As you know, Intel microprocessor architectures change every two years. Computing power is constantly growing, the flagships of the recent past are turning into outsiders, giving way to the strongest representatives of the new architecture. With the launch of its Nehalem-based processors in November 2008, Intel has significantly strengthened its position in the Hi-End desktop sector. And the recent top models in the Core 2 Quad and Core 2 Duo lines could no longer compete with the Core i7 processors, so they had to move into the mid-price niche, giving way to high-end newcomers in the Hi-End segment. Intel's future plans include expanding the presence of representatives of the new architecture in all market segments. However, the Core i7 line in its original form is not able to fit into the budget of mid-to-budget desktop PCs. That is why, for the general public, the company's engineers have developed a "lightweight" series of CPUs based on the Nehalem architecture. Intel today officially unveiled three new microprocessors - Core i7 870, Core i7 860 and Core i5 750, designed to work in the Socket LGA 1156 processor socket. The first representatives of the Core i7 family were designed to be installed in the Socket LGA 1366 processor socket, and motherboards for these processors were built on the basis of the only available set of system logic - Intel X58. The entry into the market of new representatives of the Core family required the development of a new chipset and motherboards based on it. The new chipset is the Intel P55 chipset. Before considering in detail the differences between the new solutions for Socket LGA 1156 and the old LGA 1366, let's take a look at the summary table of characteristics. central processing units Core i5 / i7 and Intel P55 and X58 chipsets.
| Main characteristics | ||||||||
| Intel Core processor | i5-750 | i7-860 | i7-870 | i7-920 | i7-940 | i7-950 | i7-965 Extreme | i7-975 Extreme |
| Core | Lynnfield | Bloomfield | ||||||
| Technical process | 45 nm | |||||||
| Connector | Socket LGA 1156 | Socket LGA 1366 | ||||||
| Chipset | Intel P55 | Intel X58 | ||||||
| Core stepping | B1 | C0 / D0 | C0 / D0 | D0 | C0 | D0 | ||
| Core frequency, GHz | 2.66 | 2.8 | 2.93 | 2.66 | 2.93 | 3.06 | 3.2 | 3.33 |
| Factor | 20 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| Multiplier step with Turbo Boost * | 1 - 4 | 1 - 5 | 1 - 5 | 1 - 2 | 1 - 2 | 1 - 2 | 1 - 2 | 1 - 2 |
| L1 cache, KB | 32/32 | |||||||
| L2 cache, KB per core | 256 | |||||||
| L3 cache, MB | 8 | |||||||
| Bus type "Processor-chipset" | DMI | QPI | ||||||
| Integrated PCI-Express controller | Yes | Not | ||||||
| TDP, W | 95 | 130 | ||||||
| Maximum bandwidth of the processor-chipset trunk, GB / s | 2 | 25 | ||||||
| RAM channels | 2 | 3 | ||||||
| Physical cores | 4 | Supported technologies | ||||||
| Hyper-Threading | Not | Yes | ||||||
| VT-x | Yes | |||||||
| VT-d | Not | Yes | ||||||
| TXT | Yes | |||||||
| EIST | Yes | |||||||
| Intel 64 | Yes | |||||||
* The frequency step is determined by the step of the processor multiplier from the original, depending on the load on the cores. From the table above, it follows that the differences in the internal structure of the LGA 1366 and LGA 1156 processors are not limited only to the lack of support for a three-channel memory controller from Lynnfield. In fact, the difference is much more significant. Let's take a closer look at the differences between these CPUs.
Constructive execution
Intel Core i7 and Core i5 processors with Lynnfield core are designed to work with processor socket Socket LGA 1156, which, in fact, does not differ much from Socket LGA 775 / LGA 1366. The CPU fixing mechanism has changed slightly, as well as the location of the holes for fastening the cooling system. Next, we will take a closer look at the new connector.Memory controller
All processors designed to work in motherboards with Socket LGA 1366 have a three-channel integrated DDR-3 memory controller, which provides an extremely high memory bandwidth. The Core i5 and Core i7 processors for Socket LGA 1156 have a dual-channel integrated memory controller, which can slightly reduce memory bandwidth. However, testing the memory subsystem will show how big the difference in memory bandwidth is.Hyper-Threading Technology
This technology first appeared in the days of Pentium 4 processors with NetBurst architecture. All Intel Core i7 processors, regardless of design, support HT, which allows them to execute up to 8 threads simultaneously. Intel Core i5 processor series Hyper-Threading support deprived.Turbo Boost Mode
The essence of this mode is to increase the operating frequency of one or more processor cores, depending on the computational load, by increasing the processor multiplier. Intel Core i7 processors for Socket LGA 1366 are capable of increasing the operating frequency by 1 or 2 steps (a step means a step of the CPU multiplier). While processors designed to work in Socket LGA 1156, depending on the load, they can "overclock" 1-5 stops for the Core i7 series and 1-4 stops for the Core i5 series. It is obvious that Turbo Boost technology has reached a certain maturity, and new Intel processors are able to increase the frequency significantly more than before. In addition, an interesting trend is worth noting. Modern Intel technologies allow processors to "intelligently" allocate their power to achieve maximum results depending on the type of tasks being performed.Bundle "Lynnfield - P55"
Core i7 processors for Socket LGA 1366 interact with the Intel X58 system logic set using the QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) bus, which provides bandwidth up to 25 GB / s. In turn, the Core i7 and Core i5 processors, developed for Socket LGA 1156, "communicate" with the Intel P55 chipset through the DMI (Direct Media Interface) interface, first used by Intel back in 2004 in tandem with the ICH6 south bridge. It is no secret that the DMI cannot provide the same high bandwidth as the QPI bus. Judge for yourself, the bandwidth of the DMI interface is ~ 2 GB / s versus ~ 25 GB / s for QPI. And how, in this case, "pump over" huge amounts of data between the processor and devices connected to the PCI-Express 2.0 bus, for example, video cards that require a data transfer rate of up to 16 GB / s. But there are also less demanding devices such as network controllers, hard drives, etc. Intel engineers solved the problem in a rather elegant way. The PCI-Express controller and DMI, along with the memory controller, are now integrated into the CPU, which largely solves the bottleneck problem. Why to a large extent and not completely? The fact is that the integrated PCI-Express 2.0 controller supports up to 16 lanes, which will be entirely occupied by one or a pair of graphics accelerators. For a single video card, all 16 PCI-Express lines are allocated; when two video cards are installed, the lines are distributed as 2x8. It turns out that the capabilities of the integrated PCI-Express controller are no longer enough for other devices. However, this problem has been successfully solved! Thanks to the integration of some of the control units onto the CPU substrate, the Intel P55 chipset is just one microcircuit, which has received a new name. Now it is not just a south bridge, it is the so-called Platform Controller Hub (PCH), which, along with the standard set of functions of the south bridge, also received support for a PCI-Express 2.0 controller to meet the needs of peripheral devices.
VT-d
Virtualization technology for directed I / O is an I / O virtualization technology created by Intel to complement the existing Vanderpool compute virtualization technology. The essence of this technology is to allow a remote OS to work with PCI / PCI-Ex connected I / O devices directly at the hardware level. All modern Intel Core i7 processors, regardless of the processor socket used, support this technology, but the Core i5 series processors do not.TDP
Thanks to optimized production technology and a modified CPU core, Intel has managed to reduce the TDP value for the Core i7 / i5 series processors for Socket LGA 1156 to 95 W, versus 130 W for Intel Core i7 designed for the Socket LGA 1366 platform.From theory to practice. Test platform
Before proceeding to testing, let's look at the components of the test platform based on Socket LGA 1156, and also consider the nuances of the Lynnfield + P55 bundle. An engineering sample of an Intel Core i5 750 processor came to our laboratory. Unfortunately, modern engineering samples of a CPU do not differ in any way from serial samples, even the available multiplication factors are the same as those of ordinary representatives of this series. The dimensions of processors with the Socket LGA 1156 design are much smaller than those of their older counterparts designed for Socket LGA 1366, compare:Core i5 750 on the left, Core i7 920 on the right
As a basis for our test bench, we used the MSI P55-GD65 motherboard, kindly provided by the Russian representative of MSI. We will definitely publish a detailed review of the MSI P55-GD65 a little later, but for now let's dwell on the description key features fees:
- Processor Support for Socket LGA1156
- 4 slots for DDR-3 memory
- Supports 7 SATA II connectors
- Support for SLI and CrossFireX technology
- Supports MSI proprietary OC Genie technology
Now is the time to take a look at the Core i5 in action and talk about the overclocking features of Intel's new Lynnfield processors.
