Sandy Bridge
Sandy Bridge is the codename for the processor microarchitecture developed by Intel as the successor to Nehalem. Development began in 2005. Sandy Bridge uses the same 32 nm manufacturing process as Westmere.[1]
It is due for release at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2011.[2][3]
History
The former codename Gesher (Hebrew for "bridge") was abandoned on April 17, 2007, according to Justin Rattner's keynote at the Spring 2007 Intel Developer Forum.[4]
Architecture
Details of Sandy Bridge became available prior to launch. The specifications were reported to be as follows:[5][6]
- Silicon die size for quad-core processors will be approximately 225 mm².
- Processing cores might feature Hyper-threading and/or Turbo Boost Technology depending on market segment, as with current Core i-series Nehalem-Westmere processor generation.
- Standard CPU clock speed rated at 2.2 GHz to 3.4 GHz for variants. With Turbo Boost Technology enabled, up to 3.8 GHz clock speed can be achieved.
- Integrated graphics core running at 650 MHz to 850 MHz. With Turbo Boost Technology enabled, it can achieve up to 1350 MHz clock speed.
- Some amount of L3 cache will be disabled accordingly on some models in order to differentiate products among different market segments.
- 64 KB L1 cache/core (32 KB L1 Data + 32 KB L1 Instruction, 3 clocks) and 256 KB L2 cache/core (8 clocks).[7]
- Up to 8 MB shared L3 cache (25 clocks) on a ring bus to be shared with the integrated graphics core.
- 256 bit/cycle Ring bus bandwidth. The ring bus connects the cores.
- All processors will feature a 64-byte cache line width.
- Decoded micro-op cache and enlarged, optimized branch predictor.
- Improved performance for transcendental math, AES encryption, and SHA-1 hashing.
- Thermal Design Power (TDP) of products are rated between 35...95 W for desktop variants, and 18...55 W for mobile variants.
- Dual-core and quad-core processors will be available at launch, with six-core and eight-core processors planned for future release.[8]
- x86 peak performance (with and without AVX): 30.4 DP GFLOPS / 7.6 DP GFLOPS per core (8 DP FP / 2 DP FP Per clock) @ 3.8GHz
- Improved memory controller with maximum 25.6 GByte/s bandwidth supports DDR3-1600 dual channel RAM and two load/store operations per cycle.
Pre-launch speculation anticipates:[9][10]
- Sandy Bridge will be released for the mobile segment, and marketed into two CPU lines.
- Performance increase without a core transistor increase. Each CPU core is estimated at 20 mm².[11] Graphics core size is currently unknown.
- Dynamic Turbo (Turbo 2.0) will allow the CPU power to exceed the TDP value when the rest of the platform is relatively cool. The frequency gain is expected to be up to 37 % for one minute and over 20 % in most cases.
Other Details
An initial preview of a Sandy Bridge processor was shown at the fall 2009 Intel Developer Forum. This processor used an A1 stepping version and ran at 2 GHz.[12] No other details were released. Screenshots of Engineering samples(ES) of Core i5-2500k & Core i7-2600k on sources have shown a stepping of D2 & D1 respectively, actual stepping is still unknown.[13]
The mobile Sandy Bridge version is expected to be released at the same time as the microarchitecture.[14] The platform chipset’s northbridge is referred to as the ‘Sandy Bridge System Agent’ rather than 'MCH'.[15] These CPUs will be on the Huron River mobile platform, expected to also be launched in Q1 2011 together with the desktop market.
