If you’re reading this, you’ve probably done one of three things: spent all of your hard-earned money on games; spent it all on upgrading your hardware so you can play the games; or spent it all on a holiday to an exotic location (or Cape Town if flying to the Seychelles was out of budget).
No matter, your credit card might be drained, but at least you have the following to look forward to in 2012.
AMD 7000 series GPU
AMDs next generation series of graphics cards will fall under the 7000 series branding, and should pick up where the 6000 series left off. Part of the Southern Islands family of GPUs based on the “Graphics Core Next Gen” architecture, the 7000 series is rumoured to release in early 2012, though when the cards will get here is anyone’s guess.
The cards were originally slated for a released in late 2011, though stability of the 28nm manufacturing process over at TSMC (who produce the chips for AMD) has been blamed for the slight delay. Now expected in the first half of 2012.
AMD 6990
Nvidia next gen, “Kepler”
Nvidia are also getting in on the action with their next generation graphics cards. Based on the Kepler architecture which is an improvement over Fermi (the architecture on which the Gefore 4XX and 5XX series were based), Kepler GPUs will also make use of a 28nm manufacturing process, and are also produced by TSMC.
Kepler along with the AMD 7000 series should make an appearance at the CES show in early 2012, so expect more info then. Expected in the first half of 2012.
Nvidia GTX590
Intel Sandy Bridge-E
Released and nearly available to us locals now, Sandy Bridge-E will probably only become widely available early in 2012. The successor to the original high-end X58 chipset of yesteryear, Sandy Bridge-E will make use of X79 based motherboards, and feature LGA-2011 pin CPUs, quad channel RAM and 6/8 core processors.
It is the new high-end in desktop computing and what all the performance enthusiasts have been waiting for. Available now – sort of. Mainstream available in early 2012.
Asus Maximus IV Extreme X79
Intel Ivy Bridge
If you’re not quite ready to sell out 3 kidneys for Sandy Bridge-E, you always have Ivy Bridge to look forward to.
The progression from Sandy bridge based i7 2XXX, Ivy Bridge based CPUs will be compatible with the P67/Z68 chipsets, so an upgrade this time around won’t involve buying a new motherboard, CPU and RAM.
Expected late in the first quarter/early in the second quarter of 2012.
Asus P8-Z68 Deluxe
Cheap hard drives
So hard drives were pretty cheap once upon a time, but then flooding in Thailand happened and now we’re stuck with a lack of components (seems you can’t make stuff when your factory is under water), leading to short supply and great demand.
Prices have skyrocketed and it looks like they’ll stay that way well into the new year. Still, some manufacturers are ahead of schedule so let’s hope for the best.
Expected towards the end of the second quarter in 2012
State of the art
