Intel ha annunciato ufficialmente i nuovi processori a sei core, prodotti con un processo di fabbricazione a 32nm e denominati Intel Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition e Intel Core i7-3930K, che il chip maker presenta al grande pubblico come i primi processori six-core appartenenti alla famiglia dei "Sandy Bridge" di seconda generazione.

Intel ha anche chiarito che le cpu Core i7-3960X e Core i7-3930K sono entrambe "pienamente unclocked", ovvero entrambi i chip sono agevolmente overclockabili anche per gli utenti meno esperti; il Core i7-3960X ha una frequenza di clock per core pari a 3.3GHz e una cache L3 con dimensione di 15MB, mentre le analoghe feature del Core i7-3930K sono pari rispettivamente a 3.2Ghz e 12MB.

Le piattaforme in grado di supportare i nuovi processori, caratterizzati dal socket LGA-2011, sono basate sul nuovo chipset Intel X79 Express, che introduce un controller nativo Serial ATA 6Gbps e un numero maggiore di linee aderenti allo standard PCI-Express 2.0.

I nuovi Core i7 di Intel, il cui target è evidentemente rappresentato dai sistemi desktop di fascia alta, si fanno notare, inoltre, per la capacità di gestione della memoria RAM in modalità quad channel. I chip sono attualmente presenti nel listino di Intel: hanno un prezzo unitario pari a $990 (Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition) e $555 (Core i7-3930K) se acquistati in stock da mille pezzi.

Intel ha anche annunciato le motherboard high-end DX79SI e DX79TO, e un cooler a liquido, realizzato in collaborazione con Asetek, in grado di lavorare non soltanto con i nuovi chip LGA-2011, ma anche con quelli LGA1366 e 115x.

Intel Corporation today advanced its highest-end six-core processor family with the introduction of two new processors: the Intel Core i7-3960X processor Extreme Edition and the Intel Core i7-3930K processor. These are the first six-core client processors in the second-generation "Sandy Bridge" Intel Core processor family. With over 2 billion transistors, Intel’s latest client processors offer the processing power equivalent of approximately 365,000 Intel 4004 processors**. The 40th anniversary of the Intel microprocessor is being celebrated this month.

Users and developers of the most advanced applications — especially in content creation, 3-D rendering and gaming — will see benefits from the additional cores, large CPU caches and new quad-channel memory support. With more people posting rich media online and playing immersive games, software developers are welcoming the performance and features offered by these new processors. Game developers such as id Software* are hungry for more CPU cores.

"To render our uniquely textured worlds, RAGE uses a very compute-intensive real-time process to transcode texture data from highly compressed form on disk to a compression format the GPU can use directly for rendering," said John Carmack, technical director, id Software. "With two more available cores, a six-core system can transcode over 50 percent more texture data per second during gameplay than a four-core system, bringing new surfaces to full resolution quicker."

These processors also support the new Intel Advanced Vector Extension (AVX) instructions which benefit 3-D rendering and physics.

"MAXON Cinema 4D and Cinebench are designed to take advantage of all available processor threads" said Harald Schneider, CTO, MAXON* Computer. "Our new, optimized render engine intelligently divides render tasks across the threads for a more evenly distributed workload, giving us maximum throughput and performance. In addition, our upcoming service update will include Bullet-based dynamics optimized with the new Intel AVX instructions for faster physics simulations. This means faster previews and final rendering, and the ability to create even more complex scenes with more objects, more effects and higher resolutions."

The Intel Core i7-3960X and the Intel Core i7-3930K are fully unlocked so overclockers and enthusiasts who want to modify performance settings can do so with simple utilities***. Based on Intel’s industry-leading 32nm manufacturing process, the new CPUs run at base speeds of 3.3 and 3.2 GHz with 15MB and 12MB of L3 cache respectively. The Intel X79 Express chipset that supports this new LGA 2011 socket platform delivers the must-have capabilities and performance for enthusiasts such as 6Gb/s Serial ATA (SATA*) ports and additional PCIe* 2.0 lanes, leading to new levels of performance and expandability for high-end desktop platforms.

"We are excited to deliver the ultimate desktop platform to enthusiast PC users," said Zane Ball, general manager for Intel’s Desktop Client Platforms Group. "With uncompromised performance, quad channel memory, amazing Turbo headroom and more robust PCI Express capabilities, this platform is sure to create a lot of excitement for our customers and the industry."

In addition to the new processors, Intel is launching a liquid-cooled CPU thermal solution. Co-developed with Asetek*, this solution will provide robust system cooling while requiring zero maintenance. This solution has been optimized to work not only on the LGA2011 socket, but also the LGA1366 and 115x sockets.

Intel is also releasing two new enthusaist motherboards -- the Intel DX79SI and Intel DX79TO -- with robust features for this high-end platform. Information on these boards can be found at www.intel.com/extremeboards.

The Intel Core i7-3960X and the Intel Core i7-3930K are available now at 1KU prices of $990 and $555, respectively. More information is available at www.intel.com/corei7EE.

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