How-To: Installing a new CPU Cooler/Heatsink and Fan (Thermaltake Frio)

Second in what hopes to be a long and fruitful series of How-To guides, I'll be explaining in full pictorial form how to install your latest CPU cooler, HSF, heatsink, fan, call it what you will.


Click the read on to chill your PC to dizzying new depths...

Intel Recalls Sandy Bridge Chipsets Due to Faults

Intel has issued a press release stating that they will be recalling "Cougar Point" (That's the codename for 6-series chipsets, as found on Sandy Bridge motherboards) chips due to an issue with the onboard SATA controller, it appears that it "degrades over time" causing poor I/O performance in the longer term.

Those of you with H67/P67 'boards need not worry - it's perfectly safe to go about your day to day computing - just be on the look out for recall notices.

Intel are expecting a $300m hit to their revenue for the first quarter as a result.

Fixed chipsets should roll out in April, giving AMD ample time to launch it's own Bulldozer line of CPU's and enjoy some domination.

This is all vaguely reminscent of Intel's problems way back in 2004, with the 915 and 925 chips' PCI-e controllers.

Nvidia entering desktop CPU market

At CES this year, nVidia announced their "Project Denver" plans to move in to the desktop and server CPU business.

They already have the Tegra line of mobile device CPU/GPUs - but in this latest stunt, nVidia will be launching Cortex-A15 based CPUs for the desktop market, with their ARM license.


This plays nicely in time with Microsoft's CES announcement to extend Windows compatibility into ARM architectures.


The A15 will be combined with a GeForce GPU to directly take on Intel's GMA enabled processors (H series chipsets), and AMD's "APU".

AMD Fusion embedded x86 platform

Nifty stuff, it has to be said. AMD have announced their forthcoming "G-Series" embedded platform, with a Fusion APU (Bobcat single or dual core CPU of up to 1.6GHz, with integrated GPU - but we can't call them that any more - this is, of course, an 'Accelerated Processing Unit') at heart, supporting DX11 and housing 2 DIMMs of your finest 1066 DDR3 RAM.

This will hardly be an upgrade for your current PC, and should you care to ask "But will it play Crysis?" semi-ironically, you would not get an answer in the affirmative.

Notching it down to SFF (Small Form Factor) PC's, in-car boxes, and STBs (Set Top Boxes) - well, this could be a winner.

Full press release, and videos after the break.

Sandy Bridge is a go!

Intel just thwacked out no less that twenty-nine shiny new CPUs, along with ten new chipsets.


Yep, the long anticipated Sandy Bridge has arrived, you can find the specific processors and features available after the break.


Prices range from $117 to $317 plus tax, no word on UK pricing just yet.

iPhone 4G does run off Apple's A4 - like the iPad

It's been confirmed (via Tinh té) that the new, much leaked, iPhone 4G/HD will sport Apple's Samsung manufactured, in-house designed A4 SoC  (System on Chip) - microprocessor. 


I expect, however, that they have underclocked it, in order to gain better battery life, in line with what Steve Jobs was saying at the OS 4 event back in April.


Video + Pics on the full post.

Intel set to replace 1156 and 1366 sockets in 2011 - already...

Just brilliant isn't it?


You bought your lovely new i# system, or were saving up for one, and BOOM, there's Intel, ready to ditch you and beg for more money.




The practically new sockets are being replaced by the 1155, and 2011 sockets - codename Sandy Bridge.


I know, really taking the mick... Hit the read on for more info.

Intel's Marketing Mishaps. CPU lineup explained.

Many of us are lost amidst i3's, i5's, i7's, Bloomfields, Gulftowns, Lynnfields, Clarkdales, varying socket numbers, and ever more confused when they all combine together, and it's not even a one-for-one situation.

So I thought I'd take the time to stick up a diagram, that might explain it a bit better. Hit the read on to see it.