Hardware Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition Review

[Tim S]

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpu...ition-review/1

Intel launches the fastest processor ever in the shape of the Core i7-975 Extreme Edition. With the new D0 stepping, it's a great overclocker, but there's a price to match that makes the CPU of limited appeal. Still, expect this CPU to be breaking all the benchmark records for the next six months.

[oasked]

A chip for the very richest only.... (or the very stupid).

[Pookeyhead]

Agreed. Most 920s will clock close to that.

[smc8788]

I can't help but feel that anyone who buys an EE CPU regrets it six months down the line, although I don't know anyone that would even consider buying one. It's obviously not aimed at workstations, which means that it's only real market is for the high-end enthusiast paying for it out of their own pocket (plus all the exotic cooling you need to get the most out of it), purely because its the fastest chip currently on the market and for its overclocking ability. I've said it once and I'll say it again: living on the bleeding edge of technology is never an economical proposition. But you try telling that to all the new iPhone 3G S owners

Still, it's nice to see the overclocked 920 holding its own in the gaming benchmarks

[Claave]

Agreed with all of the above - EE CPUs are really only for people with sub-zero cooling and a thirst for record-breaking. I do strive to make that point frequently throughout the article.

For those few however, EE CPUs are typically great as they'll go well beyond what the lesser CPUs of the range can, given the right cooling.

[Cupboard]

I find it interesting that the top end Intel processors, the Extreme Editions, are really expensive and price out of most sane peoples' consideration but that AMD's equivalent, the Black Edition CPUs, are actually very popular. I wonder: if the Extreme Editions were slightly more competitively priced would they sell more? Not that I can see Intel dropping their prices significantly in the long term of the EE brand.

[Claave]

Originally Posted by Cupboard

I find it interesting that the top end Intel processors, the Extreme Editions, are really expensive and price out of most sane peoples' consideration but that AMD's equivalent, the Black Edition CPUs, are actually very popular. I wonder: if the Extreme Editions were slightly more competitively priced would they sell more? Not that I can see Intel dropping their prices significantly in the long term of the EE brand.

How quickly we forget - when AMD was top dog, it had the FX range of super-expensive, multiplier-unlocked CPUs. But yes, AMD's Black Edition strategy is a very interesting one - I'm not sure I'd buy a non-BE AMD processor at all, in fact!

[docodine]

I'm amazed that the 955BE can't keep up with the i7 920 at all..

[B1GBUD]

I'll stick with my 486 DX66 for now....

[Lizard]

Pah! My trusty old 486DX 50 will trounce your 485DX2 66 any day with its poxy 33MHz bus

[B1GBUD]

ok, I'll dust off my old 286 16mhz with all 384K of expanded memory.... will have to streamline the autoexec.bat and config.sys to free up 620K of conventional memory (damn X-Wing can be such a memory hog!)

[Lizard]

Oooo, fighting talk I'm sure I might be able to find my old 4.77MHz 8086/8088 somewhere. Then again, with one of those you're basically limited to playing ASCI games...

[The boy 4rm oz]

Originally Posted by Lizard

Then again, with one of those you're basically limited to playing ASCI games...

But you have all the street cred .

[B1GBUD]

lol... we could go on all day! My Sharp MZ-80K was a beast!!

[Fod]

Originally Posted by smc8788

But you try telling that to all the new iPhone 3G S owners

and that is relevant to a discussion about CPUs how? /derail.

[naokaji]

The I7 975 EE is a completly pointless product other than epeen show off for those with more money than common sense.

I7 920 D0
+
120 /128 GB SSD with Samsung controller
+
Decent 24" TFT
=
cheaper and you get more out of it.

Originally Posted by Claave

Agreed with all of the above - EE CPUs are really only for people with sub-zero cooling and a thirst for record-breaking. I do strive to make that point frequently throughout the article.

For those few however, EE CPUs are typically great as they'll go well beyond what the lesser CPUs of the range can, given the right cooling.

True, they are the best if you cool them with Ln2.... but given the fact that Ln2 is far from viable for 24/7 use it is a very limited appeal.

[Jipa]

Two thoughts: $1000. So what.

Does anyone really by this crap? I mean, sure they are given out to any Intel overclockers, but does someone actually buy one with money? He/she's just stupid. Sorry.

[Dr. Strangelove]

So if this silly CPU is only really worth the money when you sub-zero cool it for overclocking... where are the Bit-tech sub-zero overclocking results?

[rollo]

a tad overkill price wise but nothing shockful when you dominate the market and theres no compition you get away with such stuff. And these cpus do sell much to popular opinion. People who buy ultimate gaming rigs with no intension of overclocking.

[HourBeforeDawn]

ya I have to agree people who buy EE, do not know computers and are most likely just going for bragging rights as thats pretty much all you get from an EE, that and an empty wallet.