Intel's 6-core EE i7-980X out and reviewed

[ShawnD1]

probably because the stock cooler isn't even adequate to run these CPUs @ 100% load in the first place, replacing it voids your warranty, and a CPU like this is highly likely to be run @ max load if users buy to their needs. By comparison, the coolers my C2Q chips came with wouldn't even let me run the linpack benchmark cause the CPU hit TJmax instantly and my comp rebooted.

lol.
This happened when we tried Linpack on my friend's Athlon X2 6400+.
"do you smoke around the computer?"
"yeah, why does that matter?"

 

[aigomorla]

I am curious as to what kind of temps people are getting when they load up all the cores.

why dont u ask me if ive seen 1 gulftown without a borked sensor yet?



Meaning i havent seen one whose sensor was correct.

WTF? Are you trying to render interactive photorealistic 3D pr0n in realtime?

No id like to control the porn girl via virtual reality.
You know u need tessilization + the all might fermi to get her to give you a proper show.

 

[Rubycon]

As long as it does not shutdown (temp < 123C) and is stable temperature sensors readings are pointless. Why get in a pissing contest over who has a lower temp (especially idle!)? Just use the damn thing and shut up already! :biggrin:

That said 18C idle AVERAGE at 4.4GHz 1.375Vcore is hilarious! :biggrin:

Oh stop it! One cannot stop laughing at this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO2OocOVcJo

Now what I'm interested in hearing are stories of 32nm deaths either due to excessive vcore or vtt.

 

[aigomorla]

Now what I'm interested in hearing are stories of 32nm deaths either due to excessive vcore or vtt.

i dont think its the vcore killing these guys.

It has to be the VTT.

 

[Rubycon]

i dont think its the vcore killing these guys.

It has to be the VTT.

I have a button on the front of the case with a blue light that comes on. When it's pressed the VTT jumps up to over 1.5V in CPU-Z! It's part of that Classified front panel thing. There's also VCORE buttons that add +100mV per switch. Pushing all of them in is probably CPU suicide. Have not tried it yet.

I hear you really need to watch VTT with those GTs. Wouldn't know because mine are still in Miami cooking toast for all the French folks.

 

[james1701]

To me, idle temps are useless. I want to do a new build next month, but I don't know what kind of cooling I want to go with. I thought about trying one of those H50 coolers, and pray for 4ghz. If that's going to be too hot, then I will build a straight up full water cooled rig to start with.

 

[Shmee]

i dont think its the vcore killing these guys.

It has to be the VTT.

this is good news, I have yet to touch anything but vcore and multi yet to OC my 980x. I was planning on higher uncore speeds later, but perhaps hearing this it isnt a good idea.

 

[n7]

this is good news, I have yet to touch anything but vcore and multi yet to OC my 980x. I was planning on higher uncore speeds later, but perhaps hearing this it isnt a good idea.

When OCing, make sure you don't have VTT on AUTO!

That's a sure way to be pumping tons of VTT into a chip, at least from what i've seen w/ auto VTT on most mobos.

With Gigabyte boards you can check VTT in Windows with EasyTune.

 

[Shmee]

thanks for the heads up. I will double check that, though I think I set it to normal.

 

[n7]

Yeah i think that's okay, but here's where to look in case you aren't familiar w/ EasyTune.

 

[Rubycon]

this is good news, I have yet to touch anything but vcore and multi yet to OC my 980x. I was planning on higher uncore speeds later, but perhaps hearing this it isnt a good idea.

Based on what?
Stability issues?

Increasing uncore increases performance significantly in latency sensitive applications.

 

[Shmee]

yes, perhaps for performance. BTW, the VTT is on normal, or 1.175V.

 

[soccerballtux]

Based on what?
Stability issues?

Increasing uncore increases performance significantly in latency sensitive applications.

and unpredictable-branch code

 

[DrMrLordX]

Wouldn't know because mine are still in Miami cooking toast for all the French folks.

At least they aren't throwing down with LMFAO.

(curse that song for making me think of it every time someone mentions Miami)

 

[Gillbot]

When OCing, make sure you don't have VTT on AUTO!

That's a sure way to be pumping tons of VTT into a chip, at least from what i've seen w/ auto VTT on most mobos.

With Gigabyte boards you can check VTT in Windows with EasyTune.

