Sandy Bridge: Socket 1155 and 2011

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpus/2010/04/21/intel-sandy-bridge-details-of-the-next-gen/1

They will be split into two markets: mainstream and enthusiast. The mainstream models will replace the current LGA1156 'H1' Clarkdale and Lynnfield CPUs (Core i3 and Core i5) and will use LGA1155 'H2' packaging.

Yes, that's right, LGA1155 - one fewer pins than current LGA1156 CPUs. These sockets are NOT compatible, so you cannot use an existing LGA1156 CPU in a new motherboard or visa versa. Not only is the position of pin-1 different, the socket notch has moved from 9mm to 11.5mm from the centre and the entire voltage plane layout has changed.

Next is Sandy Bridge 'E' (Enthusiast or Extreme, take your pick) 'Patsburg' platform, which features a huge new LGA2011 socket to replace LGA1366 in Q3 next year (although right now that seems dubiously convenient given the year of launch).

So both Nehalem/Westmere sockets are now going to be obsolete at the end of the year. Note this is non-official, but the writings on the wall at this point.
 

unknown_13

Distinguished
May 12, 2009
1,539
0
19,860



It's going to be a completly new platform. I don't think they'll support LGA1366:( Why Intel, why....

BUT, there will be more hexas for 1366. I hear a i7-970 already on the way, will be released in near future:
http://www.tweaktown.com/news/14965/intel_readies_up_cheaper_core_i7_six_core_processor/

Although it won't be much cheaper, maybe 100$ less... :pfff:


edit: http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2010/04/new_core_i5_pentium_processors_and_six-core_i7_970_on_their_way.html

aargh can't belive they're still branding C2D (and one i3 model-G6950) as Pentiums. Pentium, Celeron names, go away!

And what's all this duals with hyperthreading for 400$(!!) (upcoming i5-680).
i5-750 FTW! Make more true i5 quads.....
 

Raidur

Distinguished
Nov 27, 2008
2,365
0
19,960
Lol yeah, pentium has been played out enough. I don't think any of us will miss the name. :)

Who cares about hexa I want higher IPC dammit! Not that I use either of the new chipsets, but I feel for those that do and were expecting sandy support.

Don't even get me started on i5 dual cores... those CPUs make me laugh. I feel bad for anyone getting sucked into that crap (including those with high budgets getting it because they're afraid to change a SINGLE option in bios; baseclock for i3).
 

yannifb

Distinguished
Jun 25, 2009
1,106
2
19,310
Huh, then if bulldozer comes out in q1, then I think AMD will have the performance crown for a bit. Bulldozer will be 8 cores (4 modules) and intels 6 core SB is supposedly coming in q3.
 
I doubt Intel will kill off LGA1366 considering the new Xeons use that socket. If Intel indeed kills it, I expect motherboard manufactures to support the Xeons on our "gamer" boards. IIRC, ASUS/Gigabyte did this back a while back (aka E8400 = Xeon E3110).

If both of these fail, I'm going to hate Intel for the next few generations of CPUs. I'll be AMD4Life for a while.
 

noob2222

Distinguished
Nov 19, 2007
2,722
0
20,860

Here is your answer Why just sell a chip, when you can sell a chip and a motherboard? Why do you think Intel kicked Nvidia off of thier motherboards? one word : GREED

Intel does not care about losing one customer when they have billions per quarter coming in as profit.
 


Bingo. Server CPU sockets are generally expected to have a reasonable lifespan so that motherboards and other related parts can be sold for a long enough time to make the much larger validation costs worthwhile. If Intel rolled out a new server socket every year, they'd tee off just about every third-party manufacturer of compatible boards, heatsinks, complete server sytems, and other related parts because of validation costs.

I'd expect Intel to hold onto LGA1366 for at least one more product revision. They typically offer at least three different revisions of their chips on a particular socket before they jump to the next socket, else people get PO'd.

- Socket 8: 500 nm PPro, 350 nm PPro, 250 nm PII OverDrive
- Slot 2: 250 nm PII Xeon, 250 nm PIII Xeon, 180 nm PIII Xeon
- Socket 603: 180 nm P4 Xeon, 130 nm P4 Xeon*
- Socket 604: 130 nm P4 Xeon, 90 nm P4 Xeon, 65 nm P4 Xeon, 65 nm Core 2 Xeon, 45 nm Core 2 Xeon
- PAC418: McKinley Itanium, which almost nobody bought.
- PAC611: All Itaniums except for the McKinley and the latest Itanium 9300s.
- LGA771: 65 nm NetBurst Xeon, 65 nm Core 2 Xeon, 45 nm Core 2 Xeon
- LGA1366: 45 nm Nehalem Xeon, 32 nm Nehalem Xeon.