Features of the Core i7 and Core i5 processors on the Lynnfield core
CPU Clock - CPU cores work at this frequency. unCore Clock (UCLK)- the operating frequency of the north bridge integrated into the Core i7 / i5 processors. The integrated L3 cache operates at this frequency, as well as the Core i7 / i5 RAM controller. QPI bus frequency. The frequency at which the QPI interface runs, linking the Core i7 9xx to the Intel X58 chipset. Overclocking of non-extreme Core i7 processors of the 9xx family was very often limited by the frequencies of UCLK, QPI and DDR-3 memory (to a lesser extent). The fact is that the frequency multiplication factor of the processor frequency in conventional Core i7s is strictly limited from above. Therefore, to increase the CPU frequency, it is necessary to increase the base frequency (BCLK), and an increase in BCLK entails an increase in the frequencies of UnCore, UCLK and DDR-3. It was possible to cope with the increase in the RAM frequency with the help of dividers, but it was impossible to tame the increase in the QPI and UCLK frequencies, because the requirement that the UCLK frequency should be at least twice the DDR-3 frequency made its contribution. Precisely because of the instability of one of these CPU units at higher frequencies, the CPU overclocking was limited to values slightly exceeding 200 MHz BCLK. With the arrival of Lynnfield, some of the problems for overclockers have been solved. Now the UCLK frequency is locked and the dividers for the QPI bus frequency are smaller, so in theory we can get a higher stable BCLK frequency.Introduction
The launch of the Intel LGA 1156 platform has been very successful, with online publications and user reviews very positive. Our first articles on Core i5 covered processor and platform technologies, as well as gaming performance... Now is the time to explore the overclocking capabilities of the new processors. How well can you overclock the latest Intel platform? What will be the impact of Turbo Boost technology? How about power consumption at increased clock speeds? We will try to answer all these questions in the article.
P55: "Next BX?"
This phrase is often used to describe a new chipset or platform that has the potential to become the de facto standard, that is, dominate all direct competitors for a longer time than the life cycle of a conventional product implies. Long ago, the 440BX chipset, which powered the second generation Pentium II, became the most popular set of system logic, although some competitors offered large specifications on paper. BX provided a lot for its price, and the name of this product is often remembered by journalists.
Many users are still running Pentium 4, Pentium D or Athlon 64 / X2, or even first generation Core 2 systems - and they want to upgrade to four cores, and possibly Windows 7. Core i5 is one of the most compelling options in terms of price / performance ratio today, especially for users with serious overclocking ambitions.
Does the P55 platform have the potential to be the next BX? Yes and no. On the one hand, Intel will be promoting the LGA 1156 socket interface for at least a couple of years, although pinout and electrical specifications are subject to change. From what we know today, we can assume that the base platform will survive until 2011, and that all 32nm Westmere processors can be installed on this socket. So yes, he has good prospects.
However, there are some functions that promise to become relevant soon and which the P55 platform does not support today. The first is USB 3.0. The second is SATA with a 6 Gb / s interface. Of course, the accelerated SATA interface will only have a significant impact on flash-based SSDs and eSATA snap-ins that have multiple drives connected via a single eSATA interface. But USB 3.0, it seems to us, should become a mandatory standard after its appearance, since most external drives are usually limited to a bandwidth of only 30 MB / s due to the bottleneck in the form of the USB 2.0 interface.
Acceleration: good speeds, but some obstacles
For our project, we used an MSI P55-GD65 motherboard, planning to overclock the entry-level Core i5-750 processor to 4.3GHz. However, we were able to reach frequencies just above 4 GHz by turning off some important processor features.
Choosing the best LGA 1156 processor for overclocking
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Click on the picture to enlarge.
Intel has so far released three different processors, all based on the LGA 1156 interface: the Core i5-750 at 2.66 GHz, the Core i7-860 at 2.8 GHz, and the fastest Core i7-870 at 2.93 GHz. These processors differ not only in the nominal clock speed, but also in the implementation of the Turbo Boost function. 800-series processors can accelerate individual cores more aggressively than other models. Let me give you a small table.
| Turbo Boost: Available Steps (within TDP / A / Temp limits) | |||||
| Processor model | Nominal frequency | 4 cores are active | 3 cores active | 2 cores are active | 1 core active |
| Core i7-870 | 2.93 GHz | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Core i7-860 | 2.8 GHz | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Core i5-750 | 2.66 GHz | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Core i7-975 | 3.33 GHz | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Core i7-950 | 3.06 GHz | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Core i7-920 | 2.66 GHz | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Many expect faster processor models to overclock better, but this is not always true in practice. Since the cores of all existing LGA 1156 processors are the same, we decided to analyze the prices first. And the price when buying in a batch of 1000 pieces from the Core i7-870 is $ 562. We think this is a bit pricey for enthusiasts looking for the best price / performance ratio, so we decided to look at the remaining models: the Core-i7-860 for $ 284 and the i5-750 for $ 196.
Since in our review at the time of launching the processor and related articles we usually used faster models, we initially decided to take an entry-level processor in the overclocking project. Indeed, this model will be the most attractive to most of our readers.
We'll start with a stock clock speed of 2.66 GHz, and the Turbo Boost implementation of this model can increase the clock speed to a maximum of 3.2 GHz. Since the Core i7-870 processor reaches 3.6GHz with maximum Turbo Boost for a single core, we decided to start overclocking at 3.6GHz, after which we will check what maximum frequency the most affordable Core i5 processor can reach.
Platform description
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Click on the picture to enlarge.
On the Internet, you can find many results of successful overclocking of various platforms on the LGA 1156 architecture (there are also results that are better to avoid; we have provided additional details in Review of entry-level P55 motherboards). All major motherboard manufacturers consider the P55 chipset to be a key product, so they all invest a lot in development. We have already used three different P55 motherboards in cpu release article, so we decided to take the flagship model MSI P55-GD65 for overclocking. There is also the P55-GD80 on the market, which has a larger heatpipe cooling system and three x16 PCI Express 2.0 slots instead of two. However, the three slots P55-GD80 are limited to 16, 8, and 4 lanes, and the P55-GD65 board operates in 16 and 8-lane configurations.
MSI has implemented a seven-phase dynamic voltage regulator, heat pipe cooling system and many other features that motherboard manufacturers usually put on overclocker models. MSI's motherboard is distinguished from many others by a small feature: OC Genie Overclocking Facilitation System is a simple solution that automatically overclocks your system by increasing the base clock upon activation. MSI claims that the system itself manages all the necessary settings, but this function requires high quality platform components. But for this review, we decided to abandon all unusual features and chose the traditional overclocking method.
We installed the latest BIOS to disable Intel Overspeed protection and then started our overclocking project. The largest multiplier we could select was the maximum Turbo Boost with four cores active - that is, one step above the default 20x (21 x 133 = 2.8 GHz). We got a higher clock speed by increasing the base clock to 215 MHz.
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Click on the picture to enlarge.
The i5-750 has a nominal voltage of 1.25V - and at that voltage we were able to achieve exactly the same maximum clock speed that Intel specifies for a Core i7-870 processor with a maximum Turbo Boost mode with one core: 3.6 GHz.
3.6 GHz idle.
3.6 GHz - memory settings.
The result is quite impressive, but we expected no less. We could overclock Core i7 processors on the LGA 1366 socket in exactly the same way without overclocking too much voltage.
3.7 GHz idle.
3.7 GHz under load.
3.7 GHz - memory settings.
We reached 3.8 GHz without any problems. However, we had to increase the BIOS voltage from 1.25 to 1.32 V.
3.8 GHz idle.
3.8 GHz under load.
3.8 GHz - memory settings.
3.9 GHz idle.
3.9 GHz under load.
3.9 GHz - memory settings.
4.0 GHz idle.
4.0 GHz under load.
4.0 GHz - memory settings.
We were able to reach 4.0 GHz with a further increase in voltage to 1.45 V. We also increased the voltage of the PCH chipset (P55) to guarantee stability, but our first problems did not manifest themselves up to 4.1 GHz.
