Sandy bridge 2600k review: Intel Core i7-2600K, i5-2500K and Core i3-2100 Tested

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IntroductionThe LineupOverclocking: Effortless 4.4GHz+ on AirThe 6-series Platform & 6Gbps SATA PerformanceUEFI Support: 3TB Drives & Mouse Support Pre-BootThe Future: Z68 Chipset in Q2, LGA-2011 in Q4A Near-Perfect HTPCIntel’s Quick Sync TechnologyQuick Sync: The Best Way to TranscodeIntel’s Gen 6 GraphicsIntel HD Graphics 2000/3000 PerformanceResolution Scaling with Intel HD Graphics 3000Overclocking Intel’s HD GraphicsThe TestSYSMark 2007 & Photoshop PerformanceVideo Encoding Performance3D Rendering PerformanceFile Compression/Decompression PerformanceVisual Studio 2008, Flash Video Creation, & Excel PerformanceGaming PerformancePower ConsumptionFinal Words

Intel never quite reached 4GHz with the Pentium 4. Despite being on a dedicated quest for gigahertz the company stopped short and the best we ever got was 3.8GHz. Within a year the clock (no pun intended) was reset and we were all running Core 2 Duos at under 3GHz. With each subsequent generation Intel inched those clock speeds higher, but preferred to gain performance through efficiency rather than frequency.

Today, Intel quietly finishes what it started nearly a decade ago. When running a single threaded application, the Core i7-2600K will power gate three of its four cores and turbo the fourth core as high as 3.8GHz. Even with two cores active, the 32nm chip can run them both up to 3.7GHz. The only thing keeping us from 4GHz is a lack of competition to be honest. Relying on single-click motherboard auto-overclocking alone, the 2600K is easily at 4.4GHz. For those of you who want more, 4.6-4.8GHz is within reason. All on air, without any exotic cooling.

Unlike Lynnfield, Sandy Bridge isn’t just about turbo (although Sandy Bridge’s turbo modes are quite awesome). Architecturally it’s the biggest change we’ve seen since Conroe, although looking at a high level block diagram you wouldn’t be able to tell. Architecture width hasn’t changed, but internally SNB features a complete redesign of the Out of Order execution engine, a more efficient front end (courtesy of the decoded µop cache) and a very high bandwidth ring bus. The L3 cache is also lower and the memory controller is much faster. I’ve gone through the architectural improvements in detail here. The end result is better performance all around. For the same money as you would’ve spent last year, you can expect anywhere from 10-50% more performance in existing applications and games from Sandy Bridge.

I mentioned Lynnfield because the performance mainstream quad-core segment hasn’t seen an update from Intel since its introduction in 2009. Sandy Bridge is here to fix that. The architecture will be available, at least initially, in both dual and quad-core flavors for mobile and desktop (our full look at mobile Sandy Bridge is here). By the end of the year we’ll have a six core version as well for the high-end desktop market, not to mention countless Xeon branded SKUs for servers.

The quad-core desktop Sandy Bridge die clocks in at 995 million transistors. We’ll have to wait for Ivy Bridge to break a billion in the mainstream. Encompassed within that transistor count are 114 million transistors dedicated to what Intel now calls Processor Graphics. Internally it’s referred to as the Gen 6.0 Processor Graphics Controller or GT for short. This is a DX10 graphics core that shares little in common with its predecessor. Like the SNB CPU architecture, the GT core architecture has been revamped and optimized to increase IPC. As we mentioned in our Sandy Bridge Preview article, Intel’s new integrated graphics is enough to make $40-$50 discrete GPUs redundant. For the first time since the i740, Intel is taking 3D graphics performance seriously.

CPU Specification Comparison
CPU	Manufacturing Process	Cores	Transistor Count	Die Size
AMD Thuban 6C	45nm	6	904M	346mm2
AMD Deneb 4C	45nm	4	758M	258mm2
Intel Gulftown 6C	32nm	6	1. 17B	240mm2
Intel Nehalem/Bloomfield 4C	45nm	4	731M	263mm2
Intel Sandy Bridge 4C	32nm	4	995M	216mm2
Intel Lynnfield 4C	45nm	4	774M	296mm2
Intel Clarkdale 2C	32nm	2	384M	81mm2
Intel Sandy Bridge 2C (GT1)	32nm	2	504M	131mm2
Intel Sandy Bridge 2C (GT2)	32nm	2	624M	149mm2

It’s not all about hardware either. Game testing and driver validation actually has real money behind it at Intel. We’ll see how this progresses over time, but graphics at Intel today very different than it has ever been.

