Hardware Intel Core i7-930 CPU Review

The original Core i7-920 is the best selling high-end CPU, but as it's now nearing its 18-month birthday Intel has decided it's due for retirement. We check out its replacement, the i7-930. Clocked at 2.8GHz, it's only 133MHz faster than the i7-920 - but thanks to overclocking, it's still the chip to buy.

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpus/2010/03/01/intel-core-i7-930-cpu-review/1

 

Just about to read the article but I have to say first that your price listing is way off... Scan has that CPU up for over £230. Thats almost a 15% difference.

 

Agree with the above poster, Aria have it for roughly same price too. I'd love to know where its currently listed for £206

 

I was expecting dissapointed faces when I saw this review on the frontpage in terms of overclockability, but it seems like the 930 is excellent in every way. I'm really looking forward in recieving my own and overclock the living hell out of it.

 

Hmmm, you are right, we'll check this when we get into work because I know someone gave us that price as retail. I think certain distributors are being greedy again (ala Radeon HD 5000 series).

 

at £206 it looked like a serious bargain, but like others i cant find it anywhere at that price, even so from the benchies shown it still seems to be excellent value for money at £230 imo

 

To be honest I feel a little deceived by the overall feel of the review. Maybe it's just me but I get the feeling that I should be getting really excited about this CPU as you guys seem to have, but it is that same CPU albeit with a x21 multiplier instead of the older x20. This slight increase is enough for Intel to feel it is acceptable to release this as a new CPU with the usual price hike that accompanies a new release.

Opinions aside. I would like to know however how this increase was acheived. I know that it stems from the difference in the multipliers but if that is the only difference then surely the i7-920 could have been set with a x21 multiplier in the first place. It seems to obvious that Intel just knocked the multiplier down one just so they could fleece customers once again with a Spinal Tap-esk 'But... this goes one faster!'

 

Well we were up front in the first paragraphs saying "it's just a clock bump", and given the popularity of the 920 people will want to know if it's still a good CPU to buy, so we reviewed it

I seriously don't think it's Intel price hiking, I'll have to check today. We were told for many weeks it will be a direct cost replacement.

It's not fleecing customers - the 920 has been available for many months and it's simply being replaced. Yes, they just jacked the multiplier by one and any 920 owner doesn't need a 930 (or even a 960/975 for that matter) - like we said. It's unfortunate others have used it as an excuse for raising prices.

 

Most stores will have a lot of 920's still in stock. Since Intel is now planning on discontinueing this CPU, the 930's prices go up to stimulate the sell of the old 920's.

It'll be fine as soon as all the 920's are out and stores have to stock the 930.

 

Its also worth pointing out that if Intel had any competition to i7, then they might be more careful with the price controlling. But they don't, so if the price bumps up a bit, then its immaterial.

 

guess the i7-930 is nice cpu then (been nice for F@H)

just made my system 1 month ago got it at 3.8Ghz at the moment as it goes bit unstable past 3.8 most likely due to me not putting 1.35-1.4v into it but my room is to warm to

The system is not fully VMware Bigadv folding stable it only work for 3-4 days before the system starts to glitch on me and then BSOD, but if i use WinSMP A3 or vmware notfred A2 it works fine for last week with out reboot or system stable

 

Thats a fair point I guess, Intel doesn't make the final retail price choices for the retailers so it's wrong to blame them. However, my other point still stands of why didn't they use the x21 multiplier with the 920 if it was technically sound? All they seem to be doing here is rubbing in that people who adopt their latest premium products just get ripped off. Still, I'm sure it won't stop people buying these high end products and I'm even certain that there will be a few people with 920's that will be silly enough to upgrade.

 

I agree with the comment on current stock levels but these retailers would also have known that new lines were coming out as well. But when was the last time prices went down due to older stock being cleared out? It didn't happen at all with the 65nm CPUs, instead as stock off Q6600 and Q6700 CPUs ran out the prices went up and up.

 

I'm not seeing much of a reason for buying this rather than the 750

 

Usual practice with old stock is to reduce the price. Not hike the price of the new stuff. I'm not in the market for one, but if I was, I'd be waiting.

 

hmm now that cpu might be a good reason to upgrade, whats a good motherboard current or about to come out for this that has sata 6 and usb 3.0? with crossfire or crossfire/sli support?

 

What a fantastic upgrade. Welldone to Intel for keeping the market fresh by upgrading their "best" current product.

Why is it great at £206 but then not at £230 when it's performance is nearly on par with the 975 which is more than three times the price?

The 920 is currently only £10-£15 cheaper with Aria and Scan so the start price looks pretty good especially with the truly amazing overclock.

 

god f0okin dam it, i only just got my 920 D0......rage......

 

Motherf***** I bought my 920 last week.

 

Otis1337 34 minutes ago god f0okin dam it, i only just got my 920 D0......rage......

Abhorsen 26 minutes ago Motherf***** I bought my 920 last week.

Hasn't this upgrade been on the cards for a few months now? I'm sure I heard it here at the start of the year.