Remember that it was the 1.45 V voltage that turned out to be problematic when we conducted tests of inexpensive motherboards... Three models on the P55 (ASRock, ECS and MSI) are out of order. We are planning to release material next week in which we look at the steps taken by each manufacturer to address the identified deficiencies.
4.1 GHz idle.
4.1 GHz under load.
4.1 GHz - memory settings.
We were able to get the Core i5-750 processor running at 4.1GHz by setting the BIOS to Vcore at 1.465V, but the system was unable to return from peak load to idle without crashing. Increasing CPU or platform voltage further did not help either. We were able to further increase clock speeds when we turned off C-state support in the BIOS.
Unfortunately, the power consumption of the system after this step in idle mode increased by a significant 34 watts. Of course, we were able to achieve higher clock speeds, but we also got clear evidence that it is better to keep the processor in the lowest possible idle state so that transistors and entire functional blocks are turned off when they are not needed.
4.2 GHz idle.
4.2 GHz under load.
4.2 GHz - memory settings.
To achieve stable operation at 4.2 GHz, we had to increase the voltage to 1.52 V.
4.3 GHz idle.
4.3 GHz under load.
4.3 GHz - memory settings.
By increasing the voltage of our Core i5-750 to 1.55V, we were able to reach 4.3GHz, but that setting didn't matter anymore. The system was stable enough to run the Fritz tests and read CPU-Z readings, but we were unable to complete the entire test suite. However, we still do not recommend this setting for day-to-day use, as the idle power consumption increases to 127 watts. Let's see what level of performance we can get after overclocking to 4.2 GHz, and how this frequency affects efficiency.
Clock frequency and voltage table
| Overclocking Core i5-750 | 3600 MHz | 3700 MHz | 3800 MHz |
| Factor | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| 74 watts | 75 watts | 77 watts | |
| 179 watts | 190 watts | 198 watts | |
| BIOS Vcore | 1.251V | 1.301V | 1.32V |
| CPU-Z VT | 1.208V | 1.256V | 1.264V |
| Cpu VTT | 1.101V | 1.149V | 1.149V |
| PCH | 1.81W | 1.81W | 1.85W |
| Memory | 1.651V | 1.651V | 1.651V |
| Fritz Chess Test Results | 10 408 | 10 698 | 10 986 |
| C-states | Included | Included | Included |
| Stable work | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Overclocking Core i5-750 | 3900 MHz | 4000 MHz | 4200 MHz |
| Factor | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| System idle power consumption | 78 watts | 79 watts | 125 watts |
| System power consumption under load | 221 watts | 238 Wt | 270 watts |
| BIOS Vcore | 1.37V | 1.45V | 1.52V |
| CPU-Z VT | 1.344V | 1.384V | 1.432V |
| Cpu VTT | 1.203V | 1.25V | 1.303V |
| PCH | 1.9 watts | 1.9 watts | 1.9 watts |
| Memory | 1.651V | 1.651V | 1.651V |
| Fritz Chess Test Results | 11 266 | 11 506 | 12 162 |
| C-states | Included | Included | Off |
| Stable work | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Overclocking Core i5-750 | 4100 MHz | 4100 MHz | 4300 MHz |
| Factor | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| System idle power consumption | 80 watts | 114 watts | 127 watts |
| System power consumption under load | 244 watts | 244 watts | 282 Wt |
| BIOS Vcore | 1.465V | 1.463V | 1.55V |
| CPU-Z VT | 1.384V | 1.384V | 1.456V |
| Cpu VTT | 1.25V | 1.25V | 1.318V |
| PCH | 1.9 watts | 1.9 watts | 1.9 watts |
| Memory | 1.651V | 1.651V | 1.651V |
| Fritz Chess Test Results | 11 785 | 11 842 | 12 359 |
| C-states | Included | Off | Off |
| Stable work | Not | Yes | Not |
Test configuration
| System hardware | |
| Performance tests | |
| Motherboard (Socket LGA 1156) | MSI P55-GD65 (Rev. 1.0), Chipset: Intel P55, BIOS: 1.42 (09/08/2009) |
| CPU Intel I | Intel Core i5-750 (45 nm, 2.66 GHz, 4 x 256 KB L2 and 8 MB L3, TDP 95 W, Rev. B1) |
| CPU Intel II | Intel Core i7-870 (45 nm, 2.93 GHz, 4 x 256 KB L2 and 8 MB L3, TDP 95 W, Rev. B1) |
| DDR3 memory (two channels) | 2 x 2 GB DDR3-1600 (Corsair CM3X2G1600C9DHX) 2 x 1 GB DDR3-2000 (OCZ OCZ3P2000EB1G) |
| Cooler | Thermalright MUX-120 |
| Video card | Zotac Geforce GTX 260², GPU: Geforce GTX 260 (576 MHz), Memory: 896 MB DDR3 (1998 MHz), Stream Processors: 216, Shader Clock: 1242 MHz |
| HDD | Western Digital VelociRaptor, 300GB (WD3000HLFS), 10,000 RPM, SATA / 300, 16MB cache |
| Blu-ray drive | LG GGW-H20L, SATA / 150 |
| Power Supply | PC Power & Cooling, Silencer 750EPS12V 750W |
| System software and drivers | |
| Operating system | Windows Vista Enterprise Version 6.0 x64, Service Pack 2 (Build 6000) |
| Intel Chipset Drivers | Chipset Installation Utility Ver. 9.1.1.1015 |
| Intel Storage Subsystem Drivers | Matrix Storage Drivers Ver. 8.8.0.1009 |
Tests and settings
| 3D games | |
| Far cry 2 | Version: 1.0.1 Far Cry 2 Benchmark Tool Video Mode: 1280x800 Direct3D 9 Overall Quality: Medium Bloom activated HDR off Demo: Ranch Small |
| Gta iv | Version: 1.0.3 Video Mode: 1280x1024 - 1280x1024 - Aspect Ratio: Auto - All options: Medium - View Distance: 30 - Detail Distance: 100 - Vehicle Density: 100 - Shadow Density: 16 - Definition: On - Vsync: Off Ingame benchmark |
| Left 4 dead | Version: 1.0.0.5 Video Mode: 1280x800 Game settings - Anti Aliasing none - Filtering Trilinear - Wait for vertical sync disabled - Shader Detail Medium - Effect Detail Medium - Model / Texture Detail Medium Demo: THG Demo 1 |
| iTunes | Version: 8.1.0.52 Audio CD ("Terminator II" SE), 53 min. Convert to AAC audio format |
| Lame MP3 | Version 3.98 Audio CD "Terminator II SE", 53 min convert WAV to MP3 audio format Command: -b 160 --nores (160 Kbps) |
| TMPEG 4.6 | Version: 4.6.3.268 Video: Terminator 2 SE DVD (720x576, 16: 9) 5 Minutes Audio: Dolby Digital, 48000 Hz, 6-channel, English Advanced Acoustic Engine MP3 Encoder (160 Kbps, 44.1 KHz) |
| DivX 6.8.5 | Version: 6.8.5 == Main Menu == default == Codec Menu == Encoding mode: Insane Quality Enhanced multithreading Enabled using SSE4 Quarter-pixel search == Video Menu == Quantization: MPEG-2 |
| XviD 1.2.1 | Version: 1.2.1 Other Options / Encoder Menu - Display encoding status = off |
| Mainconcept Reference 1.6.1 | Version: 1.6.1 MPEG-2 to MPEG-2 (H.264) MainConcept H.264 / AVC Codec 28 sec HDTV 1920x1080 (MPEG-2) Audio: MPEG-2 (44.1 kHz, 2-channel, 16-bit, 224 Kbps) Codec: H.264 Mode: PAL (25 FPS) Profile: Settings for eight threads |
| Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 | Version: 4.0 WMV 1920x1080 (39 sec) Export: Adobe Media Encoder == Video == H.264 Blu-ray 1440x1080i 25 High Quality Encoding Passes: one Bitrate Mode: VBR Frame: 1440x1080 Frame Rate: 25 == Audio == PCM Audio, 48 kHz, Stereo Encoding Passes: one |
| Grisoft AVG Anti Virus 8 | Version: 8.5.287 Virus base: 270.12.16 / 2094 Benchmark Scan: some compressed ZIP and RAR archives |
| Winrar 3.9 | Version 3.90 x64 BETA 1 Compression = Best Benchmark: THG-Workload |
| Winzip 12 | Version 12.0 (8252) WinZIP Commandline Version 3 Compression = Best Dictionary = 4096KB Benchmark: THG-Workload |
| Autodesk 3D Studio Max 2009 | Version: 9 x64 Rendering Dragon Image Resolution: 1920x1280 (frame 1-5) |
| Adobe Photoshop CS 4 (64-Bit) | Version: 11 Filtering a 16MB TIF (15000x7266) Filters: Radial Blur (Amount: 10; Method: zoom; Quality: good), Shape Blur (Radius: 46 px; custom shape: Trademark sysmbol), Median (Radius: 1px), Polar Coordinates (Rectangular to Polar) |
| Adobe Acrobat 9 Professional | Version: 9.0.0 (Extended) == Printing Preferenced Menu == Default Settings: Standard == Adobe PDF Security - Edit Menu == Encrypt all documents (128-bit RC4) Open Password: 123 Permissions Password: 321 |
| Microsoft Powerpoint 2007 | Version: 2007 SP2 PPT to PDF Powerpoint Document (115 Pages) Adobe PDF-Printer |
| Deep Fritz 11 | Version: 11 Fritz Chess Benchmark Version 4.2 |
| Synthetic tests | |
| 3DMark Vantage | Version: 1.02 Options: Performance Graphics Test 1 Graphics Test 2 CPU Test 1 CPU Test 2 |
| Version: 1.00 PCMark Benchmark Memories Benchmark |
|
| SiSoftware Sandra 2009 | Version: 2009 SP3 Processor Arithmetic, Cryptography, Memory Bandwith |
All games we tested showed impressive benefits. Left 4 Dead scales especially well with clock speeds. 3DMark Vantage does not run much faster as this benchmark is more dependent on graphics performance.
