guys with top of the line cpu's might want to wait for this time next year x79.

Some reviews / testing I have seen of the x79 and sandy-e is not that great.
It can barely keep pace with the stock 2600k and other area the pure extra cores does deliver but not as much as expected.
http://www.guru3d.com/article/sandy-bridge-e-and-x79-preview/

Going from anything equivalent to the 2500k to sandy-e is a okay upgrade but only if you have too. Might be disappointed, gaming wise definitely yes you would be disappointed.
Anything below a 2500k/equivalent is a good upgrade to sandy-e.

IE: more or less, raw power 2600k = 2960xm = 2x Q9550 = 90% of 980X EE.
Gaming sandy-e is trying to keep pace with the 2600k and just barely gets better scores sometimes for raw power, not for gaming.

Comparison chart: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Processors-Benchmarklist.2436.0.html

After release and once there is actual proper testing and drivers for the x79 then we would know if the x58 death was a waste or not.
Intel should have their game back on in June 2012.

 

[Delta6326]

I sympathize with both of you...still running a Q6600.

Q6600 ALL the WAY!! I'm waiting for ever! I think im going to upgrade to a whole new computer when the AMD 8970 comes out, and get whatever CPU is around then.

 

[Completely Bonkers]

When you retire that Q6600 think of me and my s478 AGP! Gwd damn I keep trying with the competitions!

 

[CyberDruid]

 

[HammerON]

I have been loving the X58 for over two years now (great for crunching power - WCG). I am not planning to upgrade from the i7 970 until the X79 has shown us what it can do

 

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

Sad to see it go, was an amazing platform, but you can't say it's a step up on x79 until it comes out.

 

[Eva01Master]

I'm still using the well aged Q6600, but if X79 is the monster I believe it will be then I'll build a new PC using the very best Intel processor out there

 

[Makaveli]

A legend that is for sure.

Nehalem has been a great socket and she will last me along as socket 939 on the amd side did.

i'm planning on putting a 980 in this badboy and getting alteast another 2 years out of this platform with only a GPU upgrade maybe in a year.

 

[TheOne]

X-Bit Lab in June claimed to have seen a document that suggested that the X79 will have support for 1366 CPU's.