Despite the heavy spending on an on-die GPU, the focus of Sandy Bridge is still improving CPU performance: each core requires 55 million transistors. A complete quad-core Sandy Bridge die measures 216mm², only 2mm² larger than the old Core 2 Quad 9000 series (but much, much faster).

As a concession to advancements in GPU computing rather than build SNB’s GPU into a general purpose compute monster Intel outfitted the chip with a small amount of fixed function hardware to enable hardware video transcoding. The marketing folks at Intel call this Quick Sync technology. And for the first time I’ll say that the marketing name doesn’t do the technology justice: Quick Sync puts all previous attempts at GPU accelerated video transcoding to shame. It’s that fast.

There’s also the overclocking controversy. Sandy Bridge is all about integration and thus the clock generator has been moved off of the motherboard and on to the chipset, where its frequency is almost completely locked. BCLK overclocking is dead. Thankfully for some of the chips we care about, Intel will offer fully unlocked versions for the enthusiast community. And these are likely the ones you’ll want to buy. Here’s a preview of what’s to come:

The lower end chips are fully locked. We had difficulty recommending most of the Clarkdale lineup and I wouldn’t be surprised if we have that same problem going forward at the very low-end of the SNB family. AMD will be free to compete for marketshare down there just as it is today.

With the CPU comes a new platform as well. In order to maintain its healthy profit margins Intel breaks backwards compatibility (and thus avoids validation) with existing LGA-1156 motherboards, Sandy Bridge requires a new LGA-1155 motherboard equipped with a 6-series chipset. You can re-use your old heatsinks however.

Clarkdale (left) vs. Sandy Bridge (right)

The new chipset brings 6Gbps SATA support (2 ports) but still no native USB 3.0. That’ll be a 2012 thing it seems.

The Lineup
IntroductionThe LineupOverclocking: Effortless 4.4GHz+ on AirThe 6-series Platform & 6Gbps SATA PerformanceUEFI Support: 3TB Drives & Mouse Support Pre-BootThe Future: Z68 Chipset in Q2, LGA-2011 in Q4A Near-Perfect HTPCIntel’s Quick Sync TechnologyQuick Sync: The Best Way to TranscodeIntel’s Gen 6 GraphicsIntel HD Graphics 2000/3000 PerformanceResolution Scaling with Intel HD Graphics 3000Overclocking Intel’s HD GraphicsThe TestSYSMark 2007 & Photoshop PerformanceVideo Encoding Performance3D Rendering PerformanceFile Compression/Decompression PerformanceVisual Studio 2008, Flash Video Creation, & Excel PerformanceGaming PerformancePower ConsumptionFinal Words

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Intel’s Second-Gen Core CPUs: The Sandy Bridge Review

Editor’s Note: Eager to show off what is has done with Intel’s Sandy Bridge architecture, system builder CyberPower PC is offering Tom’s Hardware’s audience the opportunity to win a new system based on Intel’s Core i7-2600K processor. Read through our review, and then check out the last page for more information on the system, plus a link to enter our giveaway!

The high-end desktop processor market is a one-horse race, with Intel’s LGA 1366-based Core i7-900-series CPUs pretty much tromping along uncontested. If you have the money and are building a performance-oriented machine, it’s hard to beat an overclocked Core i7-950. Power users who really need the punch of a six-core chip can go Core i7-970—just be ready to pay out the ears for the privilege of owning one.

It’s the mainstream where we see more interesting battles being waged. Funny how healthy competition has a habit of forcing more aggressive prices, isn’t it? For example, the quad-core Core i5-760 is compelling at $200. But so is AMD’s six-core Phenom II X6 1075T. And while AMD’s Black Edition parts captured the hearts of overclocking enthusiasts long ago, Intel more recently shipped a couple of K-series SKUs that bucked the company’s habit of only unlocking the multipliers on thousand-dollar Extreme Edition parts.

And now we have a new architecture from Intel, called Sandy Bridge. The last time Intel launched a processor design, it started with high-end Core i7-900-series chips and let the technology trickle down to the mainstream and entry-level derivatives. This time is different. Sandy Bridge is going to have to swim its way upstream, surfacing on the flagship LGA 2011 interface in the second half of this year for the real workstation-oriented aficionados.

