Intel Ivy Bridge launch schedule leaked

Intel's next generation Ivy Bridge processors are set to debut in April 2012, with the first lineup of i5 and i7 chips coming first, followed on by i3 and i5 mobile microprocessors a little later in the year.

Set to be the first processors to make use of the newly shrunk 22nm form factor, Ivy Bridge was originally set for release in the first quarter of 2012, but due to poor demand - presumably because of the not so distant release of Sandy Bridge E chips - it was pushed back to April 2012. This likely wouldn't have been possible if AMD's Bulldozer chips had shown stronger performance, but due to the lack of competition Intel could quite easily coast through the next few months knowing that there is nothing to threaten it performance wise.