Reviews - Intel Core i7 and X58 chipset - all systems go

[HEXUS]

Intel takes off the wraps from Core i7 - we take an architecture tour and tell you if it's any good.

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[Zak33]

I guess it's notjust HEXUS who are beffudled about WHY they would install 4 ram slots on this mobo?

V intriguing

[j.o.s.h.1408]

quality. i cant wait!

[DR]

It has no use - I've asked up to board designer level.

The fact is - 3 slots will get you the performance and 4 will make it slower. The reasoning? One thing touted around is with the Smackover board people would feel odd if there were less than 4 slots. So maybe it's marketing? Most boards will ship with 3 or 6 slots it's just a change of mindset.

[Biscuit]

Initially supporting three 64-bit DDR3-only channels at 1,066MHz speed

Does this mean they dont have any benefits from 1333 or faster at present?

[DR]

Does this mean they dont have any benefits from 1333 or faster at present?

Native it will be 1066 - but if you change the memory speed in the BIOS you will get the perf increase.

[Biscuit]

How well will it scale with faster Ram, as a guess?

[Tarinder]

More bandwidth is always better and RAM scaling is something we'll look at: we've just received a tasty set of Corsair modules to test exactly this with.

[Biscuit]

wicked il look forward to that.

[j.o.s.h.1408]

check my post here http://forums.hexus.net/1559860-post30.html

loads of other benchmarks including a i7 OC'd at a whopping 5ghz!! plus its gone on retail on some places

[Biscuit]

Thanks for that josh, the overclock is pretty insane! Promising looking chips but i wonder how the lower ends will fare.

[j.o.s.h.1408]

there is a rumour going around that a gtx280 along with a i7 completely destroys a quad core 2 with a gtx 280!!!

I have heard that the gtx 280 have been held back by yesterdays core 2 cpu's! we'l wait and see if its true. if it is then i have made up mind, i7 is the way to go