Intel Launches Sandy Bridge Pentiums
Five years ago, there was some speculation that Intel would kill its Pentium brand and all the negative perceptions that resulted because of the power-hungry Netburst processors.
However, Intel decided to move Pentium downmarket and it appears that the brand will also survive the Sandy Bridge generation of processors.
The company quietly launched four Sandy Bridge chips as the Pentium G600/G800 series as offerings for entry-level desktop PCs. The G620 (dual-core, 3MB cache, 2.6 GHz), G840 (dual-core, 3MB cache, 2.8 GHz) and G850 (dual-core, 3MB cache, 2.9 GHz) are positioned as general processors, while the 2.2 GHz G620T (dual-core, 3MB cache) is a low-power option. Prices start at $64 (2.6 GHz) and end at $86 (2.9 GHz).
As before, it is virtually impossible for consumers to decrypt the sequence number and understand what exact product they are buying. Given the confusion created by 12 different desktop product families, 32 nm and 45 nm versions as well as multiple architectures, it is surprising that even Intel can still keep track and figure out what processor is exactly what. The company currently offers 70 different desktop processor models.
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Why keep pentium going? Surely Celeron should be aimed at non power users?
I don't know, Silver565. The Pentium brand seems too heavily associated with older architectures, such as the Pentium 4 with HT.
Looking at the specs, a 2.9GHz dual-core CPU based on the Sandy Bridge architecture..well, that seems a bit more than 'entry-level' hardware to me. I doubt it would have much trouble running everything but the most demanding applications.
Some people are bound to dismiss it however, purely on the basis of brand perception. I immediately associate the 'Pentium' brand with historical hardware that offered enthusiast class performance at the time - but not something comparable to a powerful, modern architecture such as this (even in it's stripped-down form).
I was thinking the same thing later today actually. These new Pentium chips could be something to grab if you're not that power hungry yet still want to do something heavy every now and then.
I do agree. I have a Pentium 4 HT here. Best file server ever lol.
I think I'll keep a close eye on these chips though
Sounds like the re-branding of faulty core i7 sandy bridge cpus to me, AMD did the same thing with phenom range i.e x2 + x3 phenoms are just x4's with a faulty core or two.
Curious as to what might make the G620 not a G820 and it looks like loss of SSE4.1 and SSE4.2 instructions. Anything else missing that anyone knows?
It seems like a re-branded i3/5.
Good deal.