More details surface on Sandy Bridge-E extreme CPUs

Current generation of extreme consumer desktop platform, represented by Westmere Core i7-900X series microprocessors, is going to be replaced with three new Sandy Bridge models, supposedly by the end of this year. The new processors will be built on Sandy Bridge-E core, and will utilize new socket LGA2011. Basic specifications for these CPUs were known since mid of April. Yesterday, DonanimHaber published new details on forthcoming extreme processors, including turbo boost frequencies and processor numbers.

The fastest from three models, Intel Core i7-3960X, operates at 3.3 GHz clock speed. The processor incorporates Turbo Boost technology, that can bump clock frequency to 3.9 GHz when necessary. Also, the chip has unlocked clock multiplier, and can be easily overclocked. The processor features 15 MB level 3 cache, AVX and AES instructions, and consumer-class technologies, like Hyper-Threading and VT-x virtualization, but doesn't include Vpro features.

Six-core Core i7-3930K has 3.2 / 3.8 GHz stock and turbo boost frequencies, which is 100 MHz lower than on the 3960X. The chip also has smaller size of L3 cache, "only" 12 MB. Like the i7-3960X, this "K" model has unlocked multiplier, and includes the same set of on-chip technologies.

The last model, Core i7-3820, packs 4 CPU cores and operates at 3.6 GHz. Integrated Turbo Boost technology can increase clock frequency of this microprocessor by 300 MHz at maximum. L3 cache size on this SKU is reduced to 10 MB, and remaining features on the i7-3820 are identical to processors from i7-39xx series.

Common component of all new CPUs is an integrated quad-channel DDR3 memory controller. In addition to that, the Sandy Bridge-E microprocessors support memory with higher data rates than current Core i7-980X/990X SKUs. Both of these enhancements should result in considerably higher memory bandwith, and, consequentially, much better performance in memory intensive applications compared to Westmere extreme CPUs. Taking into account that the i7-3xxx processors add Advanced Vector Extensions instructions, we can also expect these chips to be significantly faster in AVX-enabled programs.

Model	Cores	Threads	Frequency	Turbo Frequency	L3 cache	TDP
Core i7-3820	4	8	3.6 GHz	3.9 GHz	10 MB	130 Watt
Core i7-3930K	6	12	3.2 GHz	3.8 GHz	12 MB	130 Watt
Core i7-3960X	6	12	3.3 GHz	3.9 GHz	15 MB	130 Watt

Update (July 24): DonanimHaber published two slides, showing relative performance of the Core i7-3960X microprocessor, compared to production Core i7-990X. Average performance increase of the upcoming extreme processor ranges from 12% in floating point applications, and up to 111% in memory intensive tasks, that utilize Advanced Vector Extensions instructions. Performance advantage of the core i7-3960X in individual applications is:

• 12% in POV-Ray 3.7
• 13% for Cinebench 11.5
• 15% in ProShow Gold 4.5
• 34% in SPECint_rate base 2006
• 36% for 3DMark11 physics score
• 65% in SPECfp_rate base 2006
• 92% in Multi-Media FP Sub-test
• 111% in memory bandwidth FP Sub-test