Macro Rant

Here we go again! Time for a major release from Intel… and following suite is a new socket to go with it. LGA1155.. That’s right one pin less than LGA 1156.. and a far cry from LGA1366.

So what’s new about it? 32nm process for one. Reworked memory controller for two. Integrated graphics for three! w0000t! There will also be offerings with dual core graphics processing in the i5 and i7 versions! Synopsis? More processing from less power with greater memory performance (two load and store evens per cycle) and decent level graphics quality for the mainstream consumer utilizing DirectX 10.1. Will you be able to run Crysis at maxed out resolutions? Absolutely not. That will remain the realm of standalone GPUs (for now). However you might be able to play it at low resolutions with quality settings reduced. That’s not truly the aim of this series of processors anyways. The idea is to bring quality graphics to laptops according to Intel. That statement, I think, is more of a show for the standalone guys (AMD/ATI and nVidia) than it is about reality. Sure it will be great for laptop offerings but the true potential of these chips will be unleashed in desktops where the power performance isn’t as much of a factor for the consumer. Desktops offer the kind of power envelope where CPU integrated graphics can truly bloom. Only the future will tell the tall however.

My thoughts? EXCITED! Not as much for Sandy Bridge as I am for Ivy Bridge, it’s successor which is set, supposedly, to be released in the same packaging for socket LGA1155 on a 22nm manufacturing process. Ivy Bridge is rumored to be released with a minimum of eight processing cores and possibly as many as 12 in certain offerings. It is rumored to include integrated graphics with twice the shaders and double the throughput as the Sandy Bridge architecture and will support DirectX 11!!!! My sincere hope as a recreational level gamer is to see SLI and Crossfire support so that these on die graphic processors can be linked up with standalone products. As a consumer I’d like to see this offered standard. As a consultant I’d advise to make a separate offering that supports this. Something akin to how you can purchase an unlocked i7, dubbed “K” series. i7-2600K SLI anyone??? Yes please!

I wouldn’t be surprised either to see a second socket made available for both Sandy and Ivy bridge with additional pins in order to support higher bandwidth. Word is that the larger socket will be (coincidentally) LGA2011. My guess would be that the second package (LGA2011) will be made available in late Q4 2011 right around when Ivy Bridge is being introduced.

It is exciting times! Personally I can’t wait to put together a new system with Intel’s new lineup. I intend to invest as soon as possible. Intel continues to impress me with both their processor and SSD offerings. To think, I used to be an AMD guy. Bravo Intel.