Intel's 2nd Generation Core processors 29 new CPUs and enhanced graphics

[HappySqurriel]

ssj12 said:

HappySqurriel said:

NJ5 said:

There is one rather stupid thing and one rather scary/disturbing thing about these new CPUs (correct me if I'm wrong):

- stupid thing: the highest-end, overclockable Sandy Bridge CPUs have substantially better integrated graphics hardware, occupying a large portion of the chip as the picture in the OP shows. But the people who want to buy these highest-end chips are the ones who will rarely use the integrated graphics, obviously they will buy a good standalone graphics card instead. This looks like a waste of transistors and die area in these models.

- scary/disturbing thing: these CPUs can be remotely switched off by Intel:

http://www.techspot.com/news/41643-intels-sandy-bridge-processors-have-a-remote-kill-switch.html

The second one by itself is enough to make me very wary of buying one.

While I agree these integrated chips are problematic at the moment, if ATI/nVidia can work out solutions similar to the hybrid crossfirex to take advantage of these GPUs (or developers take advantage of these chips) it might not be such a waste

Doesn't Nvidia have that hybrid SLI thing where when your not using intense graphics solutions notebooks switch to the integrated solution. Couldn't they do the same thing here to save power and cut heat in a desktop?

You could do that, although I'm not certain it would have as much value as similar solutions have on notebooks ...