Application performance also improves significantly after overclocking.
The same can be said for audio and video encoding tests. Higher clock speeds of processors have a tangible effect.
The power consumption of the system remains almost unchanged, even if you increase the processor frequency and voltage. The processor's power saving features provide excellent power efficiency by turning off blocks and cores when not needed. However, we had to disable support for C-states to overclock the processor above 4 GHz, and this step led to a noticeable impact on the system's power consumption in idle mode.
The difference in power consumption at peak load is also noticeable. Power consumption almost doubles when moving from 2.66 to 4.2 GHz. Of course, the performance does not double in this case, that is, the efficiency of the system will suffer from overclocking.
Total energy consumed during a PCMark Vantage run (Wh).
Average power consumption per PCMark Vantage run (power, W).
Efficiency: the result in points for the average power consumption in watts.
As you would expect, standard clocks with Turbo Mode active give the best efficiency (performance per watt). Increasing clock speeds and voltages in the good old fashion improves performance, but increases power consumption even further. If you need an efficient car, then it is better to refuse serious overclocking.
Our expectations for performance gains were high, but realistic. Intel's Nehalem architecture today is unmatched in performance per clock; we expected it to scale nicely with every megahertz added to the clock speed. In fact, our test system based on the MSI P55-GD65 motherboard provided a significant and almost linear performance increase up to 4 GHz when we had to turn off the processor's internal power saving (C-state) system to reach the maximum clock speed. Of course, we don't recommend taking this step if you want to keep your idle power consumption low.
Knowing that there are many examples on the Internet showing 4.5 GHz and higher frequencies, our results seem disappointing. But remember that we used in this project Intel processor entry-level Core i5-750, which has a nominal clock speed of 2.66 GHz. If we take a reasonable maximum of 4 GHz, we still get a 1.33 GHz or 50 percent increase in clock speed. Also, we didn't really care about the choice of cooling system. The Thermalright MUX-120 air cooler performs well, but liquid or more powerful air solutions can give even higher overclocking limits.
The Core i5-750 is a great overclocking processor, but you shouldn't get too carried away with the process to avoid excessive power consumption. Yes, you can get 4.2GHz frequencies similar to many LGA 1366 platforms, which have about the same overclocking potential - and much cheaper. But, again, we cannot help but note that the usual "rough" overclocking is no longer as attractive as it used to be.
Intel today is changing the very concept of overclocking, as it changes processor specifications from being related to clock speed to being related to thermal package. As long as the processor does not exceed certain thermal and electrical thresholds, it can operate as fast as possible. In fact, it is on such a model that future AMD and Intel processors can be built. The Core i5 processor and our overclocking project clearly show that static frequencies are no longer so interesting. What really matters is the clock speed range and thermal / electrical limits within which the processor can operate. And overclocking in the future may be related to changing these limits, rather than reaching any maximum clock speed.
We don't know if the P55 platform can be called "the next BX", but the Core i5 / i7 processors for Intel's new LGA 1156 interface are of great practical value whether you overclock them or not.
At present, the opinion, formed under the influence of system requirements, has already been established that the productive desktop computer, focused on modern demanding games, should have a powerful quad-core processor and a high-performance video card of the latest generation, and not rarely a couple of video cards. However, taking into account the prices for new models of processors, such a computer can cost a pretty penny. For example: the most affordable latest generation Intel Core i7-920 processor costs more than $ 300 at the time of writing. An entry-level motherboard based on the Intel X58 Express chipset (for more details in the ASUS P6T review), compatible with this processor will cost about $ 200, and a modest three-channel RAM kit from $ 75. In total, for the combination "processor + motherboard + memory" you will need to pay the amount that is enough to buy a full-fledged ready-made computer based on AMD products, and the processor will also be quad-core in this assembly, and the video card of the latest generation. To resolve this incident, Intel, whose brainchild is the above proposed "expensive" system, presented in its opinion more affordable proposals: Intel Core i7-860; Intel Core i7-870 and Intel Core i5-750 on the same Nehalem microarchitecture. Also, to reduce the cost of the finished system, a new Intel P55 Express system logic was introduced (for more details in the GIGABYTE GA-P55M-UD2 review), on the basis of which you can create more affordable motherboards than on Intel X58 compatible with Intel Core i7-920. In this review we will try to figure out how much more affordable high-performance solutions from Intel have become, and in general, have they remained high-performance? We will judge by the Intel Core i5-750 processor, which at the time of this writing is offered at a price of about $ 240 and is the most affordable offer on the revolutionary Nehalem microarchitecture.
Packaging
Although the CPU-Z program is of the latest version 1.52.1, in its essence it is not able to convey all the information about the capabilities of the processor. The fact is that the Intel Core i5-750 carries several super-innovative technologies that can only be seen during the operation of the system, and the screenshot of the program is able to display the state of affairs only at one point in time. Naturally, all the innovations will be considered and analyzed in detail, but a little later, since it is simply impossible to describe such an amount of information in one paragraph. At this stage, it should be noted that the processor in the nominal mode operates at 2.66 GHz, the voltage supplied by the motherboard in the "AUTO" mode is 1.232 V (with the Turbo Boost technology enabled at 1.304 V). It is also worth noting the QPI value of 2.4 GHz, which denotes the frequency of the bus of the same name. This bus, one might say, plays the role of an FSB, by analogy with processors for the Socket LGA 775 platform. However, unlike the "classic" FSB, which connected the processor to the north bridge of the motherboard, the QPI bus connects the processor core with the RAM controller and the bus controller PCI-E, it is noteworthy that the latter are built into the processor, and the north bridge in Socket LGA 1156 motherboards is absent at all.
To better understand the above image and the innovations in the Socket LGA 1156 platform, you should track the evolution of Intel platforms, and the changes in the corresponding processors.
We should start with the Socket LGA 775 platform, which appeared on the market due to the improvement of the Pentium 4 series processors. But it is pointless to consider all the stages of evolution, so let's start with the Intel P45 chipset, which is still popular today.
As you can see from the block diagram of the Intel P45 chipset, the processor communicates with the north bridge (MCH) via the FSB bus (the bandwidth of which is 10.6 GB / s). The north bridge, in turn, is capable of communicating with two channels of RAM (6.5 GB / s bandwidth when using DDR2 or 12.5 GB / s with DDR3 modules), the south bridge (ICH) via the DMI bus (2 GB / s) and one PCI-E x16 v2.0 port or two PCI-E x8 v2.0 ports.
