Intel Sandy Bridge-E CPUs Can Overclock Up to 9.5GHz in Theory

Expected by computer enthusiasts and overclockers alike, Intel's processors based on the Sandy Bridge-E architecture were specially designed in order to provide an impressive overclocking headroom, and the Santa Clara chips maker doesn't disappoint as its upcoming CPUs will be able to reach in theory speeds up to 9.5GHz.

The information surfaced thanks to a leaked Intel slide which details some of the overclocking features of Sandy Bridge-E processors.

According to this document, the two unlocked processors that Intel plans to unveil in mid-November, the Core i7-3960X and Core i7-3930K, will be able to reach frequencies between 7.4GHz and 9.5GHz when overclocked.

These are possible thanks to the 57X multiplier the processors are capable of, which combined with the maximum 166MHz BCLK, results in the impressive clock speed listed by Intel.

As far as the third chip in the Sandy Bridge-E lineup, the quad-core Core i7-3820 is concerned, this is the only one of the processors to come without a fully unlocked design and will have its maximum multiplier set at 45X, which results in a theoretical overclock of 7.5GHz.

Right now, the title of world's fastest processor is held by a yet unreleased AMD FX-8150 CPU based on the Bullodzer architecture, which was overclocked at 8.43GHz by using liquid hydrogen.

While this would look like an easy victory for Sandy Bridge-E, one has to keep in mind that the clock speeds detailed by the Intel slide represent the maximum theoretical frequencies the CPUs are capable of achieving, and that there is no guarantee the chips will come anywhere near those speeds.

Intel is expected to launch its first Sandy Bridge-E processors in on November 14 and they will be compatible with upcoming LGA 2011 motherboards based on the X79 Express chipset. (via Hardcore Hardware)