Intel’s Here And Now

That’s a long way away, though. Between now and then, LGA 1366 is supposed to remain at the top of Intel’s stack, while LGA 1155-based processors centering on Sandy Bridge gobble up all of the volume as a result of what Intel claims is a ~30% performance improvement versus the Lynnfield- and Clarkdale-based processors.

Naturally, this means trouble for an AMD that continues to launch incrementally faster versions of its existing architecture—but nothing that’d give it the double-digit speed-up needed to fend off a new microarchitecture from its competition. The only way to strike back at this point is with lower prices, and that’s probably not the route AMD wants to be taking. We expect Bulldozer, the company’s own next-gen architecture, sometime in 2011; that launch can’t come soon enough.

A large enough boost from Sandy Bridge would also make Intel’s Core i7-900-series vulnerable too, though. Right now, these are, at minimum, $300 parts (that’s just to get in the door with a -950) that drop into generally more expensive motherboards requiring pricier triple-channel memory kits. I’ve been saying all along that the X58 platform would remain, definitively, Intel’s crown jewel on the desktop. But after running the numbers I’ve run on Sandy Bridge, I have to wonder if X58’s days are numbered a little sooner than the company planned.

Sandy Bridge has a couple of other surprises up its sleeve—not all of them destined to go down as smoothly as a 1996 Dom Perignon on New Year’s Eve. For one, overclocking on an Intel platform is drastically different, and the LN2-drinking crowd probably won’t like it very much. There’s also a big emphasis on integrated graphics, which we’ve seen prematurely praised as a potential alternative to entry-level discrete graphics. That doesn’t turn out to be the case, at least on the desktop.

Intel’s year-old Clarkdale multi-chip package.

The new hotness: Sandy Bridge, now with more integration.

On the other hand, Sandy Bridge comes armed with a block of fixed function logic that specifically addresses video encoding. AMD and Nvidia have no answer to this, are a year behind Intel with a competitive solution, and get completely outperformed today in video workloads. We also have a couple of unlocked SKUs that really give this architecture, manufactured at 32 nm, room to stretch its legs.

Putting Sandy Bridge To The Test

Leading up to the Sandy Bridge architecture’s launch, Intel sent over four SKUs from its upcoming lineup: Core i7-2600K, Core i5-2500K, Core i5-2400, and Core i3-2100. We put all four processors through a brand new benchmark suite for 2011, along with Bloomfield-, Lynnfield-, Clarkdale-, and Yorkfield-based chips from Intel, plus Thuban- and Deneb-based CPUs from AMD.

While many of you were enjoying time away from work around Christmas and digging out of blizzard-like conditions ahead of New Year’s Eve, the Tom’s Hardware Bakersfield, CA lab was kept busy and warm by the latest bleeding-edge CPUs being run through their paces. Shall we?

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Core i7-2600K, Core i5-2500K, Core i5-2400, And Core i3-2100 Reviewed

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overclocking and motherboard and reviews and benchmarks

Note: this review of the Intel Core i7-2600K processor also includes information about the Sandy Bridge architecture in general, as well as information about the Intel Core i5-2500K processor.

They are already here. Intel is introducing a completely redesigned line of PC processors based on the new Sandy Bridge microarchitecture. The processors for desktop computers Intel Core i5-2500K and Intel Core i7-2600K, which we bring to your attention, allow us to be the first to feel the taste of new chips. nine0005

Thanks to the huge variety of chips, sockets, and brands under which they are produced, we have only now been able to get closer to the new line of Intel. At the same time, the company’s main competitors, AMD, can’t even name the time frame when their response to this release will be ready, but we believe that the technology race will continue.

So you should ignore the familiar Core i5 and Core i7 brands. These are completely new processors and they are ready for testing.

Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge: New Features Overview

As has happened in the past, Intel has tried to create more powerful and energy efficient notebook processors. In fact, the Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge is the result of such an attempt. That said, the Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge processor has a lot to offer the desktop, including great new features like a hardware video transcoding engine and vastly improved integrated graphics. nine0005

And this is not the whole range of new processors. Intel is introducing 14 new Sandy Bridge-based PC processors under the Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 brand names. The price range for them lasts from $120 to $400.