In this "assembly" all elements are balanced and do not infringe on each other, except for the limitation on PCI-E lanes. Two video cards will work in x8 mode, instead of x16 and will lose a little in performance due to dividing the bandwidth of the PCI-E x16 v2.0 port by two.
The Intel X48 chipset is the latest and the most productive for the Socket LGA 775 platform. It differs from Intel P45 by the presence of two PCI-E x16 v2.0 lanes, which, when operating two video cards with corresponding interfaces, will not be "impaired" in performance, because the bandwidth the capacity of the PCI-E x16 v 2.0 port is 5 GB / s.
Processors with the Nehalem microarchitecture brought with them the Intel X58 chipset and Socket LGA 1366 platform, which over the years have changed the arrangement of controllers. From now on, the memory controller has moved into the processor itself (like AMD's solutions), thereby enabling the latter to communicate with memory bypassing the north bridge. The processor itself began to communicate with the north bridge via the QPI bus. Its bandwidth is 25.6 GB / s, which is twice as much as that of the Socket LGA 775 platform (in the best scenario, the FSB bus can provide a bandwidth of 12.8 GB / s.). The north bridge, in turn, provided two PCI-E x16 v2.0 ports and communicated with the south bridge via the DMI bus. Such an alignment of "forces" made it possible to more fully use the video system, which included two video adapters with a PCI-E x16 v2.0 connection interface, a disk subsystem consisting of at least ten drives, a pair of network adapters, a powerful sound card, etc.
Such features could not be cheap, so it is not surprising that a set of motherboard and processor of the Socket LGA 1366 platform will cost from about $ 500.
That is why, quite recently, Intel announced the "people's" Nehalem and the accompanying Socket LGA 1156 platform with the only chipset supporting Intel P55 Express.
Yes, the Intel P55 chipset is not replete with "cosmic figures", but the absence of the north bridge is striking right off the bat. In the Socket LGA 1366 platform, the north bridge, by and large, played the role of only a QPI => 2xPCI-E x16 v2.0 + DMI switch. Moving it after the memory controller to the processor itself was just a revolutionary move. Now the processor communicates with the RAM and the video card practically without "intermediaries", which will naturally affect the performance of the system as a whole. But, since the Socket LGA 1156 platform came out under the slogan: "people's Nehalem", there are some simplifications in comparison with the Socket LGA 1366 platform.
Firstly, the memory controller lost one channel and became a two-channel one, like the Socket LGA 775 platform, but did not undergo any other changes, which is proved by the Memory tab of the CPU-Z program. In all cases (when using Intel Core i7-920 and Intel Core i7-860 processors) the timings and operating frequency were the same.
Secondly, the number of PCI-E bus lanes decreased to 16, which brought the video system bandwidth back to the level of the Intel P45 chipset (one PCI-E x16 v2.0 or two PCI-E x8 v2.0).
Returning to the main topic, I would like to note that when buying a processor now you have to, willy-nilly, buy a part of the chipset (north bridge), which we examined a little higher. Let's not forget about the characteristics of the processor itself, which are not limited by the clock frequency and the QPI bus.
The Caches tab revealed to us the identity of both the size and organization of the cache memory of the Intel Core i5-750 and Intel Core i7-9 * 0 processors, and the Intel Core i7-8 * 0.
For a more visual comparison of all the above changes, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the following table, which presents the most "brilliant" models of all four generations.
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Kernel codename |
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|
Number of cores, pcs |
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Clock frequency, GHz |
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|
First level cache, MB |
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|
L2 cache, MB |
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|
L3 cache, MB |
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|
Multiplier (nominal) |
||||
|
System bus, MHz / GB / s |
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|
Process technology, nm |
||||
|
Dissipated power, W |
||||
|
Supply voltage, V |
0,8500 – 1,3625 |
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|
Maximum memory capacity, GB |
||||
|
Memory type, MHz |
determined by the chipset |
DDR3-800 / 1066/1333 |
DDR3-800 / 1066/1333 |
|
|
Number of memory channels, pcs |
||||
|
Crystal dimensions, mm |
||||
|
Crystal area, mm 2 |
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|
Number of transistors, million pieces |
||||
|
Platform, Socket |
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|
Virtualization technology |
||||
|
Turbo Boost Mode |
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|
Single-threaded multiplier / final clock frequency, MHz |
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|
Multiplier for a two-thread task / final clock frequency, MHz |
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|
Multiplier for three-thread and four-task / final clock frequency, MHz |
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|
Hyper-Threading Technology |
Speaking of Intel Core i5-750, we see an updated implementation of the Nehalem architecture, which implies the use of a high-speed QPI bus and communication with the RAM and video adapter without any "intermediaries", which is an undoubted advantage, not to mention a more pleasant cost. Moreover, motherboards for this processor cost only about $ 100 with a small (for example, GIGABYTE GA-P55M-UD2). Such a platform is much more affordable than a bundle of Intel Core i7-920 and even an inexpensive motherboard based on the Intel X58 chipset.
But the good news does not end with these optimistic notes. Intel Turbo Boost Technology is revolutionary. And the version of it, which was implemented in the processors of the Intel Core i7-9 * 0 line, simply looks frivolous against the background of the implementation of the latter in the Intel Core i7-8 * 0 and Intel Core i5-7 * 0 lines. Recall that the processors of the Intel Core i7-9 * 0 line, when Intel Turbo Boost technology was activated, could dynamically (independently) increase their multiplier by one, thereby increasing the clock frequency of all cores by 133 MHz. This is what the new interpretation of this technology looks like:
When the processor is performing a single-threaded task, it on my own changes its multiplier from 20 (clock frequency 2.66 MHz) to 24 and eventually gets the resulting clock frequency of one of the 3200 MHz cores, which is 540 (!) MHz more than nominal. What is this if not legalized overclocking? For some games, where, as a result of the use of the old-type engine, only one core is used, this processor mode will be a real gift. Further more, technicians and marketers have apparently decided that single-threaded tasks are nothing more than old-fashioning and were long, and indeed not true. But two-thread tasks, i.e. optimized for dual-core processors, there is still a ubiquitous relic of the past. So why not force two-threaded tasks? Therefore, when loading only two cores, the processor independently increases the multiplier, as in the first case, from 20 to 24, which ultimately makes it possible to work at the same cherished 3.2 GHz clock frequency for two cores (!) ... Sumptuously!
Intel Turbo Boost Processor Operation
To test the Intel Turbo Boost technology, the processor was initially run in nominal mode without enabling it. The specialized program CPUID TMonitor monitored the operation of all cores separately.
As you can see from the screenshot of the CPU-Z program, all cores work at the standard x20 multiplier and, regardless of the load, remain in this mode. But this is not entirely true and you should not trust the CPU-Z program from now on. The Enhanced Halt State (C1E) energy saving technology in idle mode reduced the clock frequency to 1200 MHz on all processor cores and this is already a true value, as the CPUID TMonitor program modestly proved to us.
The next step in the BIOS of the motherboard were disabled three cores for a clearer and more unambiguous representation of Intel Turbo Boost. Simply put, the Intel Core i5-750 processor has been turned into a single-core processor, and Intel Turbo Boost technology has been activated.
From the very beginning and without stopping, the processor worked at 3.2 GHz, regardless of the level and complexity of the task.
Putting the Intel Core i5-750 processor into dual-core mode (disabling two cores in the BIOS), the effect is similar to the previous one. Regardless of the type of task, both cores worked at 3.2 GHz. Fritz Chess Benchmark, running in dual-threaded mode, served as an excellent benchmark suite.
Now it's time to get the Intel Core i5-750 processor up and running at full capacity. With all four cores enabled, it was presented with a clean, single-threaded task using the Fritz Chess Benchmark program. To our great surprise, Intel Turbo Boost technology worked not only clearly and without "jagging", increasing the multiplier of one core to x21, but also cleverly shifting the task from one core to another.
Deciding to repeat the previous experience, the once popular Super Pi program was adopted. The result was completely identical. Intel Turbo Boost technology still deftly played with a single-threaded process, throwing it from a relatively heavily loaded core to an idle one. If the operating system, for personal needs, loaded one of the cores with the execution of any system service, then the Super Pi process "quickly jumped" to a freer kernel.
