Intel's next-generation Ivy Bridge has now become the company's current-generation flagship CPU architecture. Built at 22nm, it's primarily a die shrink of the highly successful Sandy Bridge platform, allowing for greater power efficiency and thereby higher performance ceilings relative to its predecessor. Ivy Bridge was slightly delayed in making it to the market, but in late April 2012, Intel finally set laptop and desktop makers loose, triggering a deluge of upgrades of computer systems, both young and old.
Intel's Ivy Bridge CPU architecture: from rumors and roadmaps to release
New MacBook Pro rumored for summer with Retina display, ultrathin design, USB 3.0
It's no news to say that Apple will upgrade its MacBook Pro laptop range to Intel's latest generation Core processors, but what else can we look forward to? 9to5Mac has been in touch with sources within Apple's supply chain, who suggest that the 2012 iteration of MBP hardware will be the first in the Mac line to include Retina displays, while also slimming down in the most significant design alteration since 2008.
Specifically addressing a new 15-inch model, the site's informants claim it...
Ivy Bridge update to Samsung Series 9 ultrabook appears online
Samsung's Series 9 ultrabook is the thinnest 15-inch laptop around, which would seem to make it a good candidate for a new low power Ivy Bridge processor. Sure enough, Samsung's UK site is listing a model called the N900X46 with a 1.7Ghz Intel Core i5 3317u chip, which is an ultra-low voltage unit that we first caught wind of back in March. Beyond the new processor the internals are much the same — you're still looking at a 128GB SSD, 8GB RAM, and a 1600 x 900 display. While the external...
Intel's Ivy Bridge processor review roundup: integrated graphics see a big bump
Intel has just revealed its third-generation Core processors, codenamed Ivy Bridge, and the reviews are already starting to pile up. At first just the quad-core versions are going to be available — ultra low voltage and dual-core Ivy Bridge processors are slated to come out later this spring — so the reviews only cover two of the beefier chips offered by Intel today: the 3.5GHz Core i7-3770K for desktops and the 2.6GHz Core i7-3720QM for laptops. The new processors all represent a "tick"...
Intel launches 22nm Ivy Bridge processors: here's what you need to know
If you haven't yet heard of Intel's Ivy Bridge processors, you might be living under the proverbial rock: between Intel's own boasts of having invented a new 3-D transistor, countless leaked roadmaps, and overeager OEMs intent on deploying the silicon, we've known practically everything there was to know about the company's 3rd Generation Intel Core Processor (codename Ivy Bridge) for weeks, if not months. Today, however, Ivy Bridge is official, and Intel's announcing its first fifteen chips:...
Intel's Ivy Bridge processors launch today, but dual-core and low-voltage MIA until later in spring
Intel launched its highly-anticipated 22-nanometer Ivy Bridge processors today. However, while the initial launch of quad-core processors in the Core i5 and Core i7 families for desktop and full-sized laptops will start immediately, dual-core chips and low-power chips for thin, ultrabook-style computers won't be available until later this spring, the company revealed. Ivy Bridge marks the shift from 32-nanometer to 22-nanometer transistor technology, with the smaller size bringing enhanced...
Ivy Bridge HP EliteBook gets first review, high performance scores
We've been eagerly following specifications, release dates, and all sorts of rumors about Intel's new Ivy Bridge processors, but until now, we haven't had much of a chance to see how the chips perform in the wild. Laptop Reviews has obtained a still-unannounced HP EliteBook 8470p that contains an engineering sample of an Ivy Bridge Core i7. After double-checking the chip, they confirmed that it's indeed one of the new 22nm versions, as opposed to the 32nm Sandy Bridge.
Next, they tested the...
Intel: ultrabook prices will drop to $699, 75 new designs already in the pipeline
After teasing 50 new ultrabook designs for CES earlier this year, Intel's now promising we'll see 75 even newer SKUs over the coming months. The x86 chip designer and producer is feeling bullish about its future laptop strategy and even forecasts that entry-level prices for ultrabooks will dip below the $700 mark in time for the back-to-school shopping period this autumn. Aggressive pricing wasn't supposed to be at the core of the ultrabook ethos (and Acer even told us that $799 prices aren't...
Toshiba's Ivy Bridge laptop line revealed, will be available in Q3 2012
As if new tablets and all-in-one PCs weren't enough, Toshiba has updated its laptop lineup and given options for Intel Ivy Bridge processors almost across the board — though the spec sheets we have unfortunately don't go into detail on the precise chips available. Heading up the lineup is the Satellite P800 series, which (depending on configuration) puts an Nvidia GeForce 630M GPU, Blu-ray drive, and Harman Kardon speakers inside a sleek aluminum body with an Ivy Bridge processor. The S800...
