![[H]ardOCP](/images/blank.gif){kind=small}
- Date:
- Monday , September 07, 2009
- Author:
- Kyle Bennett
- Google +1
Intel Lynnfield Core i5 and Core i7 Processors
Intel today launches its new Lynnfield processor based on its tremendously dominant Nehalem architecture. New Lynnfield processors bring with them a new socket that commands a new series of motherboards and both are very much on track to capture a huge share of the enthusiast computer hardware market.
Introduction
Today we are going to evaluate clock-to-clock comparisons between new Lynnfield processors from Intel as well as its previous Bloomfield and Conroe processors. For our AMD fans, we will also be putting an AMD Phenom II into the mix. This article is tailored for the computer hardware enthusiast and overclockers in our community. If you are looking for a processor model vs. processor model comparison you are not going to find what you need here and we suggest you look elsewhere. However, if you are looking for a bottom line comparison about what this new Lynnfield processor will bring you with each megahertz you are in the right spot.
Lynnfield Basics
The basics that we need to get out of the way are that Lynnfield processors will be sold under both the Core i5 and Core i7 brandings. So Core i7 will populate both LGA 1156-Lynnfield and LGA 1366-Bloomfield sockets. Core i5 products currently only populate LGA 1156 sockets.
Lynnfield is Intel’s way of bringing the very strong Nehalem architecture into the mainstream market. We know that the today-launched Core i5-750 processor will have a slightly slower clock speed out of the box than the Core i7-860 and Core i7-870 and the i5-750 will not have Intel’s HyperThreading technology enabled whereas the i7-860 and i7-870 will have HyperThreading enabled.
As mentioned above, Lynnfield processors will use a new LGA 1156 socket, so of course new motherboards will be required. These motherboards, as you will see in our reviews, will be extremely feature rich at the $230 pricing levels. Given that we will likely see sub-$200 Core i5-750 processors, this of course will lessen the effects of cost being a barrier to entry.
Our Lynnfield model processors will support only two channels of DDR3 memory up to 1333MHz in clock speed. As we will see later, "only" is not a good choice of words, but we wanted to make a point.
One thing that should jump out at you in the above the graphic are the hugely progressive "Turbo" frequencies advertised. Turbo is initiated of course when you are using a single threaded application with no other applications taxing the system. Turbo clocks up the single core to clock levels that the single core can support. In our testing however, we never saw these Turbo levels reached on any of the motherboards we have tested. We did see Turbo work where the multiplier was raised by one integer, but that was all. (Update: It is has come to our attention that we overlooked some specific Windows 7 settings that we neglected in order to make Turbo work properly with these new processors.)
That said, we did not spend time trying to figure out how to make it work. We see our primary readership being interested in overclocking the processors themselves rather than letting Intel doing it for us on its own terms.
Intel Lynnfield Inside
Above you can see the layout of the new 45nm Lynnfield processor. With a new more robust on-die memory controller outlined at the top and the newly incorporated PCIe controller to the right.
The Lynnfield family of processors will have a transistor count of 774M with a die size of 296mm2. By comparison, the previous and still-produced Bloomfield Core i7 processors touted 731M transistors and a die size of 236mm2.
Lynnfield does not have the QPI interface seen on the Bloomfield.
Intel P55 Express Chipset
This new Intel P55 Express Chipset represents something very new in the world of computer motherboards. The "northbridge" is gone! With the IMC / Integrated Memory Controller now being on the processor die and Intel moving the PCIe controller onto the processor die as well, there is little need for discrete northbridge. Less silicon on the motherboard obviously frees up some room in designing the motherboard as well as making the motherboard less expensive to produce.
What we are "losing" with the P55 as compared to the X58 chipset layout may or may not make a difference to you. First and foremost, the P55 motherboards are going to support only dual channel DDR3 where the X58 motherboards will support triple channel DDR3 memory. The PCIe lanes are also scaled down for the P55 user. Either a single slot x16 or dual slot x8 PCIe cards can be used.
The graphic below shows you the basic transition that moving from X58 to P55 can make. One less chip on the motherboard to worry about!
From an enthusiast standpoint, I have to very much like this setup. With the IMC and PCIe controller on-die, we now have those tremendously hot Intel northbridges gone! Integration into the processor dies gives us a much more efficient setup in terms of performance and energy usage and all the while tucking all that logic under our expensive air cooling and water cooling setup where they are most welcomed.
