First off, we here at Broken Fuse would like to wish everyone a HAPPY 2011! Along with thoughts of the future and resolutions we may or may not keep, I have decided to focus a bit on the upcoming Sandy Bridge processors from Intel. Why? Because we all know that the reason for getting a new computer isn’t for school or even work. It’s for GAMING!
Sandy Bridge (SB) is Intel’s codename for its next line of processors. They will be the evolution of the very popular i3, i5 and i7s. Now normally, new processors come along and no one makes a big deal out of it because there is nothing truly ground breaking. With SB, we are going to have the GPU integrated into the CPU. This means that for the first time ever, you might not need to buy a motherboard with onboard video or a discrete video card and we all know the importance of video cards for gaming.
With GPU integration on SB, there are two interesting things to note. First, the market for lower end video cards will disappear. According to early benchmark scores from anandtech, it appears as if these GPUs have more than enough horsepower to compete with the sub $100 video cards on the market today. This means that there will essentially be no reason to purchase video cards if you don’t plan on playing games with maxed out settings. Second, due to the reduced space demand (no physical video card), laptop makers are certain to utilize this new technology to make every single laptop capable of some serious gaming.
The kicker? Current price projections show that the SB processors will sell at around the same price or lower than the current series (around $300). If you factor in the GPU and savings from not having to buy a video card, these processors seem like an insta-buy. Of course, nothing can be certain until the product actually releases on January 5, 2011. However, I have a feeling that the computers coming out this year will have an exponential jump in price to performance ratios. Therefore, if you are in the market for a PC or laptop, at least wait a few weeks to see the new offerings on the table before taking the plunge.
(via Anandtech)
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