Sandy Bridge-E CPUs Too Hot For Intel?

MrSeb writes "Intel's next consumer CPUs — the Sandy Bridge-E — will ship without a heatsink and fan. These new chips, which will feature up to 15MB of L3 cache and integrated four-channel DDR3 and 32x PCI 3.0 controllers will run very hot — potentially up to 180W TDP. Is Intel unable to cool these extreme chips, or is there another reason for the shift? Curiously, Intel will still offer 'sold separately' own-brand cooling solutions for the new chips — so is this merely Intel trying to cut costs for enthusiasts who don't need a stock cooler — or is this the beginnings of Intel branching out into the cooling business?"

Comments

Warranty

[Anonymous Coward]

It is so they can blame customers if the chip dies of overheating.
If they offer OEM solutions, and the chip overheats, they need to replace it under warranty, guess these chips may have a high chance of dying due to heat

Re:Warranty

[Alex Zepeda]

Two words: installation error.

Re:Warranty

[moonbender]

Huh? Installation error also applies to the "boxed" coolers. It's not like they sold them already mounted on the mainboard. However, damaging a CPU when installing the HSF has been fairly rare for a while now, since the advent of improved mounting mechanisms, integrated heat spreaders and CPUs with thermal throttles.

Re:Warranty

[Lord Byron II]

Is this really such a big deal? I've used third-party high end cooling solutions for over a decade now and I always buy tray-only CPUs. I buy AMD and I can usually find the processor I want without the heatsink and fan. Are things that different from Intel?

I say it's a great change. How many stock fans and heatsinks will be saved from gathering dust because of this? How much waste will this reduce? Plus it will put $10-15 in someone's pocket (probably Intel's).

Re:Warranty

[NoNonAlphaCharsHere]

Intel heatsinks NEVER DID come attached to the CPU. It was ALWAYS on the system builder to install the heatsink, even on Intel motherboards. The real issue is that 1) Intel makes really crappy heatsinks, and 2) including a decent (copper and/or heatpipe) cooler would move them out of the performance price-point they've been occupying for many years now.

Re:Warranty

[robthebloke]

How many stock fans and heatsinks will be saved from gathering dust because of this?

None. The HSFs installed in a PC gather more dust than those still in their boxes :p

no

[circletimessquare]

this is the beginnings of Intel branching out into the HEATING business

Just to save a few bucks..

[Ross R. Smith]

This is just Intel trying to increase their profit margins even more.
Most custom builders/modders don't even contemplate using the Intel stock cooler so it just sits there doing nothing.

If most, if not all, of the intended market will use an aftermarket air cooler/watercooling loop is there really any reason to include the stock heatsink/fan?

The 'Extreme' chips are very high end and generally not intended for Joe Public to just pick up - more of an enthusiast chip, Intel is just cashing in on this by not shipping with the stock cooling but keeping the price the same. It's also been said on the grapevine that Intel intend on releasing some of their own cooling solutions in the not so distant future.

Cost Cutting?

[BlakLanner]

It is possible that this is a cost cutting measure. I think that a lot of people who buy standalone CPUs use third party cooling solutions. It would save Intel a lot of money in materials and packaging if they don't ship the heatsinks and fans that people just throw away anyways.

Stock coolers are a waste anyway

[algorimancer]

Stock coolers are a waste -- there are much nicer (quieter) alternatives available, and at minimal expense. I never use the stock coolers. It's long seemed a bit silly to me that you couldn't buy the CPU without getting the cooler along with it, so I'm pleased that they're leaving the choice to those building the systems.

Re:Taco, could you explain this

[iamhassi]

Intel will offer Intel-branded cooling solutions for the new chips, they just won't package them with the chips.

^----- This has been confirmed: "Intel has decided to offer own brand coolers for the platform, it's just that they won't come in the box with the CPU."

So Intel will offer coolers, they're just sold separately, probably because these are cpus designed for enthusiast ("The E range (which stands for ‘enthusiast’") so they're meant for people that overclock and buy separate coolers rather than use the "stock" cooler that comes with the cpu.

Pricing of the CPUs has also been released:
_name__core__threads__freq__turbo freq__L3__TDP__price_
Core i7-3820 4 8 3.6 GHz 3.9 GHz 10 MB 130 Watt $294
Core i7-3930K 6 12 3.2 GHz 3.8 GHz 12 MB 130 Watt $583
Core i7-3960X 6 12 3.3 GHz 3.9 GHz 15 MB 130 Watt $999

Not needed

[Sniper98G]

The sandy bridge "Extreme" is aimed at the ultra high end enthusiast market. If you are building one of these rigs you are not going to use the stock cooler. I think this is a good move, it will keep Intel's useless stock coolers from sitting in my closet for a couple of years.

Pricing lies

[BitZtream]

This just allows them to make more profit when they sell you the chip.

The price you pay for a CPU isn't going down, its going up, and you're just being too ignorant to notice.

You'll still pay the same price for a the CPU as you did when it came with a fan, except now you'll also have to buy the fan seperately.

This is exactly like the whole 'new CPUs must use this slotted connection due to some mystical magical BS we're making up about interference that is clearly a lie for multiple reasons'.

Intel is once again bending you over and not using lube, but you're too busy looking for a technical reason that you're missing the obvious and real reason. Money. This isn't the first or even second time they've done something like this.