Intel’s top and bottom desktop offerings will remain unchanged. The six-core Gulftown Core i7 family and the basic Pentium chips will still be extreme solutions from different angles.

Naturally, new chipsets come with new chips, but there is something that is usually not expected — a new processor socket. Known as LGA1155, it is almost identical to the existing LGA1156. He only lost one pin. The only problem is that these two sockets are incompatible with each other. nine0005

You will not be able to install Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge processors into any existing motherboards. And at the same time, you will not be able to use early processors with motherboards that support Sandy Bridge.

Although the company itself denies this, we are of the opinion that this was not due to industrial necessity.

Instead, we understand that this could be seen as a loss of support for existing customers, and may result in a failure to upgrade to new Intel processors instead of forcing a full platform upgrade. nine0005

Intel Core i7-2600K processor puts overclocking under control

Unfortunately, the new socket isn’t the only dubious feature that’s debuting with Sandy Bridge. Intel also made fundamental changes to the chip’s architecture that made traditional overclocking of the processor using its bus impossible. We will return to this in detail later, but one thing is for sure — Intel only allows you to overclock the Intel Core i7-2600K under its control.

Overclocking did not disappear without a trace, it is now available only when Intel allows it. nine0005

But don’t let these facts leave you with a bad impression about the new Core i5-2500K and Core i7-2600K processors. Compared to Intel’s closest equivalents in earlier lines, the Intel Core i5-760 and Intel Core i7-870 processors, the new chips represent a different level of device.

In fact, even the most powerful six-core Core i7 980X is not immune to internal competition with the Sandy Bridge architecture. And this is good.

Intel Core i7-2600K processor architecture and specifications

The Sandy Bridge architecture on which the new Core i5-2500K and Core i7-2600K processors are based is not revolutionary in terms of design. For starters, Intel has prepared dual- and quad-core solutions.

All Sandy Bridge processors are manufactured using the latest 32nm technology. So, in Intel’s «Tick-Tock» jargon, we’re now looking at the Tock stage. In other words, Sandy Bridge is a new architecture on an old silicon chip. nine0005

Familiar features such as HyperThreading and Turbo Boost reappear here in the same form, only slightly updated. Likewise, most of the so-called non-core features also seem to remain. The memory controller remains dual-channel with support for DDR3 DIMMs up to 1.333MHz.

As before, the discrete PCI Express graphics interface provides 16 channels. The Multi-GPU platform from AMD and Nvidia is supported by the new architecture, but again only in a two-card configuration with eight channels each. nine0005

Digging deeper, you can still find significant changes. One of the most important is the new integrated clock generator. This means a more efficient binding of the entire platform to the base frequency.

The base frequency increases, and all the main and non-main elements of the chip, including everything from the PCI Express bus to the memory controller and the cores themselves, receive an increase in clock frequency.

The result is that overclocking by the base frequency is no longer feasible. The best you can achieve when trying to overclock is a few units of frequency within 100 MHz above the nominal speed. On the other hand, significant frequency adjustment in the Sandy Bridge architecture is carried out through the processor multiplier. nine0005

As you remember, Intel recently released the K-series chips with unlocked multipliers. Until today, little sense is found in these features of K chips, as opposed to the ease and efficiency of overclocking through base frequency adjustment.

As a result, we now see that the manufacturer was just setting the stage for the fixed base frequency Sandy Bridge architecture.

For Sandy Bridge, the path to overclocking was as follows. K-series chips are fully unlocked for frequencies up to a theoretical 5.7 GHz, while Sandy Bridge representatives allow a fourfold increase in speed. With a base frequency of 100 MHz, this means a maximum overclock of up to 400 MHz for all non-K models. nine0005

This is the largest reduction from the typical 1 GHz overclock possible via bus or base frequency on most existing Intel processors.

Besides overclocking, the other big change in Sandy Bridge is video processing. Intel has given HD Graphics a good push for progress. The result, according to Intel, is more than a twofold increase in performance compared to the previous generation of integrated graphics from Intel.

In terms of architecture, the GPU has become fully integrated into the chip.

Recall that previous Intel processors with integrated graphics consisted of two separate chips in the CPU, one with the compute cores and cache, and the other with the graphics core and minor components such as the memory controller.

Now, all Sandy Bridge processors have an on-chip graphics adapter. In terms of 3D performance, the changes include an upgrade from DX10 to DX10.1. However, one way or another, the main performance gain is achieved by increasing the maximum clock frequency from 900 MHz to 1. 350 MHz, depending on the model.