To be sure, the experiment was repeated a third time. Now the Lame Explorer utility has been taken in the role of "load", which is a wrapper for the corresponding codec. And again we were pleased with the effect! One of the cores serving the compression was working properly at a clock frequency of 2.8 GHz.
As much as I would not like to move on to testing on this optimistic note, but the "fly in the ointment" in this "barrel of honey", nevertheless, was found ...
Cooling and power consumption
Power consumption and heat dissipation are, of course, important performance characteristics of the processor and of the entire system. It is doubly interesting to check the performance characteristics, because the processor under study has a declared thermal package of up to 95 W, and is equipped with a rather modest cooler. Therefore, we measured the power consumption of the entire system and the temperature of the Intel Core i5-750 in various modes using a boxed cooler and an ASUS Maximus III Formula motherboard.
|
Core supply voltage, V |
Core clock frequency, MHz |
Power consumption of the system as a whole, W |
Processor heating, С ° |
|
|
Simple, Intel Turbo Boost Technology disabled |
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|
Under load, Intel Turbo Boost Technology is disabled |
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|
Under load, Intel Turbo Boost Technology enabled |
As a result, we got very interesting results. First, it is worth paying attention to the power consumption - 165 watts at the very peak of the load seems to be an incredibly low value. This is exactly how the architectural features of this platform affect. After all, the main consumer is now the processor, which plays the role of the north bridge, and the Intel P55 Express chipset consumes only 5 watts. At the same time, an economical RAM DDR3. As a result, if all the low-consuming components are subtracted from the total power consumption of 165 W, it turns out that more than half of the energy is “consumed” by the processor. And it is from the processor that the cooler will have to dissipate this energy in the form of heat.
Secondly, when using a boxed cooler, we recorded a significant heating of the Intel Core i5-750 processor. Moreover, the system was assembled in a fairly well-ventilated CODEGEN M603 MidiTower case with a pair of 120 mm blowing / blowing fans. This is the "fly in the ointment". When the processor was operating at maximum load, even with deactivated Intel Turbo Boost technology, its temperature went beyond the declared maximum 72.7 C °. To be sure of the measurement results, we repeated the tests with different motherboards. The result turned out to be about the same, but with one caveat - different mainboards set different core voltage in the AUTO mode, albeit in a not very wide range. Depending on the supply voltage, the dependence on the power consumption and heating of the processor was observed, but with a not very wide spread. Thus, the expediency of using a boxed cooler, as well as its presence in the package, is doubtful. That is why the complete boxed cooler E41759-002 was replaced with Scythe Kama Angle.
During testing we used Processor Test Bench # 1
| Motherboards (AMD) | ASUS M3A32-MVP DELUXE (AMD 790FX, sAM2 +, DDR2, ATX) GIGABYTE GA-MA790XT-UD4P (AMD 790X, sAM3, DDR3, ATX) |
| Motherboards (AMD) | ASUS F1A75-V PRO (AMD A75, sFM1, DDR3, ATX) ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX (AMD 990FX, sAM3 +, DDR3, ATX) |
| Motherboards (Intel) | GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P (Intel P45, LGA 775, DDR2, ATX) GIGABYTE GA-EX58-DS4 (Intel X58, LGA 1366, DDR3, ATX) |
| Motherboards (Intel) | ASUS Maximus III Formula (Intel P55, LGA 1156, DDR3, ATX) MSI H57M-ED65 (Intel H57, LGA 1156, DDR3, mATX) |
| Motherboards (Intel) | ASUS P8Z68-V PRO (Intel Z68, sLGA1155, DDR3, ATX) ASUS P9X79 PRO (Intel X79, sLGA2011, DDR3, ATX) |
| Coolers | Noctua NH-U12P + LGA1366 KitScythe Kama Angle rev.B (LGA 1156/1366) ZALMAN CNPS12X (LGA 2011) |
| RAM | 2х DDR2-1200 1024 MB Kingston HyperX KHX9600D2K2 / 2G2 / 3x DDR3-2000 1024 MB Kingston HyperX KHX16000D3T1K3 / 3GX |
| Video cards | EVGA e-GeForce 8600 GTS 256MB GDDR3 PCI-EASUS EN9800GX2 / G / 2DI / 1G GeForce 9800 GX2 1GB GDDR3 PCI-E 2.0 |
| HDD | Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500418AS 500GB SATA-300 NCQ |
| Power Supply | Seasonic SS-650JT, 650 W, Active PFC, 80 PLUS, 120 mm fan |
Select what you want to compare Intel Core i5-750 with
Alas, a miracle did not happen ... Although there was hope for an Intel Core i5-750 thanks to Intel Turbo Boost technology, synthetic tests showed another "vinaigrette" of results, preferring either one of the models - representatives of the Nehalem generation, or the already outdated Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550. AMD Phenom II X4 955 in synthetic tests suffered a complete fiasco, despite its clock speed of 3.2 GHz and a total cache of 8 MB, like the representatives of Nehalem.
Game tests showed a more linear picture. Resource-intensive games Word in Conflict, Far Cray 2 and Race Driver: GRID have chosen exactly the representatives of the Nehalem architecture, placing them according to price requests. The now "outdated" Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 lagged behind the top three favorites quite significantly, although it is in the price category higher than the Intel Core i5-750. An exception was the demo version of the Tom Clancy`s H.A.W.X. game, which preferred AMD Phenom II X4 955 and Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550. In her opinion, Intel Core i5-750, Intel Core i7-860 and even Intel Core i7-920 have insufficient performance. Apparently, this application is primarily concerned with the clock speed of the processor.
In general, given the cost of the new Intel Core i5-750 processors, they quite successfully compete with the younger solutions for the LGA1366 platform and the older processors for the LGA775. Therefore, when completing a new productive system, you should pay attention to the LGA1156 platform.
Intel Turbo Boost Technology Efficiency
With the test results not quite as expected, the decision was made to evaluate the effectiveness of Intel Turbo Boost Technology in terms of its impact on performance.
|
Test package |
Result |
Increase in productivity,% |
||
|
Rendering, |
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|
Shading, |
||||
|
DirectX 9, High, fps |
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DirectX 10, Very High, fps |
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Oddly enough, the average performance gain in all test programs and games turned out to be only 2.38%, but completely free of charge and without a noticeable increase in power consumption. Suppose that this became possible due to a mismatch in the type of load, because to enable the mechanism for increasing the multiplier from x20 to x24, a strictly single-threaded or double-threaded load is required. It turned out to be extremely problematic to achieve this from test programs. But even with such conditions, there is some acceleration, resulting in 1-6% additional performance. Therefore, we recommend that you do not forget to activate Intel Turbo Boost technology in the BIOS.
Overclocking
Overclocking method for Intel Core i5-750 processors; Intel Core i7-860 and Intel Core i8-870 (Socket LGA 1156 platform, Lynnfield core) are slightly different from the Intel Core i7-920 line (Socket LGA 1366 platform, Bloomfield core). The point is that the ratio of BCLK frequency (similar to FSB on Socket LGA 775 platform) and RAM frequency is set by a corresponding multiplier, which can take a value from x2 to x6. Thus, the processor operating in the normal mode (without overclocking) can theoretically work with memory, the frequency sometimes ranges from 533 MHz (133 * 2 * 2) to 1600 MHz (133 * 6 * 2). In turn, this makes it possible to overclock the processor to the desired mark without using too high-frequency, and as a result, expensive memory. For example: when overclocking the processor to 4.0 GHz, you will need to raise the BCLK frequency from 133 (2660/20) MHz to 200 (4000/20) MHz, but in this case it is theoretically possible to use memory with a frequency of 800 MHz (200 * 2 * 2 ) up to 2400 MHz (200 * 6 * 2).
