Ivy Bridge vs. Sandy Bridge

It happens every year, almost like clockwork - literally and figuratively - Intel implements one or the other part of its tick-tock development strategy, which guarantees processor on-going innovation, rather than intermittent. 

But whether any given year is the tick (a reduction in the production process) or the tock (a new microarchitecture), it can occasionally be difficult to know exactly what's changed, or what impact it will have on you. So if you've been wondering about the differences between Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge, respectively Intel's second and third-generation Core processor technologies, here's a list of the most important differences - and similarities - between the two.