Meet the Almighty Intel Core i7 980X Extreme Edition Processor. This is Intel's first six-core CPU based on the 32nm manufacturing process, designed to handle the most intense compute and visualization workloads you can throw at it. Clocked at 3.33GHz, it allows you to multitask faster and unleash powerful media creation tools.If you need the fastest single CPU out there today then there is no other!
Intel’s Core i7 Bloomfield platform has enjoyed a relatively long run. If you were one of the Lucky ones to go out and buy a Core i7 920, 940 or 965 in 2008 then you didn't need to upgrade as you already had the fastest solution available...Until now ! Presenting the Intel Core i7 980X
Here are some Basic specs :-
* 6 Cores, 12 Threads
* Intel® Turbo Boost Technology
* Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology
* Drop-in compatible with Intel® X58 Express Chipset
* 12 MB Intel® Smart Cache
* Integrated Memory Controller
* 3 channels of DDR3 1066 MHz
* Intel® Quick Path Interconnect (QPI)
* SSE4.1 & SSE4.2 Instructions
* AES-NI: 12 new processor instructions
* Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profiles
* Intel® Quick Path Interconnect (Intel ® QPI); up to 25.6GB/sec bandwidth
* PCI Express* 2.0 discrete graphics; 2x16 or 4x8 configurations
* LGA 1366 Socket
In March this year Intel launched the Core i7 980X Extreme Edition Cpu. This is the first 6 core 32Nm part from Intel that is targeted at the retail consumer and is a brand new Generation of Microprocessors designed to handle the most intense computing and visualization workloads you can think of. This Cpu features unlocked multipliers that make overclocking very easy. The 980X has 6 Cores, 12 Threads, 12MB L3 Cache, and 3.46ghz with Turbo. Make no mistake, this thing is a beast!
Enough talking, now for the actual thing!
[BREAK=The Box]
Intel has taken Special Care to make this box stand out from the rest of its lineup. This Box is HUGE. The reason for this enormous box is the new DBX-D Cpu Cooler Intel now Bundles with the I7 980X processor.
The black box is pretty attractive in design and does a good job of displaying all the features of the product.
I love the fact that you can have a peek at the chip.
The side label carries all the relevant information about the product as well as the packaged date , manufacturing location , etc.
Lets see whats inside !!
[BREAK=Whats in the box?]
As soon as you open the box, the first thing that stands out is the DBX-D Quad Copper heat pipe based cpu cooler and the huge plastic casing for it which does a very good job of protecting the cooler. Notice the cardboard on the left ?
Here is another picture of the cardboard. More on this later.
Here is the cooler in its housing. I'm happy to see Intel going the extra mile this time and can only hope this cooler makes it to all their cpu's. Notice the switch on top of the cooler with labels Q-P? more on that later as well..
This thing is truly Huge for a stock Intel Cooler. I know i am going on about this but i am happy that someone at Intel was listening to our cries for a better cooler! Although i seriously doubt that this is ever going to be used by a serious enthusiast but nevertheless, good job Intel!
The base is also pure copper and the cooler comes with a plastic backplate to support it's weight. This is also the heaviest cooler Intel has ever shipped so this back-plate was needed and i am happy to see its inclusion. The base is well protected by a Blue colored film stuck to it.
[BREAK=Whats in the box ? Continued]
Remember the cardboard that i was talking about earlier ? Well that's what holds the cpu unlike the normal packaging which has the cpu integrated into the cpu cooler casing.
Here is a clearer view of what i am talking about.
Also included in the box is a syringe of TIM which again is a first for me from Intel. There is no pre-applied TIM on the cooler unlike the regular Intel coolers. Lastly the Intel manual and the prestigious i7 Extreme sticker is also included.
Now lets look at the cooler in a little more detail...
[BREAK=The DBX-D Cooler]
If you remember on the previous page i had written about the switch on top of the cooler with the label Q-P. Q is for quiet and P is for power settings on the fan. The fan itself is a pretty nice unit that has a Blue LED as well for additional bling !
Here are some more pictures of the cooler showing the Quad Copper heat-pipes and the plastic back-plate. The use of screws instead of the push pin's is totally refreshing and a pleasure to use.
The base of this cooler is definitely worth mentioning. It is perfectly lapped and totally flat with a mirror like polish. So much for the bowed base theory !! the base is very well protected from scratches and damage by the plastic housing as well as the blue film stuck to the copper base.
Now we take a look at the processor itself..
[BREAK=The Chip and Brief Thoughts]
The chip itself is still the same size as the earlier i7 920, 940, and 975 but because of the 32Nm production process and even with 1.17 Billion transistors and its 12 mb cache, its die is actually smaller than the present 45Nm core i7 Cpu's. At 240mm^2. Whats more is that it is smaller than an AMD Phenom II X4 as-well !. What makes the deal even sweeter is that thanks to the advanced 2nd Generation High-K Production process, Metal Gating transistors and a totally reworked PMU the 980X has the same TDP of 130W as its quad core siblings, now that is truly impressive !!
I have included below a picture of Bloomfield vs Gulftown. You can see the large unified L3 cache in the Gulftown Die. The large L3 cache is also the reason why Gulftown can out-perform quad core i7's even when the application has support for only 2 or 4 threads. Lightly threaded applications benefit from the enormous L3 cache while the heavily threaded apps love the ability to use all 12 threads .
All in all this is one beast of a processor. Thanks to its new advanced power gating technology the cpu will use only the right amount of power required and should result in a cooler and greener chip.From single threaded apps to multi threaded apps this chip truly delivers the best performance available today in a single cpu. Further Testing and a performace chart/review will be coming soon , So stay tuned !!
