Core i7-920
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Dell Studio XPS 9100 arrives with six cores, little fanfare
AMD had its turn in the high-end Dell desktop spotlight, but it's time for another Intel beast, as the company's quietly upgraded its tower lineup to support Intel's consumer-grade champion chip, the 3.33GHz Core i7-980X. While the new Studio XPS 9100 looks just the same as its predecessor on the outside and sports the same basic options and ports, internally there's a 525W power supply with enough juice for a Radeon HD 5970 2GB graphics card (a $580 option) and slots for up to 24GB of DDR3 memory. You won't be getting any of this pixel-pushing goodness on the $950 base model, of course, which has only a (respectable) quad-core 2.66GHz Core i7-920 and an Nvidia GeForce G310 512MB, but the machine looks like it could hold its own with low-end Alienware cousins if you get into $2,000+ territory. Call us crazy, but we think there's a configurator session with your name on it.
Liquid-cooled Asetek prototype redefines our all-in-one expectations (video)
We've been moaning about middling AIO performance for a while now, and outside of Apple's spendy iMacs, not many have stepped up to the plate with equivalent grunt to what you might be able to splice together with a separate case and a bit of elbow grease. That won't stay true for long, however, if Asetek's prototype gets picked up by one of your favorite vendors. This liquid-cooled beastie -- which proudly proclaims it has the same profile as the iMac at 58mm in thickness -- is capable of powering and chilling both a 2.66GHz Core i7-920 and a GeForce GTX 280M. That's a total TDP output of over 200W, which is handled by a proprietary radiator design that's integrated into the stand and some pump-assisted action convecting the heat away from the chips. It both sounds and looks like a winner to us -- check it out after the break to see what you think.
Newegg terminates supplier relationship over counterfeit Core i7 CPUs
This weekend, up to 300 Newegg customers who pulled the trigger on a new Intel Core i7-920 processor found themselves puzzling over a clever fake instead. Who's to blame? It's not exactly clear -- Newegg initially said that the processors were "demo units," but has now posted a statement to Facebook saying that supplier IPEX shipped counterfeit chips and has had its contract revoked. That's good news for D&H Distributing, another Newegg supplier that responded to an initial wave of finger-pointing by issuing legal nastygrams to sites covering the story, thus ruining whatever good vibes the truth's generated. Finally, here's the statement Intel just sent us, explaining in no uncertain terms that these are counterfeit parts: "Intel has been made aware of a limited number of counterfeit i7 920 packages in the marketplace, specifically Newegg, and is working to how many and/or where they are being sold. The examples we have seen are not Intel products but are counterfeits. Buyers should contact their place of purchase for a replacement and/or should contact their local law enforcement agency if the place of purchase refuses to help. Intel is getting samples to inspect and until then we can say that everything in the package appears fake. Some of the photos of the processor look like it is a casting and not even a real processor of any kind. Newegg has moved quickly to replace the suspect units." No matter who's at fault here, the damage has been done. We'll never build another PC without losing precious seconds carefully examining its CPU first. [Thanks, Cody C.]
NewEgg sells 300 counterfeit Core i7-920 CPUs, KIRFers pump their fists
Oops. Over the weekend, it seems as if 300 or so unlucky individuals were shipped a counterfeit processor from the normally reliable warehouses at NewEgg, and Hard|OCP has the images (and video) to prove it. Vincent Waller couldn't have possibly been more eager to receive the Core i7-920 that he had ordered, but upon unboxing it, he realized that he had received a well-disguised fake. After a fair bit of digging, it seems as if one of NewEgg's "long time partners" (D&H Distributing) got ahold of 300 fakes in a batch of 2,000, though not everyone's buying the "it was an honest mistake" line -- especially when you consider that said company has already issued cease-and-desist letters to the sites who published the news. At any rate, NewEgg has already arranged for an authentic CPU to be rushed to Mr. Waller, and it's purportedly working around the clock in order to make things right with any other negatively affected customers. Hop on past the break for a look at the knockoff, particularly if you just took delivery of a shiny new Core i7.