Intel has stated that Sandy Bridge processors will include a new set of instructions known as Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX).[16] These instructions are an advanced form of SSE. The data path is widened from 128 bits to 256 bits, the two-operand instruction limit is increased to three operands, and advanced data rearrangement functions are included. AVX is suited for floating-point-intensive applications.[17] New features include mask loads, data permutes, increased register efficiency and use of parallel loads, as well as smaller code size. When AVX instruction is used in conjunction with these improvements, it provides double peak FLOPS performance compared to using SSE4 instructions on CPUs. Sandy Bridge will also have a new extensible VEX opcode prefix.[18]
In addition, Sandy Bridge processors will implement security features that include the ability to remotely disable a PC or erase information from hard drives. This can be useful in the case of a lost or stolen PC. The commands can be received through 3G signals, ethernet, or internet connections. AES encryption will be available for both video conferencing and VoIP applications.[6]
Overclocking
Overclocking of Socket-1155 compatible processors through modifying the default 100 MHz base clock speed is very limited, probably to about only 2–3% at most, due to the factory integrating a single clock generator to control the speed of all electrical buses. Hence, the base clock (BCLK) of the clock generator has to be kept close to the default 100 MHz base clock to prevent other hardware components from failing to work.[19] However, Intel will allow overclocking through modifying the unlocked clock multiplier of up to 57 times the speed of base clock, which will be available in K-edition processors.[20]
Reported on September 15, 2010: An Overclocking of the Sandy Bridge architecture appeared in an article by ZDNet.[21] Their Core i7-2600K processor sample (where the "K" indicates the processor has an unlocked multiplier, allowing for overclocking) was able to operate at 4.9 GHz using an air-cooled solution. This has gained some attention due to the fact that achieving 4.9 GHz typically requires water or better cooling. Liquid Nitrogen Overclocking has refuted that it probably was not an accurate performance demo, saying "not a demo where the system was stressing all cores and threads, and it was not a statement confirming this could be maintained for 24×7 operation."[22] Liquid Nitrogen Overclocking has shown instances of an Core i7-2600K processor operating at 4.5 GHz on a Gigabyte P67A-UD7 (no graphics) motherboard, and a Core i5-2500K processor operating at 4.2 GHz using a Gigabyte H67MA-UDH2 motherboard. All other details are still unknown.
Intel Sandy Bridge E Processors are to come with an unlocked base clock. There are also rumors about a Z68 Chipset that came with what was referred to as “Performance Over Clocking” support.[23]
32 nm Variants
Desktop processors
- Dual-core graphics (12 EUs) sub-system is only available in Core i5-2500, Core i5-2500K, Core i7-2600, Core i7-2600K processors.
- The MSRP stated is for 1k Units from manufacturer to reseller and in USD($). Actual retail price for consumer will be slightly higher.[26]
| Desktop Market |
Socket | Cores / Threads |
Processor Branding & Model |
Intel graphics sub-system |
CPU Clock rate | Graphics Clock rate | L3 Cache |
TDP | Release date[26] |
Price | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard / Turbo | Standard / Turbo | ||||||||||||
| Performance | LGA 1155 |
4 (8) | Core i7 | 2600K | Intel HD Graphics 200 (12 EUs) |
3.4 GHz | 3.8 GHz | 850 MHz | 1350 MHz | 8 MB | 95 W | January 5, 2011 |
$317 |
| 2600 | $294 | ||||||||||||
| 2600S | Intel HD Graphics 100 (6 EUs) |
2.8 GHz | 1100 MHz | 65 W | $306 | ||||||||
| 4 (4) | Core i5 | 2500K | Intel HD Graphics 200 (12 EUs) |
3.3 GHz | 3.7 GHz | 6 MB | 95 W | $216 | |||||
| 2500 | $205 | ||||||||||||
| 2500S | Intel HD Graphics 100 (6 EUs) |
2.7 GHz | 65 W | $216 | |||||||||
| 2500T | 2.3 GHz | 3.3 GHz | 650 MHz | 1250 MHz | 45 W | $216 | |||||||
| 2400 | 3.1 GHz | 3.4 GHz | 850 MHz | 1100 MHz | 95 W | $184 | |||||||
| 2400S | 2.5 GHz | 3.3 GHz | 65 W | $195 | |||||||||
| 2300 | 2.8 GHz | 3.1 GHz | 95 W | $177 | |||||||||
| Mainstream | 2 (4) | 2390T | 2.7 GHz | 3.5 GHz | 650 MHz | 3 MB | 35 W | February 20, 2011 |
$195 | ||||
| Core i3 | 2120 | 3.3 GHz | — | 850 MHz | 65 W | $138 | |||||||
| 2100 | 3.1 GHz | $117 | |||||||||||
| 2100T | 2.5 GHz | 650 MHz | 35 W | $127 | |||||||||
| Entry-Level | 2 (2) | Pentium | G850 | 2.9 GHz | 850 MHz | 65 W | Q2 2011 | $86 | |||||
| G840 | 2.8 GHz | $75 | |||||||||||
| G620 | 2.6 GHz | $64 | |||||||||||
| G620T | 2.2 GHz | 650 MHz | 35 W | February 27, 2011 |
$70 | ||||||||
Suffixes to denote:
- K - Processors that feature unlocked CPU clock multipliers.
- S - Energy efficient processors that have comparable clock speeds as compared to standard models.