The processor that came to us for testing was able to overclock up to 4209 MHz (BCLK - 210 MHz) at a supply voltage of 1.440 V, which in percentage terms is 58% of the "addition" relative to the normal mode. Further overclocking was limited by the stability of the system, i.e. the start of the operating system was possible at a processor frequency of 4.5 GHz, but it and the applications worked with errors. If it were the Socket LGA 775 platform, then such a result would be a record, but for now this is just a single fact, many of which make up statistics. For comparison, the previously tested Intel Core i7-860 was able to overclock to 4074 MHz (BCLK - 194 MHz) at a supply voltage of 1.296 V; Intel Core i7-920 conquered the frequency of 3990 MHz (BCLK - 190 MHz) with a supply voltage of 1.360 V, and the Intel Core i7-940 was able to show stable operation at a frequency of 3910 MHz (BCLK - 170 MHz) when supplied to it 1.296 V.
|
Test package |
Result |
Increase in productivity,% |
||
|
Rated frequency |
Overclocked processor |
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|
Rendering, |
||||
|
Shading, |
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|
Fritz Chess Benchmark v.4.2, knodes / s |
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Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. Demo, High, 1280x1024, AA2x |
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|
DirectX 9, High, fps |
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DirectX 10, Very High, fps |
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The average gain in test programs was 37,9 %. Comparing again with Intel Core i7-860, Intel Core i7-920 and Intel Core i7-940, which showed an increase in performance in an overclocked state 28,7% , 18,8% and 13,8% , the result of acceleration Intel Core i5-750 can be described as extremely high. Judging by the capabilities of processors designed for Socket LGA 775 and AM3 platforms, Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 and AMD Phenom II X4 955 "accelerated" due to overclocking by 18% and 13% respectively. Therefore, we can say that the Intel Core i5-750 processor has a very high overclocking potential, which provides the opportunity to get a lot of "free performance".
Features of the on-chip memory controller
Updating the location of the memory controller could not but affect its properties. That is why we will try all possible modes of memory operation and evaluate changes in performance.
The first thing that came to mind was to fill all the slots of the motherboard for memory. Four memory slots were installed with four memory strips of the same type that was used in the tests.
It should be noted right away that neither the frequency nor the timings of the modules changed their values, however, the Command Rate parameter, which characterizes the controller's delay when executing commands, changed its value from 1T to 2T.
How much such a "change" will affect performance, the following testing will show:
|
Test package |
Result |
Change in productivity,% |
||
|
Rendering, |
||||
|
Shading, |
||||
|
Fritz Chess Benchmark v.4.2, knodes / s |
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|
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. Demo, |
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DirectX 9, |
||||
|
DirectX 10, |
||||
The drop in performance is noticeable in all test programs. The average is 0.90%. Of course, this is not much, but, nevertheless, the conclusion is unambiguous: due to the needs of modern games, the required memory capacity is at least 3 GB. And since two identical modules are needed to activate the Dual Channel mode, the best option would be to purchase two two GB memory sticks at once. The option "two one gigabyte now and two more with time", as you can see, is not entirely rational.
Actually, about Dual Channel and Single Channel ... It is not uncommon that, due to financial difficulties, one stick of RAM is bought, later another one is bought in addition, sometimes with a volume different from the first. We forcibly disabled the Dual Channel mode, installing the modules only in one channel, to assess the performance drop in this case, and received the following results:
|
Test package |
Result |
Drop in productivity,% |
||
|
Rendering, |
||||
|
Shading, |
||||
|
Fritz Chess Benchmark v.4.2, knodes / s |
||||
|
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. Demo, |
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|
DirectX 9, |
||||
|
DirectX 10, |
||||
The drop in performance averaged only 4.49%, although in some tasks it was even more noticeable. The conclusion is also simple, as in the previous experience: you should not save on buying memory when switching (purchasing) to the Socket LGA 1156 platform.
The next experience was nothing more than a forced memory slowdown. This experiment was carried out in order to determine the dependence of system performance on the frequency of RAM. Suddenly you decide to save money and buy stale DDR3-800
Thanks to the connection between BCLK and the memory frequency by means of x2, x4 and x6 multipliers, implemented in the Intel Core i5-7 * 0 and Intel Core i7-8 * 0 processors, it was not difficult to change the memory frequency. The results speak for themselves:
|
Test package |
Result |
Drop in productivity,% |
||
|
Rendering, |
||||
|
Shading, |
||||
|
Fritz Chess Benchmark v.4.2, knodes / s |
||||
|
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. Demo, |
||||
|
DirectX 9, |
||||
|
DirectX 10, |
||||
The average performance drop in test programs was 4.06%. This is even less than from the "loss" of the Dual Channel mode. Of course, in the case of performing tasks closely related to memory performance, the increase will be about 25%, but in all other applications this factor is not so significant. Thus, just at the memory frequency when buying a system, some savings are possible, albeit with dubious prospects.
Sufficient QPI bus bandwidth
And finally, I would like to check the expediency of using the fast QPI bus, which directly combines the processor cores and the memory controller with a PCI-E controller. The QPI bus was forcibly slowed down from 2400 MHz to 2133 MHz, which in percentage terms was -12.5%. The results of the performance change are as follows:
|
Test package |
Result |
Drop in productivity,% |
||
|
Rendering, |
||||
|
Shading, |
||||
|
Fritz Chess Benchmark v.4.2, knodes / s |
||||
|
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. Demo, |
||||
|
DirectX 9, |
||||
|
DirectX 10, |
||||
So, when the QPI bus slowed down by 12.5%, the average performance drop was only 1.3%, which is a mere trifle. Obviously, the processors of the Intel Core i5-7 * 0 and Intel Core i7-8 * 0 lines received the high-performance QPI bus more "inherited" from the processors of the Core i7-9 * 0 line than out of necessity. Considering that there are only three traffic “consumers” on it (memory controller, PCI-E x16 v2.0 controller and DMI bus connecting the processor to the chipset) its bandwidth turned out to be somewhat excessive than necessary.
Output
Intel is finally able to provide an Intel Core i5-750 processor that is affordable and worth the money. First, the full implementation of Intel Turbo Boost Technology makes the processor more flexible. Where else can you find a processor that independently increases the frequency of two cores at once by 540 (!) MHz? Secondly, its price, even taking into account some speculation of the novelty, is more pleasant than that of other processors on the Nehalem architecture, and it is even cheaper than Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 or AMD Phenom II X4 955. Thirdly, I would like to recall that even an entry-level motherboard based on the Intel P55 chipset, for example, the GIGABYTE GA-P55M-UD2, fully implements all the capabilities of the processor and at the same time costs only a little over $ 100. Thus, such a bundle will be even cheaper than an average motherboard for the Socket LGA 775 platform with a processor of the same performance.
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In 2009, the American microprocessor manufacturer Intel presented a new line of crystals based on the modern Lynnfield architecture. The cheapest processor in this line was the Core i5 750, whose specifications were almost identical to last year's line. Nevertheless, these crystals are very popular among users and can solve many modern problems.
Market positioning and price range
Engineers from the innovative technology development section, when developing a processor socket, LGA 1156 divided the die market into several categories:
- Processors of the Celeron and Penrium series. The former were designed for assembling budget system units ideal for performing office tasks, while the latter had a higher level of performance sufficient to run some modern computer games with low graphical interface settings. The main difference between both representatives was in the amount of cache memory and clock frequency, due to which higher performance is achieved;
- CPUs of the Core i3 and i5 families, to which the model of the crystal considered in our today's article belongs. These processors are designed for advanced users in need of increased performance. Low-end models have only two physical cores, however, thanks to the hyper-threading technology capable of processing program code in four threads, these solutions are in no way inferior to similar AMD processors with 4 cores. CPU models of the Core i5 line are more powerful due to full four cores, increased cache, as well as proprietary TurboBoost technology, which provides tremendous performance gains when performing more complex tasks.
- Crystals Core i7 are the ideal solution for enthusiasts and professionals who, due to the specifics of their work, need powerful productive desktop computers. These processor models have four physical cores and HyperThreading technology, thanks to which the crystal is capable of operating in eight-threaded mode. In addition, this line of microprocessors has increased cache memory and increased clock speed.
Despite the fact that the CPU Core i5 750 is a representative of the mid-price range, in terms of its hardware characteristics and level of performance, it may well compete with some of its older brothers. The thing is that most modern programs and computer games are designed to work with quad-core processors, so there is no tangible difference in the process of performing various tasks between our today's hero and the flagship crystal lines.
Factory complete set
There are two options for the delivery of this processor to consumers: Tray and Box. The first option is cheaper and, in addition to the microprocessor itself, the consumer receives a FGT, an Intel branded sticker that can be glued to the system unit, and an instruction manual. The Trey package is designed primarily for more advanced users who assemble a powerful system unit on their own and want to install a more efficient cooling system for their CPU. The boxed version, which among ordinary people is called boxed, in addition to all of the above, contains Intel's proprietary cooling fan and thermal paste to provide better thermal conductivity between the crystal and the cooling heatsink.
