Intel Going With New Socket For 2011

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It’s nothing new from Intel, but bit-tech has uncovered that Intel’s roadmap for 2011, with their anticipated new platform – Sandy Bridge – will bring with it a new CPU processor socket. The upcoming LGA1155 socket will use fewer pins and a thinner socket notch.

Those familiar with the situation are reporting that Intel will release most of the Sandy Bridge chips in Q1 2011, with a very limited amount being ready in Q4 2010. Enthusiasts with the Core i7 chips can rest assured for a bit longer, the first Sandy Bridge chips will be just mainstream models – mainly replacing the Core i3 and i5 series.

All new processors are reportedly going to be native dual- and quad-core processor and they’ll aim to have a TDP between 65W and 95W. To reiterate our earlier reports, the Sandy Bridge integrated graphics will have twice the power of the current on-board graphics. One reason for this is that they’re building the graphics into the core, not onto a separate chip.

All of these new Sandy Bridge chips will use the 32nm fab process and will be built with the High-k metal gate manufacturing process.

Intel has a reputation of changing their processor sockets frequently, which offends enthusiasts who would want to upgrade their processors but keep their motherboards. I seem to recall some Intel PR guy saying a few years back that they were going to try to make their sockets last longer – but that was probably just something to quiet the masses.

If you build your own computer, I think at this point, if you’re building with Intel, you have to expect to buy a new motherboard with ever new processor.