I'm not talking about performance characteristics, I'm talking about processor errata. Intel documents it on the release of every stepping. Certain programming functions will literally be broken on certain processors. For instance Intel had a TLB bug in it's MMU on Core 2 which would cause hardlock ups of the processor when performing certain operations. Here is an example of the documentation that Intel releases for programming around errata: http://download.intel.com/design/mobile/SPECUPDT/31407918.pdf If you scroll down to page 40 you can see the list of all the problems and workarounds for them. http://www.anandtech.com/show/2477/2 Anandtech did its own write up on the AMD version of the TLB errata. Most of these problems aren't seen by end users because developers are aware and make changes in order to fix, or they are fixable via bios/microcode updates. This USB3 problem I guess is more significant and cannot be fixed via these methods but by a new stepping. But to pretend like processors never have problems and Intel is just now selling a faulty chip is nonsense.

ok when is it saposed to come out. we all know that they are NOT in a rush to put new stuff out.I.E 2011 soc. NO update since chip wise.

Is DDR4 expected to come out anytime soon for regular consumers so it can be paired up with Haswell?

I'll pass, Haswell was never been in my cards and my IVB works really well, I see no reason for me to upgrade. deltatux

There really is no reason to upgrade if your coming from Ivy, or even Sandy for that matter. Aside from platform power reduction and integrated graphics performance Haswell isn't really bringing anything to the table. High estimates paint it at most 15% clock for clock performance in general purpose tests. The only good thing might be the improvements to the IHS connection that anand hinted at.

Exactly why I said that Haswell isn't in my cards. Sure there are some performance improvements and new ISA features, but it's not worth doing an upgrade over since I would need a new motherboard and CPU, that'll cost me about $500 in itself. It's really not worth it, especially since I haven't used up the most out of IVB yet either. deltatux

Give me time to buy a new Sabertooth X79 MB instead.

Haswell-E will likely use a new socket so that won't be advised. deltatux

Haswell-E will likely use a new socket so that won't be advised. deltatux

Yes it will use a new socket, also its to far away.. Probably around Q4 2014 My plan was to go with IB-e 8core(16threads) & x79, but Haswell looks more advanced. I like that new 7way execution engine, all currecnt ones have the same 5way even oold conroe had this 5way, so i know it will preform better just becuase of that, also a little better single threaded optimization and better HT is very interesting. If only LGA1150 packed more cores and not max 4 (8threads)..

Where are you getting the Q4 2014 date? deltatux

According to *********'s source, Haswell will form the heart of the next E-series processor range from Intel. With the source pointing to a release by the end of the year, and Haswell expected to be announced - if not made available through retail channels - at Computex in June, the timing certainly adds up: releasing an enthusiast-grade high-performance product based on a last-generation architecture months after the new architecture has been unveiled certainly doesn't seem like a winning sales strategy. For those who have LGA 2011 motherboards already, however, there comes some bad news: the same unnamed source claims that the new Haswell E chips will require a brand-new chipset dubbed X99, meaning it is unlikely to be compatible with existing X79-based LGA 2011 motherboards.