The Core i7 980X Review: Intel's First 6-Core Desktop CPU
by Anand Lal Shimpi on March 11, 2010 12:00 AM EST- Posted in
- CPUs
Windows 7 Application Performance
We're testing out a few new additions to our Bench database, so what we've got here are some updated application tests run under Windows 7. The CPUs compared are going to be different since we don't have as much historical data, but we'll be building it up over the coming months.
x264 HD Encoding Performance
It's what you've all been asking for - our x264 encoding test with an updated version of x264. In this case we're using TechARP's x264-HD 3.03 bench and x264 version 1342.
7-zip Benchmark & Performance
We use WinRAR for our compression test under Vista, but more and more users are switching to 7-zip. The performance is more CPU dependent so we're going to look at it. First up is the built in 7-zip benchmark:
Here we're taking the same 300MB set of images from our WinRAR test and are compressing them using 7-zip. We divide file size by completion time to get compression speed in KB/s:
The actual 7-zip archive creation process is limited to two threads, and here the 980X actually falls behind the 975 presumably because of its higher latency L3 cache. The built in 7-zip benchmark can run across all 12 threads and thus performs much better on the 980X, serving more as a bandwidth benchmark than anything else.
Sonar 8 Multi-track Audio Export
We've had some requests for digital audio workstation benchmarks so we're adding a multi-track audio export from Sonar 8. Performance is expressed in KB/s:
Again, we see a small gain here thanks to the larger cache but the extra cores aren't doing much.
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Meghan54 - Thursday, March 11, 2010 - link
[QUOTE]where are you getting your xeon pricing info from?all i can find from any solid source is the current xeon quad core processors which are running about $2000 on newegg at the moment. [/QUOTE]
Well, I question your search skills at Newegg, then, if that's all you can find there.
Just an FYI, Newegg has MANY, MANY sub-$700 Xeon processors for socket 1366, like the W3520, a Bloomfield, for $310, or the W3550 for $600--both Bloomfield quad-core cpus.
Learn to use search, (ps....main page, cpu/processors, processors-servers, power search, check box socket 1366, look at results. I'm hoping you do understand that there are mouse clicks between step.)
formulav8 - Thursday, March 11, 2010 - link
grow up...softdrinkviking - Thursday, March 11, 2010 - link
no, i saw all of that stuff. i was looking at the six core chips and i typed quad instead.but thanks for getting all nasty and sarcastic anyway.
i'll try to remember about those mouse clicks next time.
the point i was trying to make is that the xeon line is going to be more expensive than the comparable home desktop CPUs and that it won't be a simple matter of non-server customers just buying xeons that will outclass the current i7 line-up. (specifically to compete against the 6 core model that this review is about)
Drag0nFire - Thursday, March 11, 2010 - link
I think the point was that you could get 2x cheap quad core Xeons, and run with 8 cores (16 threads) at a small price premium over the $1000 Gulftown.vol7ron - Thursday, March 11, 2010 - link
I will keep my eyes open for the Xeon, but for some reason, those typically are quite pricey. This $1k price will fall, hopefully sooner, rather than later.I am looking forward to both.
Thanks for the read, Anand,
vol7ron
DrMrLordX - Friday, March 12, 2010 - link
Here's a list of Gulftown quads for LGA1366:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_future_Intel_...">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fu...rocessor...
The information isn't complete, but you should be able to do searches on the part that interests you most and get the information that you want.
iamezza - Thursday, March 11, 2010 - link
it won't be dropping in price any time soon. Check the chart on Pg 3 - this is the top intel CPU until 2011 and I can't see AMD releasing a CPU that will compete performance wise with it before then.DarkUltra - Monday, May 3, 2010 - link
I also miss memory and cache performance tests, and memory overclock results.Kn0xx - Monday, May 17, 2010 - link
well, this new 6 core comer, will be ( probably ) the entry design for 128 -bit processors that Intel are already working on it.128 bit need new multi-core structures. so ..980X is an example of how can a 128-bit core would be =)
unmaskedtruth - Sunday, May 23, 2010 - link
does anyone know if protools le 8.0 is multi-threaded? for recording pro music, is it going to be able to take advantage of "6cores" if i was to go i7-980x route? or is quad-core more than sufficient? cause there is i7-930 which is cost like 80% less than the 980x. what do you guys suggest?