Toshiba announces Ivy Bridge-powered all-in-one PCs, the LX835 and LX815
We're still a ways away from the availability of Intel's third-generation Core processors, not to mention Windows 8, but Toshiba has a pair of new all-in-one PCs that are designed to embrace both inevitabilities. The 23-inch Toshiba LX835 and 21.5-inch LX815 will come with the new Ivy Bridge CPUs, 1080p displays, up to 16GB of RAM, up to 3TB of magnetic storage, HDMI input to connect game consoles, virtual surround sound speakers, a folding stand, a pair of USB 3.0 ports, and optional extras...
First Ivy Bridge motherboards previewed, CPUs coming in three weeks
The first motherboards with Ivy Bridge-compatible Panther Point chipsets have been detailed by AnandTech and The Tech Report. The sites looked at motherboards from ASRock, Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, ECR, and Biostar. Although perhaps not quite as interesting as the new Ivy Bridge processors themselves, there are still some big improvements over the Sandy Bridge chipsets to note.
Intel's new architecture finally includes native USB 3.0 — a long time coming — although the chipset itself will only...
HP quietly reveals new Ivy Bridge-equipped Pavilion laptops
Without any fanfare HP has updated its website with the company's first laptops to feature Intel's new 22nm Ivy Bridge processors. As noted by Laptop Reviews, the low-end Pavilion dv4-5000 pairs a 14-inch 1366 x 768 display with a 2.3GHz i7-3610QM, a Nvidia GeForce GT 630M GPU, and 4GB of RAM. The dv6-7000 takes the same specs, but substitutes a 15.6-inch display of the same resolution, while the dv7-7000 ups the ante all around with a 2.6 GHz i7-3720QM and a 17.3-inch 1920 x 1080 display....
Asus' budget Ivy Bridge Zenbooks: UX32Vd with Nvidia GPU and UX32A, both starting at $800
Asus' new Ivy Bridge Zenbooks are coming soon, but the UX31 and UX21 refresh isn't the only thing you'll be seeing: Asus also plans to release an all-new pair of lower-cost ultrabooks. The Zenbook UX32A and UX32Vd will both come with 13.3-inch screens and will include the full range of low-voltage Ivy Bridge chips; buyers will have a choice of the Core i3-3217U, i5-3317U, or i7-3517U as long as they wait out the first few shipments, which will still come with Sandy Bridge. In an interesting...
Asus Zenbook UX31A and UX21A coming soon with Ivy Bridge, WiDi, matte Full HD IPS display, and backlit keyboard
Asus is working on a major ultrabook refresh to coincide with availability of Intel's new Ivy Bridge CPU and we've managed to get our hands on the full spec sheets. The Zenbook UX31A and UX21A are direct replacements for the UX31 and UX21, respectively, though don't be fooled by their similar product names, these are serious upgrades we're talking about.
Matte screen options will be available on both new models, with the highest spec offering 1920 x 1080 resolution on an IPS display —...
Ivy Bridge processor lineup with new ultra-low power models shows up on Intel's site
As Ivy Bridge nears release, some more details on the processors are showing up — this time from Intel's own site. Yesterday, CPU World spotted a PDF labeled "New 3rd Generation Intel Core Processors" on Intel's Retail Edge subsite. The slideshow turned out to contain a list of all Intel desktop and laptop processors to be released from January to April 2012, including Core i7-3xxx and i5-3xxx chips. The new i3 models are as absent as they've been in previous leaks, but as CPU World points...
Ivy Bridge delay confirmed by Intel executive, manufacturing process to blame (updated)
We'd heard rumors earlier this month that Intel would be pushing back the release of its new Ivy Bridge processors, and now the company's executive vice-president has confirmed the delay. Speaking to the Financial Times, Intel's Sean Maloney stated that the new processors — whose mobile versions were expected to ship as early as April — were being pushed back, and that when it came to new release dates, "I think maybe it's June now." While earlier suggestions had been that the company was...
Ivy Bridge release delayed until June?
It appears that Intel is postponing shipments of its upcoming Ivy Bridge processors. DigiTimes reports that the company has notified its hardware partners of the delay, and while it will be releasing "a small volume" of the processors in April, the motherlode won't be hitting the market until after June. After an initial announcement of the chips' availability in the first half of 2012, Intel narrowed the release window to Q2 (April and May for its mobile processors), before rumors of the...
Intel gets caught simulating Ivy Bridge gaming demo at CES 2012
Intel's Mooly Eden found himself in an awkward situation yesterday, when a demo that was represented as him playing a DirectX 11 game on an Ivy Bridge ultrabook turned out to have been powered by a computer running backstage. For Intel, proving the graphical powers of its integrated processors has been a long-running priority, so this incident will be more than a little embarrassing. After all, the question goes, if you can't do it live, why simulate it?
Well, AnandTech asked Intel that exact...
