14 DAY TRIAL // Since the Sandy Bridge architecture has been implemented throughout Intel's entire processor lineup, we were sort of expecting to hit the vPro series as well and, in fact, that's exactly what's happening right now.
So, as the chip manufacturer informs us, they vPro lineup has just received a couple of new members, namely the second generation Intel Core vPro i5 and i7, as well as the Intel Xeon E3, all of which benefit from all of the cool Sandy Bridge features, as well as some other extras on the side.
The new vPro CPUs pack the enhanced Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 technology, accompanied by the new and improved Intel Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX), which leads to some serious performance boosts, of up 60 up to 400 percent, depending on the specific application being ran.
Beside the improvements in terms of performance, the 2'nd generation Intel Core i5 and i7 vPro processors also provide some novelties as far as their enterprise-related features are concerned, starting with an enhanced Intel Anti-Theft 3.0 (A.T. 3.0) technology, that enables IT managers to automatically de-activate a computer after it's been stolen, even via a 3G network, in just minutes after its rightful owner has noticed it missing.
Additionally, the Laptop Beacon technology will make it a lot easier for companies to track the location of stolen or lost laptops, while the Host-Based Configuration and Keyboard-Video-Mouse (KVM) Remote Control features enable technicians to control the machines built on these platforms in a very fast and easy manner from a distance.
Naturally, the new CPUs also provide extensive data encryption capabilities, while the Intel Identity Protection (IPT) technology implemented on some of the new vPro CPUs even protects users against phishing attempts.
The new vPro processors target a whole range of products, beyond notebooks, workstations and servers, since, according to Intel, they can also be found in a variety of mobile banking, digital signage or medical products.