Intel's 2011 CPUs require new motherboards

 

 

Intel's 32nm Sandy Bridge CPUs will unify your computing world next year. Bit-tech reports that they may also drain your pocketbook.Two new sockets, LGA-1155 and LGA-2011 will use the site that Intel's spiffy new CPU / GPU / memory controller integrations; if true, you'll need to buy a new motherboard to match. Aside from packaging the aforementioned GPU and memory controller on the same die, LGA-1155 rumors don't hold any surprises thus far, but the enthusiast-grade LGA-2011 chips will supposedly sport a quad-channel DDR3 memory controller (like Nehalem EX) and the long-awaited PCI Express 3.0 for 32 lanes of graphics-gobbling bandwidth. Also new southbridges will have native SATA 6G. Honestly, these rumors are so tame as to be entirely credible. 

Sandy Bridge CPUs will be based on the current 32nm, second generation High-k metal gate manufacturing process, but will include new architectural features such as AVX - (Advanced Vector Extensions), - and AES - (Advanced Encryption Standard).
 

They will be split into 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.

LGA1155 - one fewer pins than current LGA1156 CPUs. These sockets are NOT compatible, so one 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.

Mainstream Sandy Bridge CPUs will be both native dual- and quad-core products, currently targeting TDPs of 65W and 95W respectively, both with Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost technology. At the moment it's not clear what frequency these CPUs will be though.