- T - Highly energy efficient processors that have lower clock speeds as compared to standard models.
Mobile processors
- All mobile processors will feature a dual-core graphics (12 EUs) sub-system.
- ECC support is available in Core i5-2515E, Core i7-2610UE, Core i7-2655LE, and Core i7-2715QE processors.
| Mobile Market |
Cores / Threads |
Processor Branding & Model |
Intel graphics sub-system |
CPU Clock rate | Graphics Clock rate | L3 Cache |
TDP | Release Date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard / Turbo | Standard / Turbo | ||||||||||
| Extreme | 4 (8) | Core i7 Extreme Edition |
2920XM | Intel HD Graphics 200 (12 EUs) |
2.5 GHz | 3.5 GHz | 650 MHz | 1300 MHz | 8 MB | 55 W | January 5, 2011 |
| Performance | Core i7 | 2820QM | 2.3 GHz | 3.4 GHz | 45 W | ||||||
| 2720QM | 2.2 GHz | 3.3 GHz | 6 MB | ||||||||
| 2715QE | 2.1 GHz | 3.0 GHz | 1100 MHz | ||||||||
| 2710QE | |||||||||||
| 2630QM | 2.2 GHz | 2.9 GHZ | |||||||||
| Mainstream | 2 (4) | 2620M | 2.7 GHz | 3.4 GHz | 1300 MHz | 4 MB | 35 W | February 2011 | |||
| 2655LE | 25 W | ||||||||||
| 2640LM | |||||||||||
| 2620LM | |||||||||||
| 2610LM | |||||||||||
| 2630UM | 18 W | ||||||||||
| 2610UE | |||||||||||
| Core i5 | 2530UM | 3 MB | |||||||||
| 2540M | 2.6 GHz | 3.3 GHz | 650 MHz | 1150 MHz | 35 W | ||||||
| 2520M | 2.5 GHz | 3.2 GHz | |||||||||
| 2515E | 1050 MHz | ||||||||||
| 2510E | |||||||||||
| Entry-Level | 2 (2) | Celeron | B801 | 2MB | |||||||
Suffixes to denote:
- M - Mobile processors.
- LM - Low voltage mobile processors.
- UM - Ultra low voltage mobile processors.
- QM - Quad-core mobile processors.
- XM - Extreme quad-core mobile processors that feature unlocked Turbo multipliers.
- E - Embedded mobile processors.
- LE - Low voltage embedded mobile processors.
- UE - Ultra low voltage embedded mobile processors.
- QE - Quad-core embedded mobile processors.
All Variants
First reports about unknown Sandy Bridge chipset variants surfaced in the Japanese press.[29][30][31]
| Code name | Market | Cores / Threads |
Socket | Clock speed range |
Max Turbo speed | TDP (W) | Interface | Memory | PCIe lanes | Cache | Integrated GPU cores (processing units) | Release | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chipset | CPU-to-CPU | Memory Channels |
Peak bandwidth |
Peak capacity |
L2 (per core) | L3 (max) | ||||||||||
| Sandy Bridge-EX | Entry-level 4P server | 8 (16) | Socket R (LGA 2011)[32] |
150/ 130/ 95/ 80/ <80 W | DMI 2 | 2x QPI | 4× DDR3-1600 / DDR3L (1.35V)[32] [33][34] |
51.2 GB/s | 12 DIMM per socket | 40 (v3.0) | 256 KB | 20 MB | — | Q4 2011 | ||
| Sandy Bridge-EP | 1-2P server | 8 (16) | Q3 2011 | |||||||||||||
| 6 (12) | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 (8) | ||||||||||||||||
| Sandy Bridge-EN [32][33] | 1-2P server | 8 (16) | Socket R2 (LGA 2011)[32] [33][34] |
130/ 95/ 80/ <80 W | DMI 2 | 1x QPI | 3× DDR3-1600 / DDR3L (1.35V)[35] |
38.4 GB/s | 6 DIMM per socket | 24 (v3.0) 4 (v2.0 on 2nd CPU) |
20 MB | Q3 2011[32][33][34] | ||||
| 6 (12) | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 (8) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 (4) | ||||||||||||||||
| High-end desktop | 8 (16) | Q3 2011 | ||||||||||||||
| 6 (12) | ||||||||||||||||
| Sandy Bridge-DT | 1P server / Performance desktop |
4 (4-8) | Socket H2 (LGA 1155)[35] |
2.3-3.4 GHz | 3.8 GHz | 65-95 W | DMI 2 | N/A | 2× DDR3-1333 | 21.3 GB/s | 4 DIMM per socket | 20 (v2.0) | 8 MB | Intel HD Graphics 100/200 (6/12EUs) | January/February 2011 | |
| Mainstream / Entry-level desktop |
2 (4) | 2.5-3.3 GHz | 3.5 GHz (Core i5-2390T) |
