Blogs bit-tech is testing Sandy Bridge

Yep, forgive us for feeling a little smug but we've been putting a selection of Sandy Bridge chips through their paces over the last few days. Obviously we can’t say anything about the numbers we're seeing but needless to say we'll be well prepared to give a full and comprehensive review when the CPUs launch.

http://www.bit-tech.net/blog/2010/12/06/bit-tech-is-testing-sandy-bridge/

 

I look forward to your results (when the chips are released).

 

The Sandy Bridge chip is on the left!

 

Exciting stuff!

I was actually wondering over the weekend if BT will have any reviews for launch as I'm almost certainly going to be jumping on the boat and it would be a shame if I had to 'buy blind'.

*Edit*

Is there any chance you could tell us which boards you have in the lab?

 

When's the launch date?

 

It's obviously on the left - die layout

Actually more interested in how the integrated GPU does. We know the CPU is gonna be fast, and we know we don't actually need more speed for anything.. Meh. Guess I'm jaded.

 

Awesome news! Is it possible for you to tell us the date when NDA is lifted or the CPUs are launched?

 

Can you say if it uses quad channel memory?

 

They moved the notch, that's a radical design change.

 

I've held out on building a new rig just to see how Sandy Bridge does in testing. Truthfully my AMD still hauls ass but I'll just turn that into my new work station So personally I'm real excited for this and will likely be jumping on the wagon for this one

 

SB is already shown to use a dual-channel design, like current Lynnfield CPUs. If you already own 1.35-1.65V DDR3 memory for Lynnfield or Clarkdale (or even Nehalem), it will be compatible.

Dual-channel is seen as 'consumer' and will remain this way, but densities have recently increased to add progress: now 8GB (4GBx2) kits have come down a lot in price and are much more affordable.

There are several reasons, of which I'm not sure if we're allowed to go into yet (I will detail them in a future article), but I would strongly argue that this dual-channel design is certainly "enough" on even a 4C/8T design.

Quad-channel is supposedly due on LGA2011.

@Jamie - actually the whole pin-out has changed entirely so if they didn't move the notch it would potentially damage non-SB chips!

 

I've been waiting to upgrade my E8500 for some time so any news on release date would be appreciated.

Spent a lot of time eyeing up the Core i5 760 so would really like to see what effect Sandy Bridge has on the price of the 760 & 1156 board?

 

hold on a few days, let me count the holes on that image, then i can tell you which is which.

i demand an update on what frequency you managed at what temperature using air cooling with how many cores. surely if you don't say which CPU model, you are not really breaking NDA.

 

Early Jan.

1156 price might go down a little bit but never by a lot, due to high demand/low supply for the new products.

Yes, we would be.

But I have been torturing mine with re-playing Crysis on Very High, while overclocked. It's a hard life this testing m'larky.

 

Yup because it's still refering to an Intel product. I wouldn't want BT to get Intel-assraped legally so shush and wait patiently before I stick my Space Marine Power Armoured foot up ya backside +moral highground+

Looking forrrwarrdss to this!

 

Looking forward to seeing the final results!

 

Do think memory Prices will stay low until realease date if not what type should I go for?

 

That's what I want to hear about - LGA2011. Mmm...

 

so if we where looking to purchase/build a new system, the parts we should hold off on are
cpu
motherboard
graphics card (as new ati cards are due soon?)

but we could go ahead and grab these items now
ram
cpu cooler (one which fits all kinds of sockets, most do anyways)
case
psu
soundcard
hard drive

 

1155 is clearly the one on the left - if you look at the 'pins', there's one missing underneath the semicircle indent on the right.