http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/ Engadget Comments for Intel's newest gaming platform, Skulltrail http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 1:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 4:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 10:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/
It does look the business though, I'll give it that...cracking looking motherboard.]]>Dec 30th 2007 2:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 1:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/
Totally want it.]]>Dec 28th 2007 1:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 3:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/
The developers write their games for the latest hardware with the ability to degrade gracefully on older hardware. Crysis is the best example of this at the moment. If you want to run (at a playable framerate) on the highest settings you need a bleeding edge computer, however you can turn down the graphics to the point where the majority of computers can play it in some form]]>Dec 28th 2007 3:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/
1) Most games are GPU-bound. Even a SLI system chugs through much of Crysis on max settings, and while a good CPU is important because of physics calculations, there is a point where more powerful CPUs make virtually no difference.

2) Only a few games take advantage of Quad core processors, much less 8 cores. This will start to change, but it will take a while.

So it's overkill right now, and in the near future. In 2-3 years this may be semi-standard for gamers...who knows.]]>Dec 28th 2007 3:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 1:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/I don't game, but I know a few people that do and they all use AMD and don't like Intel. I don't know if the new chips are better for gaming, but if most gamers are like those I know they would never build an Intel rig, and the core demographic for this board are gone.

Prove me wrong!]]>Dec 28th 2007 2:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Your friends are either trying to save a buck or living a few years in the past. AMD chips are cheaper, but for gaming they still fall behind the latest Intel chips and aren't as overclockable.]]>Dec 28th 2007 2:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 2:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 2:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/
But right now, Intel is the way to go. You can get a quad core processor for $250 nowadays, it's crazy. AMD has been playing catchup for the last two years and it doesn't look like they'll be catching up this round with Phenom.]]>Dec 28th 2007 5:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 5:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/
"WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME...SKULLTRAIL?!"

Funny enough, that very phrase could be heard now at the AMD offices.]]>Dec 28th 2007 1:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 1:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 2:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/
]]>Dec 28th 2007 3:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/
What does the "word" "deets" have to do with American English specifically?]]>Dec 28th 2007 4:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 1:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 2:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 2:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/most programs are ready for 64bit yet either :P

anyway still would want one just to say i have one :D]]>Dec 28th 2007 2:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/
Damn, amd is gonna have to get those octo-cores that they are supposedly working on out fast to compete.]]>Dec 28th 2007 2:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 2:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 9:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 2:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/
Whatever, I love the name, and once nVidia's new "PW3ND!!11!" architecture comes out it will be a match made in Hell. Not to mention one can simply exchange the "!" for "0" and have binary indication of what version of "PWN3D!!11!" you, well, own.

I for one welcome this new naming convention from our gadget overlords...]]>Dec 28th 2007 2:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/this looks absolutely brilliant..]]>Dec 28th 2007 2:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 3:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 5:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 3:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 3:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 6:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 3:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 6:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 3:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 3:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 3:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 4:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Imagine loading everything you can into it, 2 CPUs, 3 GPUs, a rather large system fan, the size of the PSU needed to run all these things is also going to have a pretty big fan, and finally a well cooled case with countless (no doubt LED fans - if you're sad enough to spend this much money) case fans. Not that I'd refuse it as a present.]]>Dec 28th 2007 3:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 5:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 29th 2007 4:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/
PUT THIS MOTHERBOARD IN THE NEW MAC PROS!
Cheaper graphics cards
Compatability with all Nvidia PC cards. (just get the drivers)]]>Dec 28th 2007 3:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/
Well let's look at what's on board with a current (aging?) Mac Pro...

Support for Dual Quad-Core Xeons..
4 PCI Express 16x Slots
8 SATA Ports (yes I did count them, 4 slide in racks, 2 spare (for eSATA maybe?) and another 2 in the optical bay)
2 PATA Ports for older optical drives
5 USB Ports (Close Enough!)
2x Firewire 800, 2x Firewire 400... Makes up for the one less USB I'd say :P
FB-DIMMs - 8 slots supporting up to 32GB

And all the usuals like onboard sound, slots for WiFi/Bluetooth radio's, etc

Bear in mind this is from a Mac Pro that is over a year old... they are well overdue a refresh and so expect something a little more cutting edge after Januarys MacWorld :)

Still... This Skulltrail thing is quite interesting, I might consider one if the price is right and I'm after a gaming box :)
]]>Dec 28th 2007 3:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 4:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/
The 3 card limit has nothing to do with the Mac Pro. You can put whatever you want in there for gaming and just boot to Windows. :)]]>Dec 28th 2007 4:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/intels-newest-gaming-platform-skulltrail/Dec 28th 2007 3:44PM