Saturday, May 30th 2009
Intel to Cannibalize Core i7 920 / 940
Prepare to bid farewell to the $400 Core i7 upgrade dream. Chip major Intel is reportedly planning to discontinue some of the relatively affordable Core i7 processors, including the most commercially successful model, the 920. Cannibalizing the Core i7 920 and 940, will create market headroom for the company's upcoming Core i5 "Lynnfield" processors. Internal analysis reportedly show that the high-end Lynnfield processors perform too close to the lower models of Core i7, and that could potentially affect sales of those high-end Core i5 chips. Perhaps Intel is trying to oil the segment to make the most profits. Sources at motherboard manufacturers tell that the companies are already working on adjusting their X58 product lines to cater to the future lines of Core i7 processors, which, may start with the $649 Core i7 950 and beyond. What's more, 950 is expected to get the axe later down the line. It may have certainly been a good couple of quarters for you, saving for triple channel memory, true dual PCI-E x16 motherboards, and the elusive Core i7 920. You may want to execute your plans now, or change them.
Source:
bit-tech.net
175 Comments on Intel to Cannibalize Core i7 920 / 940
The i5 is 'n crippled i7 but crippled in a way that it's not THAT much slower than the i7 in games. That is what was said. I don't think it will perform as well as the i7 and definitely not better (per clock speed, not if you try comparing the 2.9GHz i5 with the 920). I don't think the latencies will make a huge difference in games. After all, how many frames do you get from switching to lower latency but the same frequency ram? Not many.
What is "lost" on i5 is that QPI is not available externally for setting up many more PCIe lanes (and other, workstation, type stuff). Rather, the interface is a DMI based one for peripherals. The DMI is just fine for SATA, USB, firewire, etc.
"Losing" QPI is just losing some feature-upgrade possibilities. But those arent relevant for the consumer or gamer, UNLESS, you are talking about extreme enthusiast running multi-socket CPU and/or Dual/Tri/Quad GPU setup.
So you'll experience almost equal performance with single gpu's but if you move up to multi-gpu's you'll need the extra PCI-Express lanes and the triple channel memory.
And anyway, since the i7 was first and the i5 is based upon the i7 architecture (Nehalem) and since the i5 lost some of the i7's features (even though they aren't important for everyone), logic implies that the i5 must be a "crippled" i7 :D
Find me ONE benchmark that shows that i5 is going to be memory starved. You wont find it.
Tripple channel is overkill for i5 and i7 single chip at this time. If you do any real world benchmark you might find a 1% performance difference. 1% is not "crippling".
Here is an interesting article for you: www.insidehw.com/Reviews/Memory/Intel-Core-i7-Dual-Channel-vs.-Triple-Channel-Memory-Mode.html and another www.tweaktown.com/articles/1665/intel_core_i7_memory_analysis_can_dual_channel_cut_it/index7.html
The tripple channel is a design for future scaling ESPECIALLY Nehalem-EX where you have 4 or more CPUs and they are each passing data to and from each other. The memory controller is therefore (potentially) feeding MORE THAN ONE processor at a time.
It's like if you had 3 arms and I take away one. Then let's say the tasks you do daily doesn't take advantage of your 3rd arm. You'd probably be able to perform all your tasks fine with just 2 (heck 2 arms would probably be faster since the 3rd won't get in the way), but I'd still be "crippling" you by removing one i.e. even if you don't use it it's not there anymore if you need it. :p
I'm actually not trying to prove you wrong with the performance statement, I'm just saying that i5 != i7. So I just don't agree with:So in the end, if I take your meaning of the word "cripple" then I agree with you, by removing the third channel the real-world performance isn't really affected. But you can't say there's no difference "in any way" because then your generalizing :p
Still don't get why Intel can't release decent low end hardware.
intel why don't you just come round my house and do this:nutkick:
why oh why do they do it :shadedshu
personaly ,although i'm not spreading rumors :laugh:;)
i think theirs something wrong with them
reason behind thought
you don't create something then stop making it a few months down the line
if there isn't something wrong
come on intel prove me wrong
well i would have got 1 just i wanted a pentium for a change
i want something stable not overclocked
and pentium screams quality not quantity:D
anyway are these newer processors going to fit in the older i7 motherboards
Discontinue i7 920 and replace it with the i7 930. Default clock of 2.83 Ghz, and increase price by $40 to make it $320. That would follow this trend with the other i7. It will also get it our of i5 current pricing target range of $75 to $280. Once again, my thoughts and speculation base on past Intel releases and current news. This could be one way they could go with this.
everytime i try and edit,
it gives me the old cannot display the page :mad::banghead:argh
well if you look at my current specs you'll see oat is better that what i've got at the mo:laugh:
i think even a laptop could p*** all over it;)