Sandy Bridge processors aim at Asian mainstream gaming

Intel Asia Pacific recently held a Singapore press event at the Singapore National Library showcasing its recently announced 2nd Generation Intel Core processors (dubbed as Sandy Bridges) and its potential to enrich mainstream and casual gaming on the PC in the Asia Pacific.

Ramaprasad Srinivasan, regional marketing manager of Intel Asia Pacific, stated that: "There is a growing segment of the market for mainstream and casual gaming. We are aiming at that segment [with Sandy Bridges]. For the high-end gamer, they already know what they go by. For more mainstream and casual gaming for games like Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2; those are the ones you can have a great experience with [on our processors]."

When asked about the reason for going down the broadened path, Ramaprasad stated that it would help new consumers in the region shop for an all-in-one computer that handles all entertainment aspects without the hassle of numbers and processor requirements confusing them. He also stated that for mainstream gaming purposes, a $50 or $60 graphics card can complement well with any computer using these new core processors.

There were other notable tidbits in regards to the gaming prowess of the processor: The shared L3 cache presented on the chip diagram is stated to be the backbone that helps make games run efficiently alongside the graphics card it’s tacked with (either the built-in card or one from any third-party graphics card manufacturer). The memory controller and system agent acts as an "air traffic controller" that redirects processing power to any program running on a computer that needs it the most.

The games used to make comparisons between internal PC chips during the Singapore-held presentation were Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2; the frame rate differences were noticeable to say the least. The presentation also stated Intel’s current partners in the gaming field include Capcom, Sega, Firaxis, Electronic Arts, and a dozen more.

In addition to tailoring themselves as the processor for mainstream gaming, any PC using these chips will benefit from a Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 that speeds up memory usage and processes for intensive PC activities like using a graphics editor tool or a movie converter.