Intel Ivy Bridge desktop processor pricing leaked, most models rumored for April
We'd already seen the specifications for the forthcoming 22nm Ivy Bridge desktop processors from Intel's roadmaps that leaked early this month, along with some more details on the mobile range since. Now, a report from CPU World has given us a better idea of the wholesale pricing for the chips, which falls directly in line with the current generation of Sandy Bridge processors. The lower-end Core i5 models start at $184, rising to $332 for the Core i7-3770K which has an unlocked...
Intel Ivy Bridge mobile lineup details allegedly leak
Details on Intel's Ivy Bridge mobile CPU lineup may have leaked, just three days after supposed information on its desktop versions surfaced. According to alleged internal documents published by VR-Zone, Intel is doing away with the low-voltage variant seen in Sandy Bridge, condensing the product line down to just standard voltage and ultra-low voltage (think ultrabook) versions. Intel now allows for programmable TDP in its mobile processors, making the low-voltage products redundant.
The...
Revised Acer Aspire S3, possibly with Ivy Bridge, planned for April 2012 release
We weren't blown away by the Aspire S3, but according to recent comments Acer is planning an Ivy Bridge revision to the ultrabook that could be shipping in five months' time. "I think in April next year we are having a new slightly redesigned version of S3," Acer Middle East country manager Grigory Nizovsky told reporters at a recent breakfast. According to the Khaleej Times Online, Nizovsky noted the revision would include a new platform from Intel — which we take as a reference to...
Intel Ivy Bridge processors set for Q2 2012 release, specs leaked
The new line of Intel CPUs, dubbed the Ivy Bridge series, is set to ship in the second quarter of 2012, narrowing the timeframe from the previously-announced first half of 2012. Leaked specifications for i5 and i7 desktop processors confirm that Intel is focusing on improved graphics and lower power consumption. The eight standard chips have a 19 percent lower TDP than their current Sandy Bridge equivalents, meaning they'll require less power to dissipate heat, and Intel has increased its...
15-inch MacBook Air coming in Q1, says DigiTimes
DigiTimes cites supply chain sources in claiming that Apple is set to launch a new 11.6-, 13.3-, and 15-inch MacBook Air series in the first quarter of 2012. The Taiwanese publication with a hit-or-miss record on Apple rumors says that the new MacBook Airs, including the new 15-inch model, have started pilot production.
Apple already makes an 11- and 13-inch model and a 15-inch ultra-thin Mac notebook was originally rumored by MacRumors back in July. TUAW later corroborated the 15-inch...
Ultrabook fever: CES 2012 will feature '30 to 50 new ultrabooks'
The Consumer Electronics Association, organizer of the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, has revealed it expects this coming January's event to play host to the launch of "30 to 50 new ultrabooks." In spite of the downbeat global economy and the fact we already have five ultrabooks from the major manufacturers, Shawn DuBravac from the CEA have informed PC Pro that a deluge of new laptops is yet to come. We've already seen some evidence of Fujitsu and Lenovo's plans for...
Leaked Lenovo roadmap reveals next-gen ThinkPad ultrabook plans in middle of 2012
We're drowning in ultrabooks at this point, but we have a feeling the onslaught is just beginning. Our handy little secret Lenovo roadmap points to 13-inch "premium" and 14-inch "mainstream" ThinkPad ultrabooks coming in May or June of next year. Lenovo seems to be contrasting these ThinkPads with "consumer" IdeaPad U offerings (we just reviewed the U300s), and says "commercial" laptops that meet Intel's ultrabook spec will be running Intel's Chief River laptop platform, which will be...
Next year's ultrabooks may feature 2560 x 1440 displays
Plenty of excitement has surrounded the first batch of ultrabooks, but some people are disappointed with the 1366 x 768 panels found on most models, with the exception of the 1600 x 900 Asus UX31. VR-Zone has reported next-year's Ivy Bridge-powered ultrabooks may change all this, as discussions at last month's IDF brought up 2560 x 1440 "retina quality" 13.3-inch screens (see chart below). The panels could take advantage of Ivy Bridge's more powerful GPU to double both dimensions of current...
Intel Ivy Bridge chips to support 4k resolution
Ivy Bridge, Intel's 22nm successor to the currently dominant Sandy Bridge generation of processors, has been the subject of most of the talk at IDF this past week. And yet, one of its highlight features managed to go by almost unnoticed: the graphics processor integrated inside the Ivy Bridge chip will be able to decode video at a resolution of up to 4,096 x 4,096. That's north of 16 megapixels at a time, but don't get carried away with visions of our supreme HD future just yet. As A...
Intel Ivy Bridge roadmap: production in Q4 2011, on sale in first half of 2012
The attentive among you will already remember from Sean Maloney's Computex 2011 keynote that Intel intends to bring Ivy Bridge to the masses in the first half of next year. Today his company has reaffirmed that roadmap, with further word that production is set to begin at five different plants in Q4 of this year following encouraging yield results (always a concern with new processor technology).
The Ivy Bridge microarchitecture represents a significant advance over the current Sandy Bridge...
