Intel® Core™ i7-980X

[Elliot]

Hello

 

What is the story behind the Intel® Core™ i7-980X. SOme of the sites are saying that there is no performance gain for this $1,000.00 chip. Some are saying there is a marginal performance gain. Some sites are reporting that the new AMD is better.

 

I am confused....!

 

Elliot

[AJLynn]

The 980X is a six-core chip. Anybody who says it's not faster than the predecessors is only interested in games or Photoshop. It's 50% faster for rendering in an efficient program than a 3.33GHz quad-core i7. The reasons it's so expensive are threefold:

 

-3.33GHz i7 is the fastest per-core speed available

-It's the only 6-core CPU available

-It's an X series CPU, which have certain advantages for overclockers and are always a bit more expensive

[ihabkal]

Anybody who says it's not faster than the predecessors is only interested in games

 

Absolutly, teenage gamers. can't trust them to do a 3dsmax performance review.

[Elliot]

Drew and Ihabkal

 

Thanks for the response. I am about to build a new machine. I am confused if I should put together a double XEON or a single 980X. I used to build double XEON's. This last year I did a single I7 Extreme. I never noticed a big difference.

 

The present motherboard on my I7 960 Extreme is a Rampage II Extreme. Asus is telling me that if I put the new Bios, then motherboard is OK for the 980X. That sounds interesting that by just up-dating the chip I could get more speed out of my present system.

 

Is this possible or just a dream...?

 

Thanks

Elliot

[AJLynn]

Sure. It's the same socket. Google for a program called CPU-Z and get the stepping number of your current CPU - if it's C0 or D0 it has the same power requirements as a 980X but if it's B1 it uses slightly less power and there's a chance you'll need a power supply upgrade. Upgrading the CPU would be a much more cost effective way to get more power than putting together a dual Xeon system. Make sure that if you reuse the CPU cooler, you clean off the thermal compound from the side the contacts the CPU and apply a new (thin) layer of Arctic Silver 5.

[Elliot]

Andrew

 

Thanks for the advice. I will go and by the 980X this afternoon. It is a no-brainer. My power supply is 1,000 watts and all the components are very good. There is nothing else to acquire except the BIOS. If I get 50% speed gain on rendering this is quite a gain.

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

Elliot

[AJLynn]

It should actually be a bit more than 50%, since the clock speed is slightly higher. These i7's are quite efficient at multithreading when you're using efficient software like Vray or mental ray.

[Elliot]

Andrew

 

Thanks for the info. I am going to pick up my daughter at her school on the way back I am going to buy the chip.

 

Thanks

Elliot

[Slinger]

Andrew

 

Thanks for the advice. I will go and by the 980X this afternoon. It is a no-brainer. My power supply is 1,000 watts and all the components are very good. There is nothing else to acquire except the BIOS. If I get 50% speed gain on rendering this is quite a gain.

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

Elliot

Nope, all you need to do is up[date the bios...just make sure you flash it right.

[Elliot]

Chris

 

Thanks.... I purchased the chip last night but have no had time to install it. The Maximun PC people put quite a good review about the chip.

 

Will see how much of this is sales........ stories.

 

Thanks

Elliot