Sandy Bridge-E Looking Ever More The Stop-Gap Product

The current Sandy Bridge architecture is getting on a bit, so the upcoming buggy Sandy Bridge-E platform due for a mid November launch, is looking ever more the stop-gap product, designed to introduce something "new" into the marketplace to help extract more revenue from punters until the real upgrade comes along. Therefore, performance PC enthusiasts wanting to upgrade their systems may want to wait, perhaps just six months depending on how old their systems are and their upgrade needs. Or if they just can't wait and want it now.

This stop-gap impression is reinforced by the information supplied in Intel's Third Quarter 2011 Earnings Conference Call, Intel's President & CEO Paul Otellini announced that 22nm Ivy Bridge production had already started: