http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/ Engadget Comments for Intel Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K unlock multipliers, better performance http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/May 28th 2010 3:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/May 28th 2010 7:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/
They just said the unlocking doesn't really bring anything. The new price does, but a new price for the 870 would have been just as good.

You say they got a bum sample, but Intel said they weren't using "enthusiast binning" (i.e. lots of OC headroom) on these chips.

Most of the reviews I checked don't even overclock the chip (if they tested it at all) and the ones that did (legit reviews, anand) don't even end up adjusting the CPU multiplier anyway, they only adjust the other multipliers on the chip (memory for example) which are unlocked on all Core i5s/i7s, not just the new Ks.]]>May 28th 2010 12:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/The unlocked multipliers mean that even if your DDR3 is stuck at 1333 you can let the CPU run at it's maximum potential, whereas with a multiplier locked unit you'd be out of luck or would have to go buy all that crazy hardware you mentioned to get more out of it. ]]>May 28th 2010 4:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/May 28th 2010 4:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/May 28th 2010 3:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/
Pretty much any Core i7 is significantly faster and more efficient than the Q9550.]]>May 28th 2010 4:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/
Not so dramatic that worth a full platform upgrade. Sometime they claim more energy efficient chip but really, it's "mostly" lowered clock and or cripple in some way. In my book, efficient mean maintaining clock speed while uses less power.]]>May 28th 2010 5:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/May 28th 2010 6:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/
Yeah thats my plan as well. I have my q9550 clocked in at 3.8ghz and it is more than enough for what I need. I built my rig for dirt cheap a little over a year and a half ago when the i7's were just released. A more energy efficient chip would be nice though but its 95 watts is nothing compared to what the nvidia gtx 280 uses that I have in it.]]>May 28th 2010 6:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/May 28th 2010 5:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/May 28th 2010 6:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/May 28th 2010 7:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/May 28th 2010 8:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/May 28th 2010 8:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/intel-core-i7-875k-and-core-i5-655k-unlock-multipliers-better-p/May 28th 2010 10:19AM