Dell Precision M6500 mixes Core i7 with business savvy
In typical Dell style, the new Precision M6500 17-inch workhorse laptop has shown up on the company's website with nary a peep of self-congratulatory PR from Round Rock. Notable as the successor to the well-juiced M6400 and its even gaudier Covet variant, the M6500 boasts wallet-busting specs like a Core i7-920XM allied to a maximum of 16GB DDR3 memory speeding along at 1,333MHz, a choice of ATI FirePro M7740 or NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800M workstation graphics chips, support for up to three storage devices with optional RAID configurations, and a 1920 x 1200 LED-backlit display. The machine is not quite yet available to purchase, meaning it's safe to go beyond the read link without fearing any heart-stopping sticker shock. [Thanks, Jonty]
Okoro OMS-BX300 goes for the 'you must be high' end
You know, with the PS3 slumming it in a lower weight class and $300 price point, you'd think it'd be hard to sell people on costlier "Blu-ray Digital Entertainment Systems," but that hasn't stopped Okoro from trying. Updating its BX300 unit with dual Blu-ray Lightscribe drives, a Core i7-920, 6GB of 1,333MHz DDR3, pair of hot swappable 2TB HDDs in RAID1, and a 64GB SSD for OS duties is all well and good (okay, it's kind of awesome), but -- even though it has come down some -- the price is still a loony $3,095. There are also dual NTSC / ATSC / QAM tuners and a CableCARD option to go along with an ATI Radeon HD 4850 -- and for an extra $800, you can get the slinkier touch pad remote-pimping version pictured on the right. Ah well, just another reason to envy rich people. [Via ZDNet]
Shocker! Retail Core i7 CPUs caught using DDR3-1600 memory
The kids over at Maximum PC have told us a sordid tale involving Core i7 processors, "extreme heat and smoke damage," and a pair of jumper cables -- we'll spare you the details -- and have come to the realization that, contrary to popular belief, the retail version of the budget-minded Core i7 920 processor (and its midrange brethren, the 940) is shipping with unlocked multipliers and memory ratios. According to some "Deep Throat"-esque shadowy figure at Intel, the company chalks it up to a "marketing decision" made after receiving "requests from some of our customers." If this is indeed the case, customers will be able to rock the fast-paced DDR3-1600 memory without shelling out big money on a Core i7 Extreme Edition 965 CPU. And that ain't the least of it -- hit the read link for plenty of talk about QPI speeds and benchmarks. You'll be glad you did.
Overclocking guide shows what Intel's Core i7 is / isn't capable of
Oh sure, we've seen just how far Intel's most potent Core i7 chip can be pushed under the most extreme conditions, but honestly, how's that helping you? In short, it's not. To that end, HotHardware has whipped up a useful, easy-to-digest guide on overclocking the Core i7 920, complete with benchmarks, recommendations and tips for dealing with excess heat without hooking up a liquid nitrogen tank. Interested to see how to crank a stock 920 to a level that outpaces the pricey 3.2GHz Core i7 Extreme Edition? The read link, friends -- hit it.
Gateway throws Core i7 CPUs into two new FX6800 gaming desktops
Although we actually got to see just how potent the Core i7 was way back in September (at least, that's what was hinted at "off the record"), the chip had yet to go on sale until this week. Now that it's had its formal launch party, Gateway's joining the masses in offering up two new FX Series PCs with Intel's freshest silicon. For the gamer on a budget, the FX6800-01 gets going at just $1,249.99 and packs a Core i7-920 processor, 3GB of DDR3 RAM and an ATI Radeon HD4850 video card. For those with cheddar to burn, the $2,999.99 FX6800-05 steps it up with a Core i7-940, ATI Radeon HD4870 X2 graphics card and 6GB of DDR3 memory. The high-end beast also includes a 1TB hard drive plus an 80GB SSD, and both models can be outfitted with a Blu-ray drive should you choose. For the complete specs list, have a glance at the full release just after the break.
