Intel Core i7

Infobox CPU QPI
name = Core i7


caption =
produced-start = From 2008
produced-end =
slowest = 2.66 | slow-unit = GHz
fastest = 3.2 | fast-unit = GHz
qpi-slowest = 4.8 | qpi-slow-unit = GT/s
qpi-fastest = 6.4 | qpi-fast-unit = GT/s
manuf1 = Intel
core1 = Bloomfield
size-from = 45
arch = x86, x86-64, MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2
microarch = Intel Nehalem
sock1 = Socket B (LGA 1366)
numcores = 4

Intel Core i7 is a family of three Intel Desktop x86-64 processors. Core i7 is the first Intel family to be released using the Intel Nehalem microarchitecture and is the successor to the Intel Core 2 family. All three models are quad-core processors. [cite press release
title = Intel Details Upcoming New Processor Generations
url = http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archive/releases/20080811comp.htm
publisher = Intel Corporate
date = 2008-08-11] The "Core i7" identifier applies to the initial family of processors [cite web
title=Meet the Bloggers
accessdate=2008-08-11
publisher=Intel Corporation
url=http://blogs.intel.com/technology/authors#bill_calder] cite web
title=Getting to the Core---Intel's new flagship client brand
url=http://blogs.intel.com/technology/2008/08/getting_to_the_core_intels_new.php
publisher=Intel Corporation
accessdate=2008-08-11] codenamed "Bloomfield". [cite web
url=http://en.expreview.com/2008/06/10/intel-roadmap-update-nehalem-to-enter-mainstream-market/
date=2008-06-10
accessdate=2008-08-11
publisher=ExpReview
title= [Intel Roadmap update] Nehalem to enter mainstream market] The moniker "Core i7" does not have a deeper meaning, but continues the use of the successful "Core 2" and "Core" brands. [cite web
url=http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/38828/118/
title=IDF Fall 2008: Intel un-retires Craig Barrett, AMD sets up anti-IDF camp
accessdate=2008-08-11
date=2008-08-11
publisher=Tigervision Media]

Intel announced that the family is due to be launched in Q4 2008, but several sources have reported the dates differently. [cite news
publisher = TomsHardware
date= 2008-08-12
url=http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/IDFFall2008-Intel-Nehalem,news-28994.html
title=Nehalem Delayed Until 2009] [cite news
publisher = Fudzilla
date = 2008-10-09
access_date = 2008-10-10
url = http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9850&Itemid=35
title = Nehalem to launch on November 17th] The most recent such report states that the launch date is November 17, 2008. [cite web
url=http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20080724PD205.html
title=Intel brings forward Nehalem launch
publisher=DigiTimes
date=2008-07-24] cite web
title=CORE I7 PROCESSOR RELEASE DATE
url=http://xtreview.com/addcomment-id-6271-view-Core-i7-processor-release-date.html
date=2008-09-01]

Core i7 Features

Nehalem represents the largest architectural change in the Intel x86 family since the Pentium Pro in 1995. The Nehalem architecture has many new features. The ones that represent significant changes from the "Core 2" include:
* The FSB is replaced by a QuickPath interface.This means that motherboards must use a chipset that supports QuickPath. As of|2008|10, only the Intel X58 does this.
* The memory controller is on the processor, not in a separate chip, so the memory is directly connected to the processor.
* The memory controller supports three channels of memory, and each channel can support one or two DDR3 DIMMs. This means that motherboards for the Core i7 can have six DIMM slots instead of four, and that DIMMs should be installed in sets of three, not two.
* The Core i7 only supports DDR3.
* Core i7 is a single-die device: all four cores, the memory controller, and all cache are on a single die.
* Core i7 cores re-implement Hyper-threading. Each of the four cores can process two threads simulaneously, so the processor appears to the OS as eight CPUs. This feature was present in the older Netburst architecure but was dropped in Core.
* Core i7 has an on-die shared 8MB L3 cache.
* Core i7 is not intended for multi-processor motherboards, so it has only one QuickPath interface.

Processors

: Note: The July 2008 estimates were lower than the latest estimates: both are price per unit in lots of 1000 in USD. the last prices and were taken from 'overclockers.co.uk' as they had been posted for pre-order, and thus are retail prices quantity 1 prices in UK pounds. These however, have since been removed.

Performance

A 2.93 GHz Core i7 940 system has been used to run a 3DMark Vantage benchmark and gave a CPU score of 17,966. [cite web | url = http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/intel-nehalem-core,news-28701.html
title = 'Nehalem' 2.93 GHz Benches Revealed
first = Tuan | last =Nguyen | date = 2008-07-09 | publisher = Tom's Hardware ] The 2.66 GHz Core i7 920 scores 16,294. A 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo E6600 scores 4,300. [cite web
title = Intel Bloomfield 2.66 GHz: First Comprehensive Evaluation
url = http://www.techpowerup.com/?65297 | date = 2008-07-09 | publisher = techPowerUp! ]

AnandTech tested the Intel QuickPath Interconnect (4.8 GT/s version) and found the copy bandwidth using triple-channel 1066 MHz DDR3 was 12.0 GB/s. A 3.0 GHz Core 2 Quad system using dual-channel 1066 MHz DDR3 achieved 6.9 GB/s. [cite news
publisher = AnandTech
date= 2008-06-05
url=http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel/showdoc.aspx?i=3326&p=5
title=Intel does it again]

Overclocking will be possible with the 900 series and a motherboard equipped with the X58 chipset. However, it will not be possible to use "performance" DDR3 DIMMs that require voltages higher than 1.65v, because the integrated memory controller within the Core i7 will be damaged. [cite web
url = http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/10/03/performance-ram-damage-nehalem
first = Paul
last = Taylor
date = 03 October 2008
access_date = 2008-10-04
title = Performance RAM will damage your Nehalem
publisher = The Inquirer]

Intel has not yet given product names to the Lynnfield and Havendale processors. While they implement the Nehalem architecture, they may not be Core i7. These processors will use a different socket and will different supports chips, requiring a different motherboard design. [cite web
url = http://news.softpedia.com/news/Intel-No-Overclocking-for-Mainstream-Nehalems-84019.shtml
first = Bogdan | last = Botezatu | date = 2008-04-22
title = Intel: No Overclocking for Mainstream Nehalems | publisher = Softpedia ]

Many early articles suggest that i7's design is not ideal for gaming performance. In a test done on leaked hardware, a Core i7 940 compared to a QX9770 shows the Core i7 is slower than Yorkfield clock for clock in 2 games while being faster in the other two. Difference in all cases are small. [cite web
url = http://uneit.com/2008/09/24/intel-core-i7-940-in-real-test/
date = 2008-09-24
title = Intel Core i7 940 in Real Test | publisher = UneIT ]

In the Super PI 1M test, a Core i7 920 running at 2.66 Ghz finished the test in 15.36 seconds, while a QX9770 (3.2 Ghz) did the test in 14.42 seconds. [cite web
url = http://yobeta.com/?p=98
date = 2008-10-04
title = Intel Core i7 920 Tested | publisher = Yobeta.com]

References

External links

* [http://intelstudios.edgesuite.net/fall_idf/tchs001/msm.htm Next Generation Intel Core Microarchitecture (Nehalem) Processors (Lecture)]
* [http://www.hothardware.com/Articles/IDF-Inside-Nehalem/ IDF: Inside Nehalem]
* [http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=608 Inside the Nehalem: Intel's New Core i7 Microarchitecture]
* [http://www.corei7.co.cc The Intel Core i7 Blog]