35-65 W | ||||||||||||
| Sandy Bridge-NB | Extreme / Performance mobile |
4 (8) | 2.2-2.5 GHz | 3.5 GHz | 45-55 W | Intel HD Graphics 200 (12EUs) | ||||||||||
| Mainstream / LV / ULV mobile |
2 (4) | 2.5-2.7 GHz | 3.4 GHz | 18/ 25/ 35 W | ||||||||||||
Ivy Bridge
Ivy Bridge is the codename given to the 22 nm die shrink of the Sandy Bridge architecture. According to the keynote speech presented by Paul Otellini during the 2010 Intel Developer Forum (IDF), Ivy Bridge processors may be introduced as early as the second half of 2011.[36] However, it now seems more likely that Ivy Bridge will be launched a year after Sandy Bridge, probably during CES 2012. Ivy Bridge will replace dual-core processors with quad-core processors at the entry level segment, while delivering eight-core and sixteen-core processors for mainstream and higher-end level segments.[37]
Ivy Bridge processors will employ a maximum of 24 EUs graphics sub-system, as compared to the maximum of 12 EUs graphics sub-system employed in the first batch of Sandy Bridge processors.[38] Hence, graphics performance of Ivy Bridge processors is expected to be roughly double that of Sandy Bridge graphics.
Another major improvement of Ivy Bridge graphics will be the integration of DirectX 11 compatible graphics chip directly into the processor die, rather than the older DirectX 10.1 graphics technology that will be featured in the first batch of Sandy Bridge processors, while retaining its LGA 1155 socket compatibility.[39]
Successor
The successor to the Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge architecture will be the Haswell microarchitecture. Release date is unknown, but judging by the current pace of the Intel tick-tock principle, Haswell should be launched a year after the release of Ivy Bridge processors, probably around the year 2013 timeframe. According to sources, the architecture will feature a native octal-core, 22nm fabrication technology, come with a new cache subsystem, a FMA (fused multiply-add) unit, and a vector coprocessor.[40]
References
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- ^ Anand Lal Shimpi (2010-12-08). "Ask Your Sandy Bridge Questions Here". AnandTech. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
- ^ Crothers, Brooke (2010-12-15). "CES: First Intel next-gen laptops will be quad core". The Circuits Blog. CNET.com. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
- ^ Demerjian, Charlie. "Justin Ratner brings out the babes". The Inquirer. Retrieved 2007-05-20.
- ^ Anand Lal Shimpi (2010-09-14). "Intel's Sandy Bridge Architecture Exposed". AnandTech. Retrieved 2010-12-16.
- ^ a b Hachman, Mark (2010-09-14). "Intel's 'Sandy Bridge' Chip to Include vPro Business Features". PC Magazine.
- ^ Llano vs Sandy Bridge vs Westmere (JPEG), Chip Architect
- ^ Shilov, Anton (2010-04-13), Intel Begins to Ship Samples of Sandy Bridge amid Superior 32nm Production Ramp. Intel: Our 32 nm Production Ramp – Fastest Ramping Process Ever, X Bit Labs
- ^ Kaigai (2008). "Two teams to develop corporate strategy of Intel" (Encoding: SHIFT_JIS). PC Watch (in Japanese). Japan: Impress Watch. Automated translation.
- ^ Kaigai (2008). "2010's Intel CPU "Ivy Bridge" and "Haswell"" (Encoding: SHIFT_JIS). PC Watch (in Japanese). Japan: Impress Watch. Automated translation.
- ^ * Sandy Bridge will be released for the mobile segment, and marketed into two CPU lines
- ^ 笠原 一輝 (2009-09-23). "ポール・オッテリーニ社長兼CEO基調講演 22nmプロセスルールウェハと、実働するSandy Bridgeを初公開" (Encoding: Shift_JIS). PC Watch (in Japanese). Japan: Impress Watch. Retrieved 2010-12-17., English translation.