Intel Core i7 CPUs reappear on NewEgg
Remember those Core i7 processors that showed up -- ever so briefly -- on NewEgg a few days ago, only to promptly disappear, leaving us to ponder what we'd done wrong? Well, even though they're not slated to officially hit shelves until November 17th, we've heard from a slew of vigilant tipsters (hipsters?) that they're back. The prices are the same as we saw before, but you might want to check 'em out yourself right away, just in case they disappear again and you're forced to wait until tomorrow.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Intel Core i7 listings show up on NewEgg to tease you, then split
Listings for Intel's new Core i7 processors popped up on NewEgg for a couple hours yesterday before getting pulled back into the pre-launch ether -- a cruel tease to desktop PC hardware aficionados counting down the nanoseconds till that red letter day, November 17th. We knew it wouldn't last, but we're glad of the error, 'cause now we've seen pricing info which should reflect what we'll be paying next week. The 2.66GHz 920 was listed at $319.99, the 2.93GHz 940 at $599.99, and the 3.2GHz Extreme 965 at $1,069. Benchmarks have shown even the 920 besting top-of-the-line Core 2 Quads, so the entry point is alluring, but if you're a True Gearhead we expect you'll embezzle a grand to afford the Extreme chip. [Thanks, Staff]
Core i7 dated for November 17th, approximately priced
Intel will launch its Core i7 processors at a press event in San Francisco on the 17th of this month and already we have pricing estimates sliding off whispering lips. Distributors buying in bulk will pay a modest $284 for the 2.66GHz Core i7-920, $562 for the 2.93GHz 940, and $999 for the 3.2GHz Extreme 965 -- consumers will pay more of course, but we don't know exactly how much. Even the 920 squarely defeated the Core 2 Quad Q9650 in benchmarks, and we'll admit we had fun playing with the 965 over the weekend. As for those of you who haven't been so lucky, your chance to run up that credit card debt is fast approaching.[Via TG Daily]
Intel Core i7 review roundup
We've already seen a few benchmarks of Intel's new Core i7 processor, but if you're still craving some more details about Intel's latest and greatest you now have plenty more than that to chew on, with reviews, overviews, and yet more benchmarks pouring in left and right. As you might expect, most sites are describing the CPU as a very big deal for Intel, with the folks at Maximum PC even going so far as to call it the company's "most significant CPU launch in, well, ever." What's more, as those early benchmarks hinted at, it doesn't look like there's too many folks disappointed with the new processors, with even the "low end" Core i7 920 able to defeat the higher clock speed Core 2 Quad Q9650 "over and over" according to TechSpot, a feat due in large part to the CPU's on-die memory controller and Intel's new QPI technology. The first few systems shipping with the processor also look to have been fairly well received, with Slash Gear finding that Gateway's new Core i7 920-based FX6800-01e delivered a reasonable but not revolutionary upgrade over its Core 2 Quad-based predecessor, and Computer Shopper also finding plenty of things to like in new systems from Falcon Northwest and iBuypower, though the price of each of those systems is another matter. That, of course, is just skimming the surface, and if you've got a few hours to spare, you can find plenty more to keep you busy by diving into the links below.Read - PC Perspective. "Nehalem Revolution: Intel's Core i7 Processor Complete Review"Read - Techgage, "Intel Core i7 Performance Preview"Read - Maximum PC, "Core i7 Dissected and Benchmarked"Read - Computer Shopper, "Intel's Core i7 Debuts: Systems, CPUs, and Motherboards Reviewed"Read - HotHardware, "Getting To Know Intel's New Core i7, Video Spotlight"Read - HotHardware, "Intel Core i7 Processors: Nehalem and X58 Have Arrived"Read - TechSpot, "Intel Core i7 920, 940 and 965 Extreme Edition review"Read - Custom PC, "Intel Core i7 - all you need to know"Read - SlashGear, "Gateway FX6800-01e Review"