The details become more complex as you explore different models. Among all the desktop options, only two K-series chips have a full version of the new 12-unit graphics core known as Intel HD Graphics 3000. The remaining models are equipped with 6-unit HD Graphics 2000. it seems to us that the rest of the chips in the series also have 12 execution units. It is very likely that, for marketing reasons, Intel has decided to simply disable them on some models. nine0005

The other big news for the graphics core is a new video transcoding engine known as Quick Sync Video. This is a specialized hardware core for accelerating 2D video encoding and is found in every Sandy Bridge chip. Intel claims it delivers double the performance of previous software-encoded video architectures, but there are reasons to hope for even more.

Like every new architecture from this firm, Sandy Bridge brings with it revised vector instructions. This time these are new instructions — these are AVX and they are significantly more successfully implemented than the existing SSE. nine0005

And, in case you’re wondering, the new graphics core supports HDMI 1.4 and, accordingly, stereoscopic 3D video, including Blu-ray 3D.

Intel Core i7-2600K description of new characteristics

Finally, as for the chips themselves, a short digression on the new manufacturer’s nomenclature. All Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge processors receive a different kind of suffix 2000. Core i3-2100 chips are dual-core processors with HyperThreading technology, which provides processing of four threads. The Core i5-2300, 2400 and 2500 series are a team of dual-cores with HyperThreading and quad-cores without HyperThreading. nine0005

Meanwhile, the Core i7-2600 series are quad-core processors with HyperThreading. If this still doesn’t seem confusing to you, consider having the aforementioned K-series of chips with fully unlocked multipliers. And in addition, models of the T and S series with reduced voltages and power ratings.

As for the motherboards used for the Intel Core i7-2600K, all Sandy Bridge processors are installed in the new LGA1155 socket. It is not compatible with any previously used socket. As a result, five new chipsets come to the market with Sandy Bridge, but only P67 and H67 are really relevant for users. nine0005

Choosing between the two isn’t such a big deal, as key differences include support for the integrated graphics core and video output on the H67, while the P67 has exclusively received the latest version of the Performance Tuning app and a few more tweaks regarding multipliers.

Another new motherboard tweak is the introduction of EFI firmware to all Sandy Bridge boards. Developed by Intel and already used by Apple in all Macs, EFI replaces the traditional BIOS firmware with a more powerful platform that supports a high-resolution user interface, reduces boot times, handles large drives (over 2TB), and more. For i7-2600k, the motherboard is selected taking into account the technical characteristics of the processor. nine0005

Intel Core i7-2600K performance: expert test

Briefly about the heroes of our review. The Core i5-2500K is a quad-core, 4-thread chip with 6 MB L3 cache at a stock frequency of 3.3 GHz and a maximum of 3.7 GHz in Turbo mode. It will be yours for about $255.

A partially blocked Core i5-2500 running at the same frequencies is available for about $15 less.

For $358 you get the Core i7 -2600K, which is equipped with four cores, supports eight threads, has 8 MB of cache at standard and Turbo frequencies of 3.4 GHz and 3.8 GHz, respectively. It occupies approximately the same niche that was previously occupied by the Core i7-870 and Core i7-875K processors on the market. So, we have a slightly cheaper alternative to them in the face of the Core i7-2600, which, for all that, suffers from locked multipliers. nine0005

At stock clock speeds, the new Core i5-2500K outperforms the old Core i7-870 by far. In other words, the new mid-range offering beats the old hi-end counterpart in terms of performance. It is noticeably faster in all tests, including video encoding, gaming tests, and professional rendering, with differences of over 10% at times.

In general, it’s not surprising that the new Core i7-2600K, the test of which shows that it simply exalts itself colossally over its progenitor, the Core i7-870. That being said, we are talking about a 25-30 percent performance improvement in all aspects. nine0005

And what’s more, the i7-2600K is actually comparable in power to the Intel Core i7-980X, a six-core flagship processor. The 980X is only 10% faster in Cinebench rendering and 20% faster in HD video encoding. But it’s slower in gaming tests.

Note that the i7-980X processor costs $1190.

