In the test 15 years ago: Intel Core i7-980X as the first processor with six cores

In the test 15 years ago: Intel Core i7-980X as the first processor with six cores 52 comments

With the Core i7-980x Extreme Edition (test), Intel presented the first processor with six cores for office users. The superlative CPU set new records in the test, but not all software could handle so many cores.

Summary :

Full computing power

In the Core i7-980X, Intel did nothing. Thanks to hyper-threading, the six physical cores became twelve logical ones with a clock of 3.33 GHz and a turbo mode with up to 3.6 GHz. The L3 cache was also richly equipped with 12 MB. Although the Core i7-980X on the same 1366 base, as already the previous Bloomfield processors, the architecture differed.

This was already visible on the size of the pure: the Core i7-980X came to a die size of 248 mm² with six cores, while the Bloomfield processors came to 263 mm² with four cores. This size difference arose in the new 32 nm process thanks to the production of the 980X, while Bloomfield was still manufactured in the 45 nm process. Thanks to the turbo mode, which set an increase of 266 MHz when loading a core or 133 MHz with more cores, at least 3.46 GHz were effectively available. In applications that contained only one core, it was even 3.6 GHz.

Intel Core i7-980x Extreme Edition Image 1 of 4

The differences to the previous processors were not only the CPU itself, but Intel also gave the i7-980X a new boxed cooler. This was designed as a tower cooler and had nothing in common with the small, top-boxed coolers of the past. Four calocoches, a large cooling area and for the first time a screw connection on a backplate were glaringly obvious in front of the previously proposed proposal. In the test, it reached the cooling capacity of a Noctua NH-U12P, but was very strong due to the high speed of up to 2,600 rpm. Even in quiet mode at a reduced speed, the new boxed cooler was still stronger than the Noctua competitor.

Quickly

The Core i7-980X was without question the undisputed winner of the benchmarks. However, the program rolled out in the program, whether the full performance of the six cores and twelve threads was really implemented. In applications, the processor was able to shine and record 23 percent more power compared to the Core i7-975 Extreme Edition with the same clock and 50 percent more cores. In games, on the other hand, the additional performance was just under three percent at 1,680 × 1,050 pixels and in 800 × 600 pixels, and in both cases with the fastest graphics card, the Radeon HD 5870. In theoretical tests, the performance of the i7-980X increased by a full 32 percent compared to the i7-975 Extreme Edition.

The power consumption of the Core i7-980X was similar to the older Core i7-975 Extreme Edition. Users therefore received two additional cores at the same time thanks to 32nm production without additional energy input. However, the Core i7-980X as a high-end processor was not economical. This was also evident in the CPU temperature, which was also comparable to the i7-975 Extreme Edition, which was still relatively high. Those who haven’t achieved the fastest CPU could easily overclock the i7-980X thanks to the open multiplier. In the test, 4.0 GHz and a performance plus of up to 21% were possible.

Conclusion

The Core i7-980X was the first six-core processor for the desktop and one of the first 32 NM processors, an absolute premium product, the latest state of the art. This stand was too new for many applications, so the six grain and twelve wires were not effectively brought to the street. If used correctly, the I7-980X delivered an impressive performance. The biggest drawback of the Core-I7 980X was its high price of around 930 euros, which was only interesting for very few users.

In the category “in the test 15 years ago”, the editorial team has taken a look at the test archives every Saturday since July 2017. We list the last 20 articles published in this series below:

Intel’s Sparking Pentium G6950 and Core i3-530The Geforce GTX 280m in the 5.6 kg notebookThe Radeon HD 5450 was useless for gaming, but otherwise the best burst 270 Euroder advantage of SSDs over hard drives in the Orochi Alltamgrazers for mobile gaming via BluetoothBlackberrys Bold 9700 was a budding smartphone Samew Super Mario Bros. 240 was at Teuenoctuas NH-D14 was the ultimate cpu CPU. Radeon HD 5970 was fast and stipulated Corsairs 800D was ideal for water cooling Apphire, the Radeon HD 5750 brought a recommendation to Einamd’s Eyefinity on three displays Radeon HD 5750 115 EUROS RRP TOO EXPENSIVE SZIPANG 2 AS A Silent-Compatable Top-C-C-Coolieratis Radeon HD 5770