 A data XPG V2 memory kits are optimized for the latest Intel gaming platforms. Check the link in the video description for more details. Welcome to my unboxing and overview of Ivy Bridge E. It is finally here. So for those of you who don't keep up with Intel code names, the last few generations of core series processors have been codenamed Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge and Haswell. So Sandy Bridge largely refers to second generation core processors. Ivy Bridge generally refers to third generation core processors, and Haswell is the very latest fourth generation core series processor that you'll find on LGA 1155. Now when it has an E after it, that denotes the higher end LGA 2011 socket, which has some advantages. So this is the old 3960X. This is the new 4960X, meaning third generation versus fourth generation, although they use one generation back core technology, so to speak. But the point is on this platform you have some advantages that you will likely never see on the mainstream platform. Number one is the motherboard's support quad channel memory up to eight DIMMs. So that means that with modern eight gigabyte DIMMs you could actually install 64 gigs of just regular old consumer grade RAM on a regular old gaming board or workstation board on LGA 2011 with a single CPU. Next up is more PCI Express lanes. So Ivy Bridge E will have support for PCIe 3.0, and you can run dual graphics cards in 16x, 16x full bandwidth. This doesn't generally translate to any kind of a performance improvement in the real world versus an 8x, 8x configuration that you can achieve on LGA 1155, 1156, or 1150, but it definitely gives you bigger bragging rights in your pants. So there's that that it's got going for it. And finally, the part that matters most to me personally is that LGA 2011 is where you'll find six core or eight core processors. Now the Extreme Edition 4960X, which runs at a nominal frequency of 3.6 gigahertz and a max turbo turbo boost frequency of 4 gigahertz is a six core processor. However, there are Xeons available which will work in boards like Asus' WS series or in server grade boards or even multi CPU configurations that will give you even more performance in highly parallel workloads that is multi threaded workloads such as you'll find in 3D rendering or Adobe After Effects, high end video editing and those kinds of applications. So this is where LGA 2011 is great for us because we use LGA 2011 platforms in all of our video editing workstations. So we're using last generation Extreme Editions 3960Xs. What do you get with the new one? Well, you'll get improved power consumption. You will also get slightly improved performance. I shouldn't say slightly. It's about a 10% clock for clock improvement in performance. So that is IPC. And you should be able to achieve pretty much the same top end clock speed giving you a tangible performance improvement. Couple that with some of the per core performance tuning options that Asus has been talking to me about. And we should be looking at a performance improvement that while not necessarily what some people were expecting will be noticeable. And for those of you who are expecting anything other than an improvement in IPC of about 10% over Sandy Bridge E, you probably didn't really have your expectations aligned correctly because this is exactly what we saw on the LGA 1150 platform going from something like a 2600K to a 3770K. Now, I personally was hoping for an 8 core Extreme Edition. I did not get my wish. I feel that if AMD had put a little bit more pressure on Intel to release, like you know, I mean these are 130 watt TDP parts already. I mean I feel like if AMD had put a little bit more pressure on Intel to retake the performance crown or something like that, they might have done a very high TDP, liquid cooling recommended 8 core Extreme Edition or something along those lines. But alas, we didn't get that so it's left for Xeons for the moment. Either way, last but not least is motherboard compatibility. You can slot one of these babies into your existing LGA 2011 motherboard. You should only need a BIOS update, but double check with your manufacturer to make sure, which I think is cool because LGA 2011 has gotten a very, very long life cycle out of it going from, you know, across processor architectures having quad core or 6 core CPUs available for it. With that said, the 4930K and the 4960X are really the ones I'd recommend from the new Ivy Bridge E's. The 4820K is not something that I feel like I can recommend very strongly because while it is a lower priced option, all you're really getting is more PCIe lanes and more memory support. It's still a quad core and it won't actually perform quite as well as a 4770K. So unless you really need that RAM and you're not willing to pony up for a 4930K, then that might be the route to go. Although really the sweet spot I feel is the 4930K. Thanks for checking out this unboxing where I actually, in case you guys didn't notice, never removed it from the box. Don't forget to subscribe to Linus Tech Tips for more unboxings, reviews, and other computer videos. I mean, come on, it's a CPU. Like the video if you liked it, dislike if you disliked it, and comment and let me know if it's okay to do an unboxing where I don't actually open the box. See, look, the CPU in there. It looks like every other CPU. Here's an open box.