If you are wondering where such performance comes from, then we will answer — of course, largely due to high frequencies, but new processors will be 10% faster even at the same frequencies as earlier versions. Intel has created the fastest processor architecture. nine0005

With regards to overclocking, this is good news. Our i5-2500K hit 4.4GHz while we overclocked the i7-2600K to 4. 6GHz.

If these numbers of excellence aren’t enough, the Quick Sync Video hardware video encoding engine adds another one. Using a special assembly of Cyberlink MediaShow Expresso, it is possible to compare the performance in the video encoding process with and without the participation of a transcoder. Our test lasts 45 seconds in software processing mode. As soon as we turn on the transcoder, the elapsed time drops to 12 seconds. nine0005

Finally, there’s the power of the new Intel HD Graphics 3000. And it’s easy and simple — double the speed of the previous generation of Intel HD graphics and many times faster than any other integrated solution.

In conclusion about the Intel Core i7-2600K consumer reviews

We have to admit that the latest generation of processors from Intel gives us a serious headache. On the one hand, there are a lot of things that we categorically dislike about the Intel Core i5-2500K and Intel Core i7-2600K: the description of these processors explains all the user factors that are not fully implemented. All of these factors are the result of stupid or inconsistent marketing policies, not production problems. To date, the Intel Core i7-2600K processor is collecting reviews from real consumers, mostly favorable for its successful promotion in the computer equipment market. nine0005

We don’t like the fact that Intel has blocked overclocking for some models. We’re just pissed that Intel limited the fastest 3D core, the HD Graphics 3000, to the level of the K-series processors. And we think it’s completely absurd that new chips require a new socket, chipsets and motherboards.

But there is another side to the matter. In terms of processor performance, the Intel Core i5-2500K and Core i7-2600K are great. The integrated graphics core is as beautiful as ever, and the transcoding engine threatens to destroy the very idea of ​​using software for discrete graphics before it’s even established as such. nine0005

They are so good that they actually make Intel’s high-end chips for the LGA1366 socket look superfluous. The Bloomfield-powered quad-core Core i7 processor simply rests. Even the six-core Gulftown Core i7 looks out of place.

Simply put, these new chips provide tremendous performance at a relatively low price. And you can’t argue with that.

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▷ Intel Socket 1155 processors: all the information? sand bridge

With the Intel Socket 1155 , an unforgettable cycle began for the gaming world. Therefore, we will show you all the information about it.

Also known as Socket h3, this was the socket that succeeded the LGA 1156 in an amazing way because we were starting to see the performance at home that we had always dreamed of. Socket 1155 The was a socket designed for home computers and featured a wide variety of processors that catered to the needs of both consumers and businesses. nine0005

You can’t miss what’s next because this socket is so legendary that it’s still in use today.

Content index

2011 Sandy Bridge paved the way

After several previous architectures, Intel decided to release the second generation of their famous Core i3 , Core i5 and Core i7 . We say second because the first generation of them came from Nehalem . Historically, this is January 2011, and Westmere is a thing of the past, so Intel is focusing on to optimize the performance of processors and GPUs.

Sandy Bridge was the range that would target all desktops, laptops and servers. However, in November of the same year, Intel will release the 2011 LGA 2011 (Socket R) to meet all server needs, with the incredible Xeon E3. We also saw Intel Pentium and Celeron in the low ranges for 1155.

Socket 1155 was so named because it contained 1155 pins that made contact with the processor. However, the Sandy Bridge family will be built on the 32nm and will ship with the first integrated graphics cards: HD Graphics, HD Graphics 2000 , HD Graphics 3000 , HD Graphics P3000 . This second generation will have the following processor ranges. nine0005

Their motherboards were H61 (Ivy compatible), B65, Q65, Q67, H67 (Ivy compatible), P67 (OC and Ivy compatible) and Z68 (OC and Ivy compatible) ). With the H61 removed, we could all install up to 32GB DDR3 RAM. Although the speed was limited to 1333 MHz , we could use memory with higher speeds.

Before I forget! All LGA 2011 and 1155 compatible Sandy Bridge desktop processors support PCIe 2.0 and DMI (Direct Media Interface) 2.0.

Intel Core i7

In turn, the Core i7 Extreme range still existed, although the 3970X would have to wait another 1 year. On the other hand, we had 6 Core i7s with different frequencies that ranged from 2.8GHz to 3.6GHz . At least 4 cores and 8 threads came but they could reach 6 cores and 12 threads at the top of the range.