- ^ http://en.hardspell.com/doc/enshowcont.asp?id=7947
- ^ Goto, Hiroshige (2008-06-02). "ソケット数の制約から脱却する | Nehalem世代のIntel CPU" (Encoding: SHIFT_JIS). PC Watch (in Japanese). Japan: Impress Watch. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) Automated translation. - ^ Career Section — Job description: System Validation Engineer, Intel
- ^ Jason Cross (March 17, 2008). "Intel Offers Peek at Nehalem and Larrabee". ExtremeTech.
- ^ Intel IDF Preview: Tukwilla, Dunnington, Nehalem and Larrabee, PC Per
- ^ Gruener, Wolfgang (14th Aug 2008), Leaked IDF slides shed light on Nehalem’s successors, TG Daily
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Intel to limit Sandy Bridge Overclocking, Bit-Tech, July 22, 2010
- ^ Anand Lal Shimpi (2010-09-14). "Intel's Sandy Bridge Architecture Exposed". AnandTech. p. 8. Retrieved 2010-12-16.
- ^ "IDF Intel 2010: Intel Overclocks Sandy Bridge CPU to 4.9 GHz, outpaces 12-core AMD Opteron". ZDNet.
- ^ Liquid Nitrogen Overclocking
- ^ "Intel Sandy Bridge E Processors to Come with Unlocked Base Clock - Softpedia". News.softpedia.com. Retrieved 2010-12-05.
- ^ Neue Roadmap: „Sandy Bridge“ entschlüsselt (Update 2) (in German), vol. Hardware News, ComputerBase, 11.08.2010
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Text "chapter Intel Prozeßoren" ignored (help), English translation. - ^ (in Chinese), Ex Preview http://www.expreview.com/11683.html
{{citation}}: Missing or empty|title=(help), English translation. - ^ a b c "Price And Release Day Of Intel Sandy Bridge Processor Confirmed - Expreview.com". En.expreview.com. Retrieved 2010-12-05.
- ^ News, Digitimes, 2010-11-15
- ^ Intel low power embedded Sandy Bridge comming q1 2011, Semiaccurate, 2010-10-12
- ^ “SandyBridge”世代のデスクトップCPU (Encoding: EUC-JP) (in Japanese), 北森瓦版 / northwood.blog60.fc2.com, 2009-11-27, retrieved 2010-12-16, English translation.
- ^ Kaigai (2010-03-01), "32nmプロセス世代のIntelとAMDのCPU" (Encoding: SHIFT_JIS), PC Watch (in Japanese), Japan: Impress Watch, retrieved 2010-12-16
{{citation}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help), English translation. - ^ Kaigai (2010-04-09), "ノートPCからMPサーバーまで投入されるIntelの「Sandy Bridge」" (Encoding: SHIFT_JIS), PC Watch (in Japanese), Japan: Impress Watch, retrieved 2010-12-16
{{citation}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help), English translation. - ^ a b c d e Swinburne, Richard (2010-04-21). "Intel Sandy Bridge: Details of the next gen". bit-tech. Retrieved 2010-12-16.
- ^ a b c d Galistel, Andreas (2010-08-09). "Sandy Bridge-E LGA 2011 socket pictured". NordicHardware. Retrieved 2010-12-16.
- ^ a b c d Lal Shimpi, Anand (2010-08-27). "The Sandy Bridge Preview". AnandTech. Retrieved 2010-12-16.
- ^ a b Sandy Bridge Sockets, Hiroshige Goto
- ^ Burt, Jeffrey (2010-09-17). "Intel Plans for 22-nm 'Ivy Bridge,' 15-nm Atom Chips". eWeek. Retrieved 2010-12-21.
- ^ Valich, Theo (2009-04-16). "Intel says no to 28nm, focuses on 22nm: Ivy Bridge/Haswell & Larrabee". Bright Side of News. Retrieved 2010-12-21.
- ^ Abazovic, Fuad (2010-10-29). "Ivy Bridge 22nm has 24 shaders". FUDzilla. Retrieved 2010-12-21.
- ^ "IDF 2010: Intel'in 22nm Ivy Bridge işlemcileri DirectX 11 desteğiyle" (in Turkish). Donamim haber. 2010-09-16. Retrieved 2010-12-21.
- ^ Doc, TB. "IDF Shanghaï : From Nehalem to Haswell".
External links
- Intel's AVX page
- David Kanter (September 25, 2010). "Intel's Sandy Bridge Microarchitecture". realworldtech.com. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
