Ivy Bridge!

[RandyWayne]

It has finally been released this weekend!

Anyone else upgrading?

Anyone else know what I'm talking about?

[KeptByTheWord]

No.... what is Ivy Bridge?

[RandyWayne]

No.... what is Ivy Bridge?

It is the name given to the new series of chips just released by Intel. It consists of the i3, i5, and i7.

I have my shopping cart all filled out on Amazon with the chip, motherboard, a new CPU cooler, a case, power supply, 32 gigs of RAM, and a 120 gig intel SSD boot drive. All I need to do is hit "Purchase now!" when I can get the wife to say "ok! Do it! Whatever makes my Randy happy makes ME happy! I love you dear!"

[RandyWayne]

I got my processor today -the Intel i7.

Along with the case, 32 gigs of RAM, an intel 510 120 gig SSD as my main drive, a Coolmaster 212 Plus CPU cooler, and a very generic DVD burner.

.....but will be twiddling my thumbs this weekend since the motherboard is arriving Monday. :(

[Cindy]

So she said okay, dear? :)

[RandyWayne]

So she said okay, dear? :)

In a manner of speaking.....

[bbyrd009]

In a manner of speaking.....

Ha! Meaning you waited until dinner was 5 minutes from being served,
daughter was hitting mom about prom, dogs were barking to get fed,
and then you slipped in and said, "Hey, I'm going to pick up that new
i7 tonight, cool? : )

[RandyWayne]

My ASUS motherboard is being delivered Fedex. As I track it I see it is about a MILE from our house and arrived there at 5 am this morning. But since most of Fedex doesn't deliver on weekends, I have to wait until Monday afternoon. Grrrrrrr. Grrrrrr, I say!

[RandyWayne]

Ha! Meaning you waited until dinner was 5 minutes from being served,
daughter was hitting mom about prom, dogs were barking to get fed,
and then you slipped in and said, "Hey, I'm going to pick up that new
i7 tonight, cool? : )

I might have asked her while she was in the shower, from the other room.

[Sister Alvear]

take her to dinner of course by candlelight....no woman could say no...ha...

[RandyWayne]

take her to dinner of course by candlelight....no woman could say no...ha...

We actually went to a very nice Italian place by a local airport for our anniversary. :)

[Timmy]

We actually went to a very nice Italian place by a local airport for our anniversary. :)

You haven't even told her about the computer stuff, have you. Be honest!

[RandyWayne]

You haven't even told her about the computer stuff, have you. Be honest!

Well, I did imply that all the computer equipment that has been getting dropped off the past week and is now sitting on the floor in our living room belongs to a friend....

An imaginary friend who is due to meet an untimely and tragic end in the next 24 hours, and have to donate all "his" equipment to me.

[Timmy]

Well, I did imply that all the computer equipment that has been getting dropped off the past week and is now sitting on the floor in our living room belongs to a friend....

:spit

[RandyWayne]

I'm about half way through the build. I was surprised that I had to use the manual (and still em).

Some of the parts prior to putting it together.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w113/RandyWayneD/_MG_1766.jpg

About half way through. Have the motherboard installed in the case along with the processor, memory, and CPU heatsink. Now just doing a LOT of wiring.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w113/RandyWayneD/_MG_1768.jpg

[Coady]

Does anybody know if the Ivy bridge upgrade

does away with the need for a discrete

graphics card for, say, software like

Arcgis or other graphic-intensive programs?

[RandyWayne]

Does anybody know if the Ivy bridge upgrade

does away with the need for a discrete

graphics card for, say, software like

Arcgis or other graphic-intensive programs?

The graphics core on the chip is nearly twice as powerful as the previous Sandy Bridge parts, but it still isn't really a substitute for a mid-level or higher discreet graphics card. It WILL replace just about any sub hundred dollar card on the market though.

[RandyWayne]

Tomorrow I will hold my breath as I turn THIS computer off for the last time and uninstall its graphic card and Creative FX sound card in order to put them in the new box. I will then install my new copy of Windows 7 Pro (I was going to use the Home Premium version, except it doesn't support more than 16 gigs -Pro will support the full 32 I put in it).

[Coady]

Thanks, that's what I thought. Hope it all goes well.

I appreciate all Beta testers!

From the sidelines! :thumbsup

[Timmy]

And in a year, it won't be fast enough anymore. :lol

[RandyWayne]

And in a year, it won't be fast enough anymore. :lol

Several years ago that would have been true but the pace that computers have been getting faster, or needing to be upgraded has slowed down quite a bit. This is really true with memory. 4 gigs has been the standard on the lower side for a few years now and it is still enough for most applications. The 32 I put in the new build will probably good for 12-15 years, at least as far as quantity goes -there MAY be some breakthroughs in the future which increase the speed several times.

[RandyWayne]

I am back!

Typing this on a brand new computer.... And a new keyboard since my old had a PS2 connector and this motherboard doesn't have any legacy connections. Had to use a CHEAP USB one, which I will replacing by tomorrow lest I go completely mad.