Intel will launch the first microprocessors made with 22nm technology starting 2012. Code-named Ivy Bridge the new processor family will succeed Sandy Bridge and even if the base architecture is the same we will get some news, beside a more powerful GPU also PCI Express 3.0.
Ivy Bridge will according to recently leaked slides house 20 PCI Express channels. Out of these 16 channels is based on the new PCI Express 3.0 specifications that doubles the effective bandwidth from 500 MB/s to 1 GB/s. With 16 PCI Express 3.0 channels there is a total bandwidth of 16 GB/s. Beside higher data speeds from the processors Ivy Bridge will bring a more powerful graphics processor with DirectX 11 and OpenCL 1.1 support backed by a more powerful video coding logic.
The new chipset family Panther Point will enable users to connect up to three separate displays to the Ivy Bridge GPU, while there is also native support for USB 3.0 (4 porsr) and dual SATA 6.0 Gbps ports. Panther Point will launch as the Intel 7 series of chipsets and arrive with Ivy Bridge next year.
Source: SemiAccurate