Thanks for reading!
Over and out.. Toolius
Intel’s Core i7 Bloomfield platform has enjoyed a relatively long run. If you were one of the Lucky ones to go out and buy a Core i7 920, 940 or 965 in 2008 then you didn't need to upgrade as you already had the fastest solution available...Until now ! Presenting the Intel Core i7 980X
Here are some Basic specs :-
* 6 Cores, 12 Threads
* Intel® Turbo Boost Technology
* Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology
* Drop-in compatible with Intel® X58 Express Chipset
* 12 MB Intel® Smart Cache
* Integrated Memory Controller
* 3 channels of DDR3 1066 MHz
* Intel® Quick Path Interconnect (QPI)
* SSE4.1 & SSE4.2 Instructions
* AES-NI: 12 new processor instructions
* Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profiles
* Intel® Quick Path Interconnect (Intel ® QPI); up to 25.6GB/sec bandwidth
* PCI Express* 2.0 discrete graphics; 2x16 or 4x8 configurations
* LGA 1366 Socket
In March this year Intel launched the Core i7 980X Extreme Edition Cpu. This is the first 6 core 32Nm part from Intel that is targeted at the retail consumer and is a brand new Generation of Microprocessors designed to handle the most intense computing and visualization workloads you can think of. This Cpu features unlocked multipliers that make overclocking very easy. The 980X has 6 Cores, 12 Threads, 12MB L3 Cache, and 3.46ghz with Turbo. Make no mistake, this thing is a beast!
Enough talking, now for the actual thing!
[BREAK=The Box]
Intel has taken Special Care to make this box stand out from the rest of its lineup. This Box is HUGE. The reason for this enormous box is the new DBX-D Cpu Cooler Intel now Bundles with the I7 980X processor.
The black box is pretty attractive in design and does a good job of displaying all the features of the product.
I love the fact that you can have a peek at the chip.
The side label carries all the relevant information about the product as well as the packaged date , manufacturing location , etc.
Lets see whats inside !!
[BREAK=Whats in the box?]
As soon as you open the box, the first thing that stands out is the DBX-D Quad Copper heat pipe based cpu cooler and the huge plastic casing for it which does a very good job of protecting the cooler. Notice the cardboard on the left ?
Here is another picture of the cardboard. More on this later.
Here is the cooler in its housing. I'm happy to see Intel going the extra mile this time and can only hope this cooler makes it to all their cpu's. Notice the switch on top of the cooler with labels Q-P? more on that later as well..
This thing is truly Huge for a stock Intel Cooler. I know i am going on about this but i am happy that someone at Intel was listening to our cries for a better cooler! Although i seriously doubt that this is ever going to be used by a serious enthusiast but nevertheless, good job Intel!
The base is also pure copper and the cooler comes with a plastic backplate to support it's weight. This is also the heaviest cooler Intel has ever shipped so this back-plate was needed and i am happy to see its inclusion. The base is well protected by a Blue colored film stuck to it.
[BREAK=Whats in the box ? Continued]
Remember the cardboard that i was talking about earlier ? Well that's what holds the cpu unlike the normal packaging which has the cpu integrated into the cpu cooler casing.
Here is a clearer view of what i am talking about.
Also included in the box is a syringe of TIM which again is a first for me from Intel. There is no pre-applied TIM on the cooler unlike the regular Intel coolers. Lastly the Intel manual and the prestigious i7 Extreme sticker is also included.
Now lets look at the cooler in a little more detail...
[BREAK=The DBX-D Cooler]
If you remember on the previous page i had written about the switch on top of the cooler with the label Q-P. Q is for quiet and P is for power settings on the fan. The fan itself is a pretty nice unit that has a Blue LED as well for additional bling !
Here are some more pictures of the cooler showing the Quad Copper heat-pipes and the plastic back-plate. The use of screws instead of the push pin's is totally refreshing and a pleasure to use.
The base of this cooler is definitely worth mentioning. It is perfectly lapped and totally flat with a mirror like polish. So much for the bowed base theory !! the base is very well protected from scratches and damage by the plastic housing as well as the blue film stuck to the copper base.
Now we take a look at the processor itself..
[BREAK=The Chip and Brief Thoughts]
The chip itself is still the same size as the earlier i7 920, 940, and 975 but because of the 32Nm production process and even with 1.17 Billion transistors and its 12 mb cache, its die is actually smaller than the present 45Nm core i7 Cpu's. At 240mm^2. Whats more is that it is smaller than an AMD Phenom II X4 as-well !. What makes the deal even sweeter is that thanks to the advanced 2nd Generation High-K Production process, Metal Gating transistors and a totally reworked PMU the 980X has the same TDP of 130W as its quad core siblings, now that is truly impressive !!
I have included below a picture of Bloomfield vs Gulftown. You can see the large unified L3 cache in the Gulftown Die. The large L3 cache is also the reason why Gulftown can out-perform quad core i7's even when the application has support for only 2 or 4 threads. Lightly threaded applications benefit from the enormous L3 cache while the heavily threaded apps love the ability to use all 12 threads .
All in all this is one beast of a processor. Thanks to its new advanced power gating technology the cpu will use only the right amount of power required and should result in a cooler and greener chip.From single threaded apps to multi threaded apps this chip truly delivers the best performance available today in a single cpu. Further Testing and a performace chart/review will be coming soon , So stay tuned !!
Thanks for reading!
Over and out.. Toolius
