Intel Lynx Point chipset details revealed

Tom's Hardware dug up details about Lynx Point, the new chipset that will accompany Intel's Haswell architecture in the first half of 2013, probably around March to June. Full details over here.

First, we see some of the display port features have been transferred over to the CPU under the new architecture for Haswell. As discussed here, the Lynx Point chipset will only handle analog displays, while the CPU will be handling the digital displays. In theory, this makes the Lynx Point not as advanced as Panther Point in that regard but it does still have its advancements.

Lynx Point marks Intel's switch to full SATA 6.0 Gb/s support for all native SATA ports (no more native SATA 3.0 Gb/s SATA ports). Intel has added two additional USB 3.0 ports for a total six ports, which is two more than Panther Point. Intel is introducing I/O port flexibility feature with Lynx Point. As the feature suggests, it should give users the ability to allocate which ports are USB 3.0 and which are USB 2.0. Additional features for Lynx Point include: SSD performance/power optimization, new Rapid Storage Technology driver & Intel vPro Technology enhancements, lower TDP and power usage, a smaller package (22x23mm FCBGA), and support for quad-read SPI devices. Based on the slide, it looks like Intel has still not moved to a faster DMI interface, as the chipset's PCIe ports are still running at PCIe 2.0.

Intel Lynx Point chipset details revealed - More news at DV Hardware

Intel storage tech roadmap details revealed

VR Zone has some details about Intel's new storage technology, you can read it over here.

Along with its multi-billion dollar push for Ultrabooks and Atom based mobile devices, Intel is preparing a serious entrance into the world of enterprise-class storage with its chipsets. As we all know, while Intel had enterprise features in platforms such as vPro and the enterprise line-up - using an on-board storage controller was a big no-no if you needed reliability and quick rebuilds.

It took some time, and we even saw disabling Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) from Panther Point (7-Series chipset) since it was producing a number of errors. Of course, we cannot forget the catastrophic Sandy Bridge (CPU)/Cougar Point (6-Series chipset) launch with the recall of said chipsets and a billion dollar loss. The reason was of course, erroneous storage controller.

In 2012, it looks like Intel learned its lesson and the company is bringing serious improvements with its Rapid Storage Technology software suite 11.5 and 11.6 (Windows 8 refresh).

Intel storage tech roadmap details revealed - More news at DV Hardware

Microsoft reveals details of ReFS file system

Microsoft has revealed details about ReFS (Resilient File System), a new file system that will be introduced with Windows Server 8. You can learn about it at ZD Net.

ReFS will begin life as a storage system for Windows Server only. Then � some time post Windows 8 � it will become a storage system for Windows clients, and then ultimately �as a boot volume,� said author of the post, Surendra Verma, a development manager on the Windows Storage and File System team. (Interestingly, when the first leaks about ReFS, codenamed Protogon, occurred last year, those who discovered the new file system found it in leaked Windows 8 client builds.)

NTFS, the New Technology File System, has been part of Windows since Windows XP and Windows NT 3.1 were introduced in 2001 and 1993, respectively. (Thanks for the date corrections, readers.)

There are some NTFS features for which Microsoft plans to drop support with ReFS, specifically named streams, object IDs, short names, compression, file level encryption (EFS), user data transactions, sparse, hard-links, extended attributes, and quotas, Verma blogged. That said, one of Microsoft�s goals with ReFS is to �maintain a high degree of compatibility with a subset of NTFS features that are widely adopted while deprecating others that provide limited value at the cost of system complexity and footprint,� Verma said.

Microsoft reveals details of ReFS file system - More news at DV Hardware

AMD reveals Piledriver details to developers

X-bit Labs noticed AMD has released a document that describes Piledriver architecture details to software developers:

Advanced Micro Devices has released a document that is supposed to assist software developers to optimize their programs for AMD�s microprocessors based on Bulldozer micro-architecture and forthcoming chips. Among other things, AMD describes peculiarities of Piledriver micro-architecture as well as chips on its base, including Trinity, Vishera, Terramar and Sepang. The document also mentions Steamroller and Excavator micro-architectures

AMD has a rather strong and clear roadmap for the period of the following three years with the aim to increase performance-per-watt of its high-performance cores by approximately 10% - 15% every year. In practice, this transforms into 33% - 52% speed boost of Excavator micro-architecture compared to Bulldozer. Technologically, AMD wants to improve IPC (instructions per clock) performance and reduce power consumption at the same time, which transforms into higher clock-speeds.

AMD reveals Piledriver details to developers - More news at DV Hardware

Intel Ivy Bridge details and benchmark figures leak

Legit Reviews found details about Intel's upcoming Ivy Bridge processors at Russian tech site Overclockers.ru:

Of the 18 models listed one is dual-core and all the others are quad-core processors. It looks like the Intel Core i7-3770K will be the unlocked processor that enthusiasts will be after. The Intel Core i7-3770K features four cores with a base clock speed of 3.5GHz. The processor does have Hyper-Threading, 8MB of shared L3 cache and a 3.9GHz turbo clock speed. The site also mentions that the Intel Ivy Bridge processors are scheduled to be releases in April 2012.

Additionally, LR also found benchmarks of the Ivy Bridge 22nm B3 stepping, you can check out the results over here.

Intel Ivy Bridge details and benchmark figures leak - More news at DV Hardware

More Ivy Bridge details leaked

VR Zone found even more Ivy Bridge details, you can read it over here.

A lot of details were missing in the initial leak and we can now fill in the blanks, especially with regards to the graphics and how the upcoming Ivy Bridge processor fit into Intel's echo system compared to the current Sandy Bridge processors.

Starting with the graphics, we have two graphics options in the desktop parts, Intel HD Graphics 4000 and Intel HD Graphics 2500. The main difference here beyond clock speeds is that we're expecting the execution units to be at least 1/3 greater in the HD 4000 parts compared to the HD 2500 parts, unless Intel has changed something last minute. The Core i7-3770K, Core i7-3770, Core i7-3770S, Core i7-3770T, Core i5-3570K as well as the oddly named Core i5-3475S will be the only ones with HD 4000 graphics, the rest get to make do with HD 2500 graphics.

More Ivy Bridge details leaked - More news at DV Hardware