microarchitectures and nodes

[Comdrpopnfresh]

I feel like an aspect we take for granted is going to collapse... partially with Haswell (only performance users /OCers will experience), and fully expressed with Bloomfield, or on the 10nm node. I think overall leakage during "on" states will require further discretized "states", and that overclocking will yield quicker and steeper voltage-intolerance, and thermal intolerance. I think these effects will become apparent in consumer-level, stock speeds of CPUs at ~8nm, and will lead to a break down in performance improvement coherence with subsequent product launches; both as architectural designs and chipset/platform optimization focuses take the lead on performance/efficiency increases from release to release.

I am sitting on an E8400 system that only needs a primary drive replacement to be up-and-running...but, I am looking toward the near future: I recently completed an i5 3570k build for a family member I am very pleased with, and would love to make a nearly identical system for myself. I am hopeful that Lucid MVP would allow for me to have a system with HD4000 igp gfx to balance my AMD 6950 (basically turn the 6950 off until its stream processors are needed)- which would get me to the efficiency level to clear the bar I currently have set. However, I am wary of Haswell, and the likely gains in efficiency, performance, and igp-grade performance. To be perfectly blunt; I was taken off-guard by the efficiency of the i5 3570k system I mention (idles ~29W @ outlet!). Is Haswell the last of the traditional leap-improving architectures? I am concerned about the 14nm node, an want to get in on the last node to get full benefits from a process change.

 

[TuxDave]

I think overall leakage during "on" states will require further discretized "states",

What do you mean by this? I really had trouble following the rest of your post (and I do this for a living! lol)

P.S. I'm guessing you mean Broadwell, not Bloomfield

 

[Blandge]

However, I am wary of Haswell, and the likely gains in efficiency, performance, and igp-grade performance. To be perfectly blunt; I was taken off-guard by the efficiency of the i5 3570k system I mention (idles ~29W @ outlet!). Is Haswell the last of the traditional leap-improving architectures? I am concerned about the 14nm node, an want to get in on the last node to get full benefits from a process change.

Why are you wary of it? Increased efficieny isn't a bad thing. What do you mean by "traditional leap-improving architectures"? Top end performance of new Intel parts will continue to increase as they always have, even if at a slower rate. You can pretty much be assured that any product Intel releases will be better than the last at stock speeds. If overclocking is your concern then the same may not be true.