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Reviews Around The Web
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Choose Web Reviews from this Maker:
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010
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"Dropping to 32nm means a smaller overall die, allowing Intel to fit more transistors onto the chip, ultimately making it run faster, cooler and with more features while requiring less power to operate. For desktop users / overclockers, this means lower chips and hopefully higher clock speeds when pushed to the limit. In mobile applications, we can expect better battery life without sacrificing performance."
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"The new chipsets are similar to Intel P55, but they let you use the integrated graphics core of the new Core i5, Core i3 and Pentium processors. On the other hand, they lack decent support for dual discrete graphics cards. Which of these solutions you need is up to you to decide."
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Sunday, January 10, 2010
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We took an in-depth look at the architecture behind Intel's all-new Clarkdale (desktop) and Arrandale (mobile) chips in this review. Please read it to gain an appreciation of how and why Intel has decided to change chip topology for 2010.
Built on a 32nm process, the new chips use existing Nehalem architecture technology and add a couple of new features of their own. Known by the umbrella term Westmere, they constitute the first desktop fusion of CPU and GPU in one chip package.
Pricing for the desktop Core i3 and Core i5 Clarkdale chips will span from £80 to around £200 for the range-topping Core i5 670, bringing a bunch of competing mainstream CPUs and integrated graphics into play.
Now we evaluate just how good the Westmere-driven Intel Core i5 661 (£145) is, as we compare it against five other CPUs - four quad-core and another dual-core - and a range of chipsets featuring IGPs. Read on to find out.
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"After testing the Intel i5-661 processor for a month or so, I can definitely see where it will create a market for an affordable and much more simpler computer that will be easy on the wallet. The inclusion of the video processing on the same package as the processor will be a breakthrough technology and I cannot wait to see what this will develop in the future."
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Thursday, January 7, 2010
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Intel's latest Clarkdale processors are the first to integrate a GPU and CPU inside a single processor package. This can lead to large cost savings and simplifications for motherboard vendors and system integrators. But does the Core i5 661 have enough GPU steam to play current games?
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Realizing that the majority of computer users use their computer for other tasks than playing Dirt 2 or Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, Intel's new Clarkdale CPU accomplishes two tasks. Full support of Blu-ray playback and encoding by the on-CPU integrated graphics of the Core i5-661 make this combination an attractive choice for Home Theater PC owners. The integrated graphics on the CPU is faster by far than the onboard graphics of the GMA 4500 HD solution and it works with Intel's new LGA-1156 interface. The DH55TC motherboard does the job for a HTPC user with integrated sound and a small form factor as well as support for the GMA HD integrated graphics that exists on the CPU.
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"The ASUS K42F-B1 14-inch notebook was amazing to use! This notebook is very fast as you saw from the numerous benchmarks that we threw at the Intel Core i5 540M processor. When the dust settled the Intel Core i5 540M was on average 40-50% faster than Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 processor. This is due to the fact that the Arrandale processor has HyperThreading technology and therefore twice as many threads, but it also has to do with Turbo Mode and the Intel HD Graphics. When it comes to Blu-ray playback, gaming or Croptography performance the Arrandale processor really looked great and is no doubt a processor that has plenty of muscle behind it..."
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Intel is getting into high gear with their Core processor family early on the new year, as they are set to release 6 new desktop processors and 11 mobile processors this month. Along for the ride will be 3 new chipsets for desktop PCs and 4 oriented towards mobility.
Today we will be looking at the Core i5 661, one of four new Core i5 processors. The other models include the Core i5 650, 660 and 670. Based on this naming scheme the Core i5 661 doesn't seem to fit quite right. Furthermore, Intel will charge $196 for both the 660 and 661 processors, but we'll break it down for you so you can gain complete understanding of the new processor line-up being announced today.
But before delving into more detail there's a thing or two you will want to know about the new Core i5 600 CPUs. This new series is based on the 32nm Westmere die shrink of the Nehalem architecture and goes by the code-name Clarkdale. Of most relevance, all processors in the series feature a built-in GPU.
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Intel is a company that makes computer chips. Millions upon millions of computer chips that end up powering the vast majority of server, desktop, and mobile machines sold today.
Intel also likes to be in total control of the entire chip-making process, from design to manufacturing, and is willing and able to spend billions of dollars a year in pursuit of this goal.
This is why when the firm releases a product roadmap, the overwhelming probability is that the PowerPoint will turn into reality - give a quarter here or there.
The top-level roadmap is detailed in clock-like parlance. Following a tick-tock philosophy, the chip giant is promising to introduce a new silicon process in one year and follow it up with a brand-new architecture the next year, based on the incumbent process.
2009 was, broadly speaking, the 'tock', as the potent 45nm Nehalem architecture pervaded the server and desktop markets under the Xeon 5500-series and Core i5/i7 brands, respectively.
Sticking to schedule and delivering the 'tick' - a process reduction along with minor refinements - Intel is introducing 17 new chips based on the 32nm Westmere architecture.
Westmere is more than just a die-shrink, however, as it enables Intel to do meld the CPU and GPU on to one package.
The bevy of new processors and new chipsets will power most mainstream PCs and notebooks this year, so it really is worth your while seeing what makes them tick along. Read on to find out.
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Tuesday, January 5, 2010
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Intel sees a big market share when it comes to CPUs, but the one place where AMD remains competitive is budget processors. Let's see how Intel's latest socket 775 offering, the E6750, fares.
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Wednesday, December 2, 2009
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When the LGA1156 Lynnfield Processor launched, we touched on the basics of the reference DP55KG Extreme Series Motherboard. At launch, it was the standard and the board to beat as we?ve reviewed other comparable P55 motherboards along the way. Essentially, if another platform can?t emulate, match, or improve upon its performance, we really aren?t interested.
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Wednesday, November 25, 2009
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?In August, Intel introduced a new, less expensive line of processors using LGA 1156. This family so far consists of three processors, the i7 870, i7 860, and the i5 750. The i7 8xx processor is a slightly scaled-down version of the i7 9xx, the main difference being a new memory controller that supports only dual-channel memory. But it really isn?t quite that simple, the LGA 1156 processors have taken on several tasks that were performed by the NB, allowing the motherboard chipset and hopefully the motherboards themselves to be less expensive. Today I will be looking at the entry level LGA 1156 i 7, the Core i7 860. I am anxious to see the differences between it and the i7 920, which I reviewed in the early part of this year. Will this new Core i7 impress me as much as the earlier one did? Read on to see!"
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Wednesday, October 14, 2009
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"Intel is one of the world's leading manufacturers of solid state drives (SSDs) and NAND flash memory chips - the very foundation of solid state drives and USB flash drives. They currently offer three lines of solid state drives :
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Tuesday, October 13, 2009
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From all the Sold State Drives that we?ve reviewed in the past, the Intel
X25-M still remains the one to beat and today we take a quick look at the next
version of this very drive. Intel is still calling their new drive X25-M and its
still available in 80GB and 160GB capacities; however, these [...]
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"Intel had a couple systems showing off the upcoming Clarkdale processor (Core i3), at this year's IDF show. The first system we spotted that happened to be running Clarkdale was the concept HTPC shown above with a mini-ITX motherboard. Intel had a reference mini-ITX H57 motherboard that they were showing off behind closed doors that we also got to spend a little time with. The layout of this reference board is a little different than most Intel mini-ITX boards that are currently on the market since it does not need a north bridge chipset..."
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