Personally, I don't think it's a good idea to keep any of the voltage settings on Auto. I've seen a few boards that tend to overvolt quite a bit even at stock speeds.

 

[Rubycon]

and unpredictable-branch code

Care to elaborate further on this?

Personally, I don't think it's a good idea to keep any of the voltage settings on Auto. I've seen a few boards that tend to overvolt quite a bit even at stock speeds.

Most will track upward with clock speed increases across the board. This is behavior by design. CPU Core, QPI, and VTT should NEVER be left on auto if one chooses to o/c via increasing BCLK. Quite dangerous (to your CPU).

 

[Gillbot]

Most will track upward with clock speed increases across the board. This is behavior by design. CPU Core, QPI, and VTT should NEVER be left on auto if one chooses to o/c via increasing BCLK. Quite dangerous (to your CPU).

Yes, but I have seen a few that went way too far (IMHO) right off the bat.

 

[AuDioFreaK39]

Holy mother of all sh*t on a biscuit.....THAT is a system Audiofreak.

Can we get a Vantage score?

Am I seeing it correctly no SSDs?

An SSD has done more for my system than almost any OC that I have ever done...

As of this afternoon, I'll have all the time in the world to install this 980X in my system and run the craziest Vantage scores you've ever seen on high-performance air cooling.

As for the SSDs, I've been carefully observing the market over the past 24 months, continuously waiting for the optimal time for a market entry. Based on my research, the 25nm flash derivatives of the current Intel X25-M G2 drives should be out in the fourth quarter, and those are definitely on my list of consideration. However, I might want to wait until Q1 2011 for the 6Gbps drives to hit with newer controllers. Based on what I witnessed at CES earlier this year, having an SSD with >300MB/s reads should be more than futureproof for at least 24 months.

SilverStone Raven RV02

I scrapped mine because the HD5970 would not fit.
Then came the Classified 4X 762 and that only fits the PCP80A I have. What an oddball board size!
I was happy to see they put Marvell LAN controllers on here instead of those RealJunk ones.

I received my Raven RV02 as a review unit directly from SilverStone during launch over the summer. After I sold my GTX 295s, I began investigating the possibility of the HD 5970s not being able to fit in the standard 12.2-inch long ATX spec that the chassis features. Unfortunately, it turned out to be true. Thankfully, I was able to recess the middle 180mm a couple centimeters and it allowed both cards to fit evenly spaced in CrossFire configuration.

A few friends are about to come over in a few minutes and the rig building will begin. :awe:

Some people here have amazing rigs.

Fair enough, if I was loaded I'd buy a badass pc as well.

Well, it's a huge side benefit that comes from being an IT Journalist.

Then again, I still had to pay out of pocket for the Classified, Radeon HD 5970s and 980X.

Long time no see AuDioFreak39.

Indeed, it's been what - a good 16 months since we were last talking about Nehalem architecture at launch? :awe:

Nice to see you again man.

 

[Rubycon]

Thankfully, I was able to recess the middle 180mm a couple centimeters and it allowed both cards to fit evenly spaced in CrossFire configuration.

2.54 cm = 1 inch!
How did you manage that?
I read where others take the grilles off. The clearance is close to fitting. Although my motherboard cannot fit in the case at all.

 

[jtisgeek]

Will have my 980x for work tomorrow should be a nice build.

 

[tweakboy]

Wow, gosh 1.84v That is crazy high and hot. Amazing stuff, but I wonder if its stable fully,, I doubt it,, who knows,, but the guy with the chip lol

 

[soccerballtux]

I put a question in to Corsair's support on whether the H50 would be able to cool it, and leave some room to overclock. They have been working on an answer for over a week and half and have stated in their forum they are working on it, but I still have not gotten an official answer.

shouldn't be that hard if i had the data i could crunch the exact thermodynamics of it in under a day in matlab, and I haven't used matlab in forever.

 

[aigomorla]

Some people here have amazing rigs.

Fair enough, if I was loaded I'd buy a badass pc as well.

Problem tho is once ur up here.... it becomes a need more then a want.

Which is why im already buffering for at least 2 GTX480's @ launch and grabbing a third one month later on my birthday.

But then again, i have a history on this forum in having one of the top ranked computers. :T

 

[Gillbot]

 

[Rubycon]

What's up with the Paul Bunyan axe?

Even he uses processors now!

Take a look for yourself. The axe has been axed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhmKBDIAXd0