LGA 1156 Future

[ERSB]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had a list of websites that I can read around on to see what the future holds for the 1156 socket. I was curious to know if Intel would be releasing a CPU that will take the full PCI-e x16 for dual video cards(or more). I'm a n00b so I don't know where to find the resources yet. I've searched Google and came up with one or 2 sites but I don't have the patience to scroll through pages of sites listed from Google.

A side question: If you have a Hex-core CPU do you need triple channel memory? Not that I'm wondering if Intel will release an H-Core CPU for the 1156, I've read that it's highly unlikely soooo.......

Thanks!

 

[hunter315]

It looks like all the higher end CPUs for LGA 1156 are already out. If you want 16x/16x SLI or Crossfire you need to go for LGA 1366, and if you want that you likely have the extra change to pay for the slight premium to an LGA 1366 board and i7 930.

The number of cores in your CPU has no bearing on the number of channels of memory needed. LGA 1366 CPUs support up to triple channel so the intel i7 970 and 980X can both use triple channel, but they also work with single or dual channel kits. LGA 1156 CPUs and AMD CPUs only support dual channel memory.

It is highly unlikely that intel would release a 6 core CPU for a mainstream platform, if you need 6 cores of performance they would much prefer that you pay the premium for the 970 and a nice LGA 1366.

 

[WR2]

All 1366 CPUs have motherboard options for full x16 CF/SLI.

No hex core Lynnfield CPUs on the Intel roadmap. No full x16 CF / SLI on 1156 motherboards either. That would cut into X-58 sales even deeper.

Hex-core CPUs do not need triple channel memory. X6 1055T/1090T would be examples.

 

[MU_Engineer]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had a list of websites that I can read around on to see what the future holds for the 1156 socket. I was curious to know if Intel would be releasing a CPU that will take the full PCI-e x16 for dual video cards(or more). I'm a n00b so I don't know where to find the resources yet. I've searched Google and came up with one or 2 sites but I don't have the patience to scroll through pages of sites listed from Google.

A side question: If you have a Hex-core CPU do you need triple channel memory? Not that I'm wondering if Intel will release an H-Core CPU for the 1156, I've read that it's highly unlikely soooo.......

Thanks!

LGA1156 is due to be replaced with LGA1155 and Sandy Bridge-based CPUs. From what I've seen on Intel roadmaps, Intel doesn't plan to release any 32 nm quads or six-core CPUs on LGA1156- the Lynnfields are as good as you'll get apparently. There's no reason Intel couldn't keep KGA1156 alive for a while with 32 nm quad-cores like they keep LGA775 alive by continuing to produce low-L2-cache Core 2 Duos and Quads, but I don't know what they will do.

 

[gamerk316]

LGA1156 is due to be replaced with LGA1155 and Sandy Bridge-based CPUs. From what I've seen on Intel roadmaps, Intel doesn't plan to release any 32 nm quads or six-core CPUs on LGA1156- the Lynnfields are as good as you'll get apparently. There's no reason Intel couldn't keep KGA1156 alive for a while with 32 nm quad-cores like they keep LGA775 alive by continuing to produce low-L2-cache Core 2 Duos and Quads, but I don't know what they will do.

I think Intel wants to start to whittle down the mid-range buyers, forcing them to buy more expensive CPU's. Hence the OC limitations roumered to be on Sandy Bridge. As such, it makes sense to kill of LGA1156 by not releasing any new CPU's for the platform, forcing users to adopt Sandy Bridge or move up to LGA1366.

 

[MU_Engineer]

I think Intel wants to start to whittle down the mid-range buyers, forcing them to buy more expensive CPU's.

Intel always wants to persuade people to buy more expensive CPUs by selectively disabling/enabling features on their CPUs to persuade people to purchase products higher up in the SKU list. It's a win for them as the CPUs with all of the features enabled cost little if any more to make but have a much higher price and the difference in price is just profit in Intel's pockets. The only loss is if people get upset at having to spend a lot for a fully-functional Intel CPU and decide to buy a fully-functional CPU from AMD in their initial price range instead. However, Intel is much less overt about crippling low-end desktop and laptop CPUs than they are with their Nehalem-based workstation and server CPUs.

Hence the OC limitations rumored to be on Sandy Bridge.

I don't know if that will in fact occur. Intel has announced several times in the past they'd limit or eliminate system bus clock-based (FSB or QPI) overclocking and it's all turned out to be false thus far. The vat majority of buyers can't overclock their CPUs because they're shipped in OEM system, so eliminating overclocking only affects a few enthusiasts. Intel really has no reason to want to kill off enthusiast overclocking of their CPUs as enthusiasts will mostly go buy overclockable AMD CPUs that will beat stock-clocked Intel CPUs if Intel really did kill off overclocking on all but $1000 Extreme Edition CPUs. My guess is if they do kill off system bus clock overclocking, they'll offer multiplier-unlocked Sandy Bridge CPUs at more reasonable prices than $1000, just like they currently have the unlocked $320 i7 875K.

As such, it makes sense to kill of LGA1156 by not releasing any new CPU's for the platform, forcing users to adopt Sandy Bridge or move up to LGA1366.

If they're killing off LGA1156, it's to move people to Sandy Bridge's LGA1155 rather than LGA1366. LGA1366 is also a dead socket, but its replacement (Socket R/LGA2011 with four memory channels) won't come until Q4 2011.