Fully integrated Microarchitecture on 32nm Process

The Intel microarchitecture codename Sandy Bridge is an incredible leap in processor integration and manufacturing introduced in the 2nd generation Intel Core processor family. Manufactured entirely on Intel 32nm process technology, Sandy Bridge unifies processor cores, memory controller, last-level cache (LLC), and graphics and media processing. Such tight integration enables a host of performance and efficiency improvements, including fast access by cores and graphics to shared data in the last-level cache to accelerate graphics processing, fewer buses over which data and signaling must travel for faster processing, and more memory bandwidth for the cores to boost system performance.

Intel Hyper-Threading Technology (HT Technology)

Intel Hyper-Threading Technology delivers thread-level parallelism on each processor resulting in more efficient use of processor resources—higher processing throughput—and improved performance on the multi-threaded software of today and tomorrow. 

Intel Smart Cache

Intel Smart Cache Technology dynamically allocates the shared cache to each processor core based on workload. This efficient, multi-core-optimized implementation increases the probability that each core can access data from faster, more efficient cache subsystem resulting in significantly reduced latency for frequently used data and improved performance. 

Built-in Visuals

The 2nd generation Intel Core processors integrate a suite of technologies built right into the processor that deliver stunning visual experiences. Intel Quick Sync Video is breakthrough hardware acceleration that makes fast work of creating, editing, synchronizing, and sharing your videos at home and on the internet. Built-in Intel HD Graphics enables superior mainstream gaming and 3D experiences – without the need for a discrete graphics card. Enjoy stunning visual quality and color fidelity for spectacular HD playback and immersive web browsing with Intel Clear Video HD Technology, plus the ultimate 3D visual experiences seamlessly from your PC with Intel InTru 3D Technology. 

Intel Advanced Vector Extensions (Intel AVX)

Intel AVX is a new 256 bit instruction set extension to SSE and is designed for applications that are Floating Point (FP) intensive. Intel AVX improves performance due to wider vectors, new extensible syntax, and rich functionality. This results in better management of data and general purpose applications like image, audio/video processing, scientific simulations, financial analytics and 3D modeling and analysis.

Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)

Increasing manageability, security, and flexibility in IT environments, virtualization technologies like hardware-assisted Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT) combined with software-based virtualization solutions provide maximum system utilization by consolidating multiple environments into a single server or PC. By abstracting the software away from the underlying hardware, a world of new usage models opens up that reduce costs, increase management efficiency, strengthen security, while making your computing infrastructure more resilient in the event of a disaster.