Intel's Sandy Bridge E-Series in Q4 2011?

By Kevin Parrish
published

Intel is reportedly launching the Core i7 9-series Extreme Edition sometime this summer before unleashing the Sandy Bridge E-Series for enthusiasts later this year.

A recent report indicates that Intel's upcoming enthusiast-class Sandy Bridge E-Series processors have been delayed by at least a whole quarter, now slated for a Q4 2011 release.

Previously it was believed that the E-Series would arrive earlier in the year, appearing sometime during Q3 2011. However now there's indication that Intel plans to increase the speed of the current Sandy Bridge platform with faster chips first over the summer before rolling out the elite version for performance machines in the Fall/Winter window.

News of the delay stems from a document acquired by X-bit Labs. According to the paper, the processors will use the LGA2011 socket and offer "extra large cache" to maximize the overall speed of single-threaded and dual-threaded applications, the quad-channel memory controller, and "a number of other enhancements."

The documents also reveals that E-Series processors bearing four or six cores will be paired with the Intel X68 "Patsburg" core-logic set. However platforms based on the 6-core processors will offer external base frequency generators but will keep the clock-speeds of USB, SATA and other buses locked. This will allow users to boost the clock speed of the CPU by increasing the Direct Media Interface (DMI) frequencies.

Before launching the E-Series, Intel will reportedly unleash the Core i7 9-series Extreme Edition processors sometime in Q2 or Q3 2011. Currently Intel has not issued a statement in regards to the leaked document or the release dates contained within this article. X-bit labs also did not provide a scanned version of the document, so until the processor giant steps forth with an official statement, everything is still considered rumor.

Kevin Parrish
55 Comments Comment from the forums
  • jprahman
    So Sandy Bridge E will be on LGA2011 just like I thought. I have to wonder what role the Sandy Bridge chipset snafu had to do with this delay from the Q3 date that had been floating around.
    Reply
  • kilo_17
    Get the new Intel Sandy Bridge E-series CPU's later this year! Starting at just $1,500!
    Reply
  • Immoral Medic
    Are the E-Series like the $1000 core i7 right now? Or are they more mainstream like the 2500k and 2600k?
    Reply
  • Intel will reportedly unleash the Core i7 9-series Extreme Edition processors sometime in Q2 or Q3 2011

    But how can they possibly compete with Sandy Bridge. The 2600K already stomps the 980x in many applications. Added cores at less performance per core is not an enticing offer when you are paying 3 times as much. And they already moved to 32nm, so its not like they can do a shrink and get more power out of it.
    Reply
  • jprahman
    The Sandy Bridge E series is to the 2500K and 2600K as the LGA1366 processors are to the LGA1156 processors. Basically still mainstream chips, but with higher end features and a higher end price, although hopefully not $1000.
    Reply
  • bison88
    If they are Extreme editions they are going to be like the Extreme editions you see for the i7's right now which are practically at a set price of $999 for now until the day they stop selling them. Unless you're a sucker for those "enthusiast" editions this article really doesn't pertain to most of us because I doubt more than 10% even waste that much for a CPU for such a slight increase when an overclocked chip for 1/3rd the price will do the job better.
    Reply
  • Immoral Medic
    So it's like the core i7 extreme? Are there really that many people that buy $1000 processors? Cuz i'm thinking of building a new rig in march with the 2600k which kills everything in gaming so far. I just want to know if this E-series is gonna be in the 1k range or the 2600k range. Plus, is the lga2011 socket really gonna be a HUGE performance upgrade or just the new socket for future processors? I don't want to upgrade to sandy bridge if the E-series costs around the same as the 2600k and if the lga2011 socket improves performance by an insane amount. NEED MORE INFORMATION PLZ!
    Reply
  • Travis Beane
    Plenty of people buy the $999 EE chips, and many have a good reason.
    Personally, I tihnk $300 if the sweetspot for a highend chip. Een if the LGA 2011 are $500+, I'll still consider them if they are enough of a performance boost over the LGA 1155 chips.

    Ask anyone who uses PCSX2 (PS2 emulator), sometimes a 4GHz i7-920 isn't enouh. :)
    Reply
  • kilo_17
    Yeah I doubt they will be that expensive, I was just being sarcastic
    Reply
  • middels8088
    For AMD to earn big bucks on Bulldozer, it must come out a few months before that i7 9-series extreme cores pop out... Unless they are sure it could own the i7 9 series extreme cores...
    Reply