Finally, we would like to highlight the introduction of the Pentium 350 as a server solution. Logically they couldn’t be high demand servers because they included 2 cores and 4 threads , which operated on the frequency of 1.2 GHz .

name	Cores (threads)	frequency	L3	TDP	socket	memory	interface	Starting price	release
Xeon 1290	4 (8)	3.6GHz	8 MB	95 W	LGA 1155	Dual channel 1333	DMI 2.0 PCIe 2.0	€ 885	29/5/11
Xeon 1280	3.5GHz	€ 612	3/4/2011
Xeon 1275	3.4GHz	€ 339
Xeon 1270	8W	€ 328
Xeon 1260L	2. 4GHz	45 W	€ 294
Xeon 1245	3.3GHz	95 W	€ 262
Xeon 1240	80 W	€ 250
Xeon 1235	3.2 GHz	95 W	€ 240
Xeon 1230	80 W	€ 215
Xeon 1225	4 (4)	3.1GHz	6MB	95 W	€ 194
Xeon 1220	8 MB	80 W	€ 189
Xeon 1220L	2 (4)	2.2GHz	3 MB	20W

2012, Ivy Bridge was the last batch for the socket 1155

The third generation of i3, i5 and i7 processors started in late 2011 , but we will have to wait until 2012 to see their releases. It must be said that the Ivy processors were compatible with the Sandy platform, since they used socket 1155 as socket 2011. In order for this to be possible, motherboards would have to update their BIOS .

All Ivy processors were made on 22nm and we were starting to see support for 4K , DDR3L , speed 2800 MT/s in RAM, Intel Quick Sync Video or DirectX0 graphics compatibility 11 , OpenGL 4 and OpenGL 1.1 . Highlight the Tri-Gate transistors that cut power consumption in half.

Their motherboards were: B75 , Q75 , Q77 , H77 , Z75 (OC), Z77 (OC). The last two chipsets were recommended for « K » processors.

Intel again released some Xeon Ivy Bridges for the LGA 1155, but the convenience of using the LGA 2011 for this purpose was clear, getting better performance. However, 2012 saw the introduction of the USB 3. 0 , such as the PCIe 3.0 . We also saw Intel Clear Video Technology built into all chipsets.

On the other hand, in desktop processors, Intel continued to support the Celeron and Pentium lines, attributing technologies from their older brothers to them, although PCIe was still 2.0.

Admittedly, there was a slight increase in processor performance, but that was not the reason users switched from Sandy to Ivy, but that the new support and new compatibility was a significant argument. In the graphics section, we have seen impressive progress from year to year. nine0005

While doing some offtopic, we think of Windows 8 launch year , so the video game industry is lucky, but it’s true that Windows will release its best version next year, in 2013 .

Finally, we can say that the Ivy Bridge processors had temperature problems while overclocking 10 degrees more than than Sandy. Apparently, the problem was in the thermal paste between the chip and the heatsink. Intel has received a lot of criticism for this poor thermal conductivity, although it was resolved by replacing the thermal paste. nine0005

Having removed 3 processors ( 4960X , 4930K and 4820K Intel graphics 43 HD ), they all enabled Intel 43 HD graphics 0004 . This range was narrowed down to enthusiastic people who wanted to play «the best of the best». Despite their criticism, these models were extremely successful, without any competition.

Prices for the 3770K remained at the level of $330 (although it was priced at 270 Euro ), while the 2011 LGA models ranged from $ to $100003

3.

.

name	Cores (threads)	frequency	L3	TDP	socket	memory	interface	Starting price	release
i7 3770K	4 (8)	3. 5GHz	5 MB	77W	LGA 1155	Dual channel 1600	DMI 2.0 PCIe 3.0	€ 332	23/4/12
i7 3770	3.4GHz	€ 294
i7 3770S	3.1GHz	65 W
i7 3770T	2.5 GHz	45 W

Intel Core i5

It gained incredible fame because its serial performance was brutal, which we could do even more if we overclocked . This time they will all have dual channel support for DDR3-1600 , as in PCIe 3.0 . What’s more, there was a dual-core i5 ( 3470T ) that didn’t get good reviews because it was priced almost identical to a quad-core one. The difference was in power consumption.

6MB cache L3 became almost standard, but Intel did it again with the release of Ivy Bridge processors in 2012 and 2013. In addition, there was almost no news between them, as they had very specific specifications. it seems. The only thing that has improved is the energy optimization with the «S» band. nine0005

As for the 3570K , it had a starting price of 225 USD , but here we are used to seeing it for 249 EUR .

