Intel claims new Core i7 fastest processor in the world

Stan Beer
Tuesday, 18 November 2008 13:28

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Chip market leader Intel has launched the Intel Core i7 processor, which the company claims is its most advanced desktop processor ever. The Core i7 processor is the first of the new Nehalem processor designs and is claimed to boost performance for video editing, immersive games and other Internet and computer activities by up to 40% without increasing power consumption.

According to Intel, the Core i7 processor holds a new world record of 117 for the SPECint_base_rate2006 benchmark test that measures the performance of a processor.

The Core i7 processor is the first member of the Intel Nehalem microarchitecture family; server and mobile product versions will be in production later.

Each Core i7 processor features an 8 MB level 3 cache and three channels of DDR3 1066 memory. Intel’s top performance processor, the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition, also removes overspeed protection, allowing Intel’s knowledgeable customers or hobbyists to further increase the chip’s speed.

Intel claims the Core i7 processor more than doubles the memory bandwidth of previous Intel “Extreme” platforms. The processor allows multiple computing threads to run simultaneously (hyperthreading), effectively enabling it to do two things at once, according to Intel. As a result, the Core i7 quad-core processor delivers 8-threaded performance.

According to Intel, its Turbo Boost Technology accelerates performance to match a computer user’s needs and workloads. Intel claims Turbo Boost automatically adjusts the clock speed of one or more of the four individual processing cores for single- and multi-threaded applications to boost performance, without increasing power consumption. The Core i7 also has power-saving technologies that enable desktops to go into sleep states formerly reserved for Intel-based notebooks.

Intel claims the Core i7 processor also offers unrivalled performance for immersive 3-D games – over 40% faster than previous Intel high-performance processors on both the 3DMark Vantage CPU physics and AI tests, popular industry computer benchmarks that measure gaming performance. The Extreme Edition uses 8 threads to run games with advanced artificial intelligence and physics to make games act and feel real.

“Intel has delivered the fastest desktop processor on Earth to the most demanding users on Earth, the ones who are using their PCs for video, gaming and music,” said Patrick Gelsinger, senior vice president and general manager of Intel’s Digital Enterprise Group.

“When you couple what is Intel’s biggest leap in chip design with other incredible innovations like Intel’s solid state drives, the Core i7 processor has redefined the computer of tomorrow.”