As the most powerful processor in Intel's i7 family, the Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition processor delivers the cutting edge in PC performance. It combines the power of four 3.33 GHz computing cores into a single processor, guaranteeing enough processing power for the most demanding applications. With 8 MB of smart cache, the Core i7-975 processor ensures that you get maximum responsiveness from your system, even when several intensive programs run simultaneously. Compatible with motherboard based on the Intel X58 Express chipset, the Core i7-975 processor takes your computing and gaming experience
The Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition processor is packed with more new technologies than any previous Intel processor. With the i7 family, Intel engineers invented a revolutionary new style of microarchitecture. They replaced the front side bus a longtime staple of processor design with a new technology called QuickPath Interconnect (QPI). Using QPI, the Core i7-975 processor achieves unprecedented levels of bandwidth, and can use its four computing cores to their maximum potential.
The Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition also makes use of several other cutting-edge technologies:
- Turbo Boost Technology allows the processor to run up to 133 MHz faster when it's operating below power/thermal limits.
- Hyper-threading Technology enables more efficient use of processor resources, making the most of highly threaded software like media players and next-generation games.
- Smart Cache Memory increases available RAM resources, leading to less lag while multi-tasking.
With the advent of next-generation games, PC gaming is more immersive than ever. The latest games take advantage of multi-threaded programming, allowing for more realistic graphics, physics, and artificial intelligence (AI). But you need more than just a good graphic card with high GPU output to fully experience all these effects. Underlying the visual realism and advanced AI scripts are thousands of high-speed calculations that the CPU must process.
Fortunately, the Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition processor is specifically designed to handle these calculations. Using multi-thread architecture, it has the ability to process thousands of graphical characteristics at once, resulting in a smooth and lag-free experience.
Intel Core i7-975
Extreme Edition Processor features:
- Four 3.33 GHz cores for better multitasking and multithreaded performance.
- Integrated memory controller delivers higher memory bandwidth.
- Quick Path Interconnect provides fast data transfer between the processor and chipset.
Review By Scott :
Question is, can you get something nearly as good for much less? Indeed, it's possible.
Contrary to popular belief, CPU chip fabrication is really an imprecise art, and manufacturing perfection cannot be found in this industry. The same series of chips, in this case the i7 900 series, are all manufactured from the same wafer. Whether or not they get the extreme designation and specified number is based on testing done on each chip after the fabrication process is complete. However not every chip is tested for a specific range in the series (e.g. 975).
Like any company, Intel has manufacturing quotas, so a certain number of 975s have to be produced each month, but beyond that, they don't run the harder tests involved with the 975s. So in reality, you could technically get a 965 or a 975 in the 950 mix, assuming all quotas were met for any chips above 950 in that particular month of fabrication. The main reason for this is due to the limited demand on the 965s and 975s. In the end, it's more-or-less the luck of the draw.
Technically, this means you could by chance end up with a 920 that matches the quality of a 950 or higher. However, the chances are more likely that you could get a 975-quality from a 950 batch, since both would come from the same vicinity on the wafer (that vicinity being the area that consistently yields the best chips) whereas the 920s are coming from a known lesser-quality area of the wafer. The 920s typically are the bottom of the barrel in the series.
So if you're absolutely picky and you must have top-of-the-line equipment, definitely go with the 975 or one of the other extreme edition CPUs, because you're guaranteed to receive a chip of the highest quality (assuming you can afford it).
However, if price is any concern at all, but absolute top performance is certainly not an issue, go with a 950 and take your chances on getting something better, especially if you're considering overclocking. It really all depends on your cooling solution, settings and the chances of drawing something better than the label suggests, but from what I've seen the chances are actually pretty decent.
I've benchmarked the 975, 965 and 950, all overclocked. The 975 ran only 1.8% faster than the 950, but the 950 ran even better than the "extreme" 965. In the end, I was certainly satisfied with the results of the 950 for the price. For anyone on the fence with price vs performance, you certainly won't be dissatisfied with the 950. Even if you have the extra cash to plop down on the 975, save your money and get an SSD with the extra cash flow. That's where the real bottleneck is in computing these days, and you shouldn't ever run such a top-of-the-line system without having a high-speed hard drive.
Review By D,Orders :
I rebuilt my 6 year old Alienware using this processor as the heart. On the Asus A6T with a Diamond ATI 5870 and 6 gigs of Corsair 1600 ram, it is blindingly fast. If I had to be critical, there are two minor negatives, neither of which has to do with the processor itself. When I first opened the box, which is filled by the OEM heat sink and fan, the processor fell out on the table. Fortunately it didn't fall far, and it was in it's own little clam-shell case, but it is just sandwiched between the two halves of the plastic packaging for the fan and heat sink, not taped in and not at all secure. The second negative is the OEM heat sink and fan, which may be fine, but attaches to the
motherboard by some funky plastic cam/screw devices, that look like they would break if you tried to install them more than once. I opted for the CoolerMaster V8, and am very happy with it.
