Intel launches Sandy Bridge Pentium and Core CPUs

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Today Intel updated official pricelist with information on 7 new microprocessors, all built on the latest Sandy Bridge microarchitecture. Prices of existing processors were left unchanged. The list of new models includes mainstream Pentium G620, G840 and G850, low-power Pentium G620T, Core i3-2105 and i5-2405S with beefed-up graphics, and incrementally faster Core i5-2310. Prices of new SKUs are identical to previously reported prices, and range from $64 for the least expensive Pentium, and up to $205 for mid-power Core i5-2405S.

Core i3-2105 and Core i5-2405S are versions of i3-2100 and i5-2400S CPUs with on-chip graphics, upgraded from HD 2000 to HD 3000. As a result of this upgrade, they offer higher 3D game performance in systems with integrated graphics. The CPUs come with price tag $134 and $205, which is $17 and $10 more expensive than older parts with HD 2000 controller.

Feature-wise, Core i5-2310 is similar to Core i5-2300, although it's clocked 100 MHz higher. Currently, both chips have the same $177 sticker price.

While newly launched Core i3s and Core i5s are variations of existing i3/i5 microprocessors with better graphics or faster clock frequency, the Pentiums are brand-new models. In addition to better underlying micro-architecture, than previous generation of Pentium G69x0 CPUs, these SKUs boasts new features for entry-level systems, such as addition of SSE4 instructions, and support for DDR3-1333 memory on G8xx parts. Still, there is large number of Sandy Bridge technologies, that are disabled on Pentiums: AVX and AES instructions, HyperThreading and Turbo Boost, 3D acceleration, Quick Sync video, InTru 3D, and Clear Video HD technology. Despite of this, the Pentium processors have very decent performance in day-to-day applications, sometimes comparable to AMD Athlon II X2 top models, and often noticeably outperforming those in memory intensive and SIMD intensive tasks. The CPUs are priced in the same range as Athlon II X2, from $64 to $86. An alternative to AMD II energy-efficient models, low power Pentium G620T with 35 Watt TDP and $70 budget price looks like as a good and cheap candidate for HTPC and always-on desktop PCs.

Brief specifications of all new microprocessors are presented in table below:

Model	Cores	Threads	Frequency	Turbo Frequency	L3 cache	TDP	Price
Core i3-2105	2	4	3.1 GHz	N/A	3 MB	65 Watt	$134
Core i5-2310	4	4	2.9 GHz	3.2 GHz	6 MB	95 Watt	$177
Core i5-2405S	4	4	2.5 GHz	3.3 GHz	6 MB	65 Watt	$205
Pentium G620	2	2	2.6 GHz	N/A	3 MB	65 Watt	$64
Pentium G620T	2	2	2.2 GHz	N/A	3 MB	35 Watt	$70
Pentium G840	2	2	2.8 GHz	N/A	3 MB	65 Watt	$75
Pentium G850	2	2	2.9 GHz	N/A	3 MB	65 Watt	$86