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6 MB

name	Cores (threads)	frequency	L3	TDP	socket	memory	interface	Starting price	release
i5 3570K	4 (4)	3.8GHz	77 W	LGA 1155	Dual channel 1600	DMI 2.0 PCIe 3.0	€ 225	23/4/12
i5 3570	205 €	31/5/12
i5 3570S	65 W
i5 3570T	3. 3GHz	45 W
i5 3550	3.7GHz	77W	23/4/12
i5 3550S	65 W
i5 3475S	3.6GHz	€ 201	31/5/12
i5 3470	77W	€ 184
i5 3470S	65 W
i5 3470T	2 (4)	3 MB	35W
i5 3450	4 (4)	3.5GHz	6 MB	77W	23/4/12
i5 3450S	65 W
i5 3350P	3.3 GHz	69 W	€ 177	3/9/12
i5 3340	77W	€ 182	09/01/13
i5 3340S	65 W
i5 3335S	3.2 GHz	€ 194	3/9/12
i5 3330S	€ 177
i5 3330	77W	€ 182

Intel Core i3

2013 iMac included i3-3225

Returning to Intel’s mid-range, the Ivy Core i3s were more specific but contained some improvements. Intel refocused on offering the ultimate optimization between energy efficiency and performance. Most came out in 2012, but in 2013 they continued to release the Core i3. nine0005

The same cores and threads : 2 and 4 were retained. As for frequencies, they were improved, ranging from 2.8 GHz to 3.5 GHz without turbo. Unfortunately they continued with the PCIe 2.0 even though they supported dual channel on the 1600MHz . Obviously, Intel left these processors for minor requirements such as multimedia or office use.

In this case we are very interested in graphics Intel integration. In this sense, HD 4000 were only integrated into i3 3245 and 3225 .

name	Cores (threads)	frequency	L3	TDP	socket	memory	interface	Starting price	release
i3 33250	2 (4)	3. 5GHz	3 MB	55 W	LGA 1155	Dual channel 1600	DMI 2.0 PCI 2.0	€ 138	09/06/13
i3 3245	3.4GHz	€ 134
i3 3240	€ 138	3/9/12
i3 3225	3.3GHz	€ 134
i3 3320	€ 117
i3 3210	3.2 GHz	20/1/13
i3 3250T	3.0GHz	35 W	€ 138	09/06/13
i3 3240T	2.9 GHz	3/9/12
i3 3220T	2.8GHz	€ 117

Xeon E3

Finally we have server processors that were released in one hit 14 May 2012 for socket 1155. The rest were released for BGA 1284 , LGA 1356 and LGA 2011 in between 2013 and 2013.

As for the Xeon, the same cores and threads were kept, but it was upgraded to dual channel 1600 MHz and PCIe 3.0 . In addition, they have improved their power efficiency such as base clocks. In Sandy, we saw a processor with a frequency of 2, 2 or 2.4GHz ; Ivy’s lowest was 2.3GHz, on the other hand, turbo frequency increased from 4.0GHz to 4.1GHz .

Intel released a model with two cores and four threads, the turbo speed could exceed 1 GHz, since it had 2.3 GHz base frequency , but in turbo mode it reached 3.5 GHz . In this version, we again had 3 MB of cache of the third level , as in «Sandy». Ivy didn’t have a Pentium for servers. nine0005

In 2012, they realized the limitations of socket 1155 in the server space, which caused Intel to focus this industry on the LGA 2011 socket, which eventually led to LGA 2011-1 or 2011-3 .

nine0295 4 (8)

name	Cores (threads)	frequency	L3	TDP	socket	memory	interface	Starting price	release
Xeon 1290v2	3.7GHz	8 MB	87W	LGA 1155	Dual channel 1600	DMI 2.0 PCIe 3.0	€ 885	14/5/12
Xeon 1280v2	3.6GHz	69 W	€ 623
Xeon 1275v2	3.5GHz	77W	€ 350
Xeon 1270v2	69 W	€ 339
Xeon 1265v2	2.5 GHz	45 W	€ 305
Xeon 1245v2	3.4GHz	77W	€ 273
Xeon 1240v2	69 W	€ 261
Xeon 1230v2	3.