The CPU Core i5 750 is designed to work with all motherboards based on the LGA1156 socket. The peculiarity of this connector is that it assumes operation on a single chip. At the time the processor went on sale, Socket LGA1156 allowed assembling completely different system blocks: from budget and simple machines to powerful gaming computers. This processor socket was popular until 2011, after which it was gradually superseded by the more modern LGA1155. Nevertheless, many users today continue to use processors and motherboards with socket 1156 due to the fact that their performance is sufficient to this day to solve a large number of tasks.
Technological process
Considering the fact that the CPU Core i5 750 hit store shelves in 2009, it is clear that it was manufactured using a forty-five nanometer manufacturing process, which was one of the most modern at the time. This technology made it possible to create reliable and efficient processors with no problems. Later, engineers at Intel developed a thirty-two nanometer manufacturing process that made it possible to create thinner crystal plates.
Architecture
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the Core i5 750 CPU is based on four physical cores. At the same time, this model does not support HyperThreading technology, as a result of which the processor operates in four-threaded mode. Nevertheless, this did not prevent the crystal from coping with the most difficult tasks and working with all modern software. Therefore, if you compare it with representatives of the older generation of Core i7 crystals, the difference in the speed of task execution will not be noticeable.
Cache memory
Like any other modern processor, the Core i5 750 has a three-level cache memory, which has the following hardware characteristics:
- The cache memory of the first level consists of four clusters, each of which is equal to 64 KB, working with one computational module;
- The cache memory of the second level is arranged in the same way, however, the size of each block is 256 kilobytes;
- The cache of the third level is used by all computational modules of the processor, and the size of each cluster is 2 megabytes.
RAM compatibility
One of the key features of Socket 1156 is that the engineers have completely redesigned RAM memory compatibility. Among the main changes is the transfer of the north bridge, which is responsible for supplying power to the crystal, and the RAM controller to the CPU, thanks to which the engineers managed to significantly increase the speed of the RAM memory. With regard to compatibility with RAM modules, the Core i5 750 supports work with third-generation DDR memory strips and a bandwidth of 1066 MB. It should be noted that installing a more expensive RAM memory that supports a higher frequency does not give any increase in the speed of information exchange between the RAM and the microprocessor.
Thermal package and operating temperature
The thermal package of the microprocessor considered in our today's article is 95 watts. Thus, the maximum crystal temperature when performing complex operations does not exceed 72 degrees. The temperature in normal operation is around 45 degrees, and after overclocking it rises to 55 degrees. However, this is all about the official information provided by the manufacturer, but how does this crystal behave in practice? Under maximum load, it is possible to bring the processor to the maximum temperature only if the cooling cooler fails, or when an overclocked CPU is running with resource-intensive applications on a weak cooling system.
Clock frequency
The maximum frequency of the Core i5 750 is 2.7 GHz, which is not used when performing everyday tasks. The crystal supports innovative technology TurboBoost, which automatically adjusts the clock speed of each core at the software level depending on the complexity of the operations being performed. With the simultaneous operation of four cores in four-threaded mode, the peak value of the clock frequency is 2.8 GHz, and when performing tasks in 2 threads, this figure increased to 2.93 GHz. But when only one computing unit was operating, the operating frequency could increase to 3.2 gigahertz. In addition, the manufacturer supplies the crystal to stores with an unlocked multiplier, so anyone can overclock the CPU and get a thirty percent increase in performance.
Retail value and consumer reviews
The purchase of a CPU Core i5 750 will cost users approximately $ 213, which is quite acceptable, since in 2009 it was possible to assemble a powerful gaming machine on the basis of this crystal. Moreover, even today this CPU has not lost its relevance and perfectly copes with any tasks. Some problems may arise when launching the latest computer games with maximum settings for graphic effects, but at minimum settings this kid provides a very comfortable gameplay.
Conclusion
The CPU Core i5 750 from Intel Corporation became a real masterpiece of high technology in 2009, the demand for which remains to this day. This crystal will be an excellent solution for the majority of average users who do not distinguish between work and leisure, and use their computer both for office tasks and to enjoy their favorite toys. The main advantages of this model are low cost, excellent performance and low power consumption.
This material opens a series of notes in which I will tell you about the overclocking potential of interesting pieces of iron. Processors, video cards, RAM - these are the three main components that every overclocker overclocks. The idea of creating a base for overclocking has existed for a long time, but only statistical data are scarce by ear, so we will tell you about our impressions of overclocking our charges.
We are starting, perhaps, with the most interesting processors from Intel at the moment - Core i5 750. The cheapest processors of the modern generation will face each other today, and we will find out which of the 8 copies will be the best.
Test stand
To study the platform for socket 1156, we have chosen the following configuration:
- Asus P7P55D Deluxe motherboard
- Cooler Scythe Ninja 2
- RAM 2х2Gb OCZ Flex 1600MHz CL6 1.65v
- Saphire 4890 OC (PCI-E plug required)
- Chiftec 1200W power supply
- Seagate 7200.12 250Gb Hard Drive
This is the first time I've come across a motherboard from Asus based on the P55 chipset and I want to note that the first acquaintance can be considered successful. The board handled all voltages easily and without problems. Of the features, I would like to note that the voltage on the processor set in the BIOS coincided with the CPU-Z readings, which is very pleasing.
Testing methodology
All eight processors were tested at three frequencies:
- max valid frequency - maximum validated CPU-Z frequency.
- max bench frequency - the frequency at which the processor can be made to work in light benchmarks, the Super Pi1M test is taken as an indicator.
- max stable frequency - the frequency at which the processor will work 24 hours 7 days a week 365 days a year without shutting down for a second. Naturally, I'm kidding - in our conditions of express testing, it is difficult to find a truly stable frequency. But we will take the frequency of passing the Hyper Pi 32M test as the assumed one - the same Super Pi32M is only multi-threaded.
From the settings in the BIOS were used:
- CPU Voltage: 1.35-1.45V;
- CPU PLL: 1.9-2.0V;
- IMC Voltage: 1.4V;
- Dram Bus Voltage: 1.65 V.
The system was overclocked from under Windows using the Asus utility - TurboV. The operating room was used for the tests. Windows system XP SP2.
| № | Max valid frequency, MHz | Max bench frequency, MHz |
Max stable frequency, MHz |
Butch | Voltage on the core, V |
Validation CPU-Z |
Screenshot Super Pi1M |
Screenshot Hyper Pi32M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4577 | 4465 | 4274 | L922B943 | 1,432 | |||
| 2 | 4535 | 4442 | 4233 | L922B943 | 1,432 | |||
| 3 | 4527 | 4380 | 4213 | L922B943 | 1,400 | |||
| 4 | 4577 | 4400 | 4256 | L922B943 | 1,408 | |||
| 5 | 4527 | 4360 | 4214 | L924B920 | 1,440 | |||
| 6 | 4600 | 4535 | 4337 | L930B637 | 1,448 | |||
| 7 | 4536 | 4464 | 4256 | L922B943 | 1,440 | |||
| 8 | 4577 | 4442 | 4274 | L922B943 | 1,440 |
conclusions
Eight processors from three weeks of release took part in testing: six copies - 22nd week, one copy - 24th week, and one copy of 30th week. Based on the results, we can identify the winner of our testing: it was a copy with serial number 6, released on the 30th week of 2009. This processor is the coldest, and the only one that obeyed the coveted figures of 4.6 GHz. The processors of the 22nd week of release can be called strong middle peasants, half of the processors showed results close to 4600 MHz, but at the same time the other half overclocked by 50 MHz worse. And the most unfortunate, in my opinion, was the processor released on the 24th week of 2009, its distinctive features became hot tempered and zero reaction to voltage increases higher than 1.4 V.
The frequency at which the processors were able to withstand the Super Pi1M averaged 4400-4450 MHz, the best percentage was able to pass 1M at 4535 MHz, and the worst only at 4380 MHz. 100 MHz counts for a lot in benchmarking. But in terms of stability of all processors, the frequency spread is not so high. Each withstood 4200 MHz, the winner even 4300 MHz. With confidence for a home system, you can put 4 GHz and use the computer at your pleasure.