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Intel Ivy bridge Or SandyBridge – What’s New

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What’s is this IvyBridge. And what are those rumors going around?

IvyBridge is the code name for the next generation processors by Intel. They are the 3rd generation processors line up by Intel. So all of you might be thinking whats the big deal with these new Processor Range. Are they cheap? Powerful? Or what is so special about them?

Details on Ivy-Bridge and Sandy-Bridge - 

  • The processor series will be the same as Sandybridge – i3, i5, i7 and also the K series like i7 2600k or i5 2500k.
  • What is different is that the current range of Intel 2nd Generation Processors i.e i3, i5, i7 are base on the SandyBridge architecture thus it is the 32 Nanometer architecture. While the new Ivybridge are based on the 22 Nanometer architecture. It sounds very fancy, but what is the difference between these architectures?

Now with these new architecture Intel could have more Transistors.For e.g.- the current range of processors that is the Sandybridge has 1.16 billion transistors while this new 22 Nanometer architecture could have about 1.4 billion architecture.

What is a transistor?

A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power.

- Wikipedia

Intel is currently holding the world record for most transistors in a single CPU with a stunning amount of 2.5 billion transistors packed into their 10-core Xeon Westmere-EX.

Further details on Ivy-Bridge -

Intel has lowered the power consumption and the heat produced by the chips which will be a great advantage for Laptops, not to mention Ultrabooks.

  • One more thing which has not changed is the socket, this new series are also based on the 1155 Socket. This means that the Motherboards which were supported by the SandyBridge series will also have compatibility with the new Ivybridge series – this means that you can keep your beloved Sandy-Bridge motherboard to use with your new CPU.

But you will need to do a Bios Update.

*Not all motherboards will be getting this update*
- Read more on Ivy Bridge motherboards here.

So the main advantage with these new CPU’s is that the Ivybridge integrated Graphics Perfomance is about 60% more than Sandybridge – that is a major boost!

This series will also be compatible with Ultra-Books and Macbook air.

  • It will also bring the USB 3.0 support. Now you might be thinking that USB 3.0 is already available on some of the mid or higher range of motherboards but the thing is that currently the Manufaturers have to add another External Third-Party chip to give the USB 3.0 support. Where as with Ivybridge it will be provided with the default chipset.
  • Beside the old chipset intel is also going to release the new chipsets called the H77, Z75 and Z77 for the ivybridge.

So at last I only recommend you to upgrade to the latest Ivybridge series if you are a power user or you are going to use the in-built graphics support.