*Socket 603 and 604 are almost identical.

This would suggest that Intel has at least one more revision left until they consider retiring LGA1366, thus Sandy Bridge on LGA1366 is probable.

If Intel indeed kills it, I expect motherboard manufactures to support the Xeons on our "gamer" boards. IIRC, ASUS/Gigabyte did this back a while back (aka E8400 = Xeon E3110).

They're basically identical except all of the Xeons have microcode/fuses left intact that allow for ECC memory to be used and the 5xxx Xeons have microcode/fuses that leaves the second QPI link enabled. It should't take much for extra BIOS support to use LGA1366 Xeons if they can use LGA1366 Core i7s.

If both of these fail, I'm going to hate Intel for the next few generations of CPUs. I'll be AMD4Life for a while.

Wouldn't that be "AMD4AWhile" then? ;)
 
This part right here makes it hard to trust for now:

A third party gave us this information - Intel won't comment on unreleased products.

When a third party gives info thats supposed to be correct 6+ months before a CPU release, you better bet there is a large chance that it will be false.

I think more of a realistic amount of true info will trickle down till about October and then from October on we will see much more info on it.
 

one-shot

Distinguished
Jan 13, 2006
1,369
0
19,310
Socket 2011 with an EE CPU and RAM in every slot. It had better be an 8 core CPU or I'm not wasting my money. I'll get a 970 or 980x if SNB doesn't have an 8 core CPU.
 


Sandy Bridge will scale to 8 cores natively. As to if they will be out upon release is another question.

Socket 2011 is mainly for the additional memory channel. 4 channels would be nice for someone running a private server or doing a lot of VT work since that would be 32GB max.

But for most people, 4 memory channels at this time will be overkill. I would also guess that it will have either a faster QPI or 2-3x QPi instead of just one QPI connection. That would increase memory bandwidth by quite a bit for low end servers.
 

noob2222

Distinguished
Nov 19, 2007
2,722
0
20,860

Llano will have an integrated PCIe 2.0 controller, a dual channel DDR3-1600 memory controller and 4MB of L3 cache
The new socket is rumored to be FS1. (Fusion Socket 1). Due to the changes in the chip internally and requiring Graphic output, you can't run it in the AM2+/AM3 boards due to the PCIe controller being on chip.

AM2+/AM3 is hardly a dead socket however, Bulldozer will be initially supported by them, followed by an updated AM3r2, possibly implementing more memory channels for thier 128 bit Bulldozer. Not much is known about the latter, just speculating it will be late 2011- early 2012 release.
 


My understanding is FS1 is a notebook socket. Not sure if that tells us about the desktop variant.

Its reasonable to assume the AM3r2 will be dubbed AM3+. And it is likely the desktop socket for fusion. Fusion on the desktop might also be AM3 compatible in some form.
 


From what we know, only Bulldozer (non Fusion) will be. I don't think AMD had AM3 planned for Fusion since they originally cut FUsion out of their roadmap and then added it back.

I think having an actual GPU on die will require a socket change not matter how badly people want it not to happen. Its adding something more to the packaging and currently the 938 pins in AM3 are for the CPU.
 
Well Jimmysmitty, I'm thinking socket AM3+ (the likely name for AM3 v2) will have that desktop fusion and bulldozer support. BUT its possible AMD built Fusion support into AM3 to begin with. Fusion has been on the roadmap for a while, so it would not surprise me if they thought ahead. But even if they didn't, Fusion may still support AM3 in a limited form, such as cpu without the on die gpu functioning for example.
 

noob2222

Distinguished
Nov 19, 2007
2,722
0
20,860

While it is possible, it is unnecessary. Fusion won't be any faster than the current pII or Bulldozer.

It has a built in GPU, which produces more heat and draws more power. If they were to make the cpu just as fast as the current PII line, the power draw would be more than the specifications would allow. Fusion is targeted for a cpu/gpu solution that will be more useful than Intel's solution, graphic wise it will tear up the I5-661. With that in mind, I don't see it being the cheapest chip available for the AM3 socket, making it different from the Intel option, and a waste of money when used with an actual discrete GPU.

Only time well tell, but I don't see a reason to support fusion on the AM3 board line.