Wednesday, October 31st 2012

Intel Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition 6-core Processor Starts Selling

Intel's newest flagship desktop processor, the Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition, started selling. In Singapore, the chip is being sold at S$ 1,425 (US $1,167), including local taxes. Based on the 32 nm "Sandy Bridge-E" silicon, and built in the LGA2011 package, the i7-3970X is a six-core processor clocked at 3.50 GHz, with maximum Turbo Boost frequency of 4.00 GHz. The six-core chip is bolstered by HyperThreading, enabling 12 logical CPUs, 256 KB L2 cache per core, 15 MB shared L3 cache, and a quad-channel DDR3 integrated memory controller, supporting up to 128 GB of memory. Surprisingly, the chip's 200 MHz speed bump over the Core i7-3960X affected its TDP, which is rated at 150W, up from 130W of the i7-3960X.
Source: MyDrivers
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89 Comments on Intel Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition 6-core Processor Starts Selling

#26
Akrian
Does it come with a free butler ? If they didn't include Alfred, then I'm not buing it. =P
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#27
Disparia
They should included a free Xeon Phi to make up for lack of cores...
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#28
nickbaldwin86
drdeathxNo its not. Ever hear of L3 cache?
Go smash your face into a wall... 3MB more L3 Cache isn't worth the extra coin... sorry.

I looked that the specs... I even know what L3 cache does and I am positive you wouldn't notice the difference of 3MB :nutkick:
Posted on Reply
#29
The Von Matrices
Morgothim still waiting for prices to drop on 6 core LGA1366 Xeons :)
This will never occur. They'll be discontinued before prices drop.
Posted on Reply
#30
TheHunter
They should release that IvyBridge-E 8core (16threads) already, instead of milking SB-e to death..


lol Intel u disappoint :D
Posted on Reply
#31
m1dg3t
I see the specs and i'm like "Oh! Interesting" then i see the price and i'm like "wTf is wrong with Intel?" then i remember there is no competition for them in this bracket :( And so the monopoly/set pricing continues...

I have been looking at these EE CPUs for the last 8 years or so and i can honestly say that i don't think the pricing "scheme" has changed at all in that time. They still want ~ $1200 for a single CPU :shadedshu
Posted on Reply
#32
largon
Seems to me LGA2011 is heading the way of LGA1366.
I have a feeling Intel might just axe IB-E altogether and launch a new HEDT platform based on Haswell in mid-late and leave LGA2011 out dying much like they did with LGA1366, only worse as this time as users hoping to upgrade to IB-E would have just aging SB-E to poke at.
Posted on Reply
#33
Octavean
Actually, from my perspective the LGA2011 platform ranges in price from about ~$229.99 for the Core i7 3820 on up (at least for me at Microcenter). There are also Xeon E5 processors for way less then the EE line.

I think people look at EE chips, often like what they see then freak when they see the price. I’m not saying it isn’t a justified sticker shock but clearly the product isn’t priced for you if its going to cause conniption fits.

It’s a classic case of I want the best money can buy (or high-end) but don’t want to pay for it. EE pricing has always been consistently high from what I can recall so this is nothing new.

Having said that, Intel has done there job with the lower-end LGA1155 platform very well indeed. Therefore there is a lower cost but highly powerful option and this will likely continue on the upcoming LGA1150 platform as well.
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#34
Binge
Overclocking Surrealism
KissSh0tYou could build a pretty good gaming system for the price of this CPU....
and you wouldn't be able to reduce your render times with a good gaming system.
Posted on Reply
#36
jihadjoe
tacosRcooloverpriced...
Not gonna argue with that, but the price is including Singapore's GST. If you visit Singapore and buy the chip to use overseas, you can get a refund on the 7% tax.
Posted on Reply
#38
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
tricksonToo rich for my blood. Nice chip just way too much money! I can buy a car for that!
Not bad but This is to be replaced next year by IVB-E already
Posted on Reply
#39
Melvis
150w?? :eek: and people are complaining about 8 core PD at 125w, seriously?
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#40
cadaveca
My name is Dave
Melvis150w?? :eek: and people are complaining about 8 core PD at 125w, seriously?
:rolleyes:


Most people OC far above that. THAT is why it's an issue. Far different to start at 77W than to start @ 150 W...


I'm tempted to try to get a sample, but at 150W, I dunno.

4.0 GHz turbo clocks though...yeah, I'mma gonna ask for one.


Because my current 3960X @ 5.0 GHz is too damn slow.
Posted on Reply
#41
Melvis
cadaveca:rolleyes:


Most people OC far above that. THAT is why it's an issue. Far different to start at 77W than to start @ 150 W...


I'm tempted to try to get a sample, but at 150W, I dunno.

4.0 GHz turbo clocks though...yeah, I'mma gonna ask for one.


Because my current 3960X @ 5.0 GHz is too damn slow.
I can understand that for OC, but most people dont and honestly its a 6core CPU thats at 150w? in my eyes that pretty dam high considering AMD's 8 core dont ya think?
Posted on Reply
#42
dude12564
MelvisI can understand that for OC, but most people dont and honestly its a 6core CPU thats at 150w? in my eyes that pretty dam high considering AMD's 8 core dont ya think?
I think they tend to overestimate the TDP in some cases - like the FX-4170 with a tdp of 125W.
Posted on Reply
#43
cadaveca
My name is Dave
MelvisI can understand that for OC, but most people dont and honestly its a 6core CPU thats at 150w? in my eyes that pretty dam high considering AMD's 8 core dont ya think?
dude12564I think they tend to overestimate the TDP in some cases - like the FX-4170 with a tdp of 125W.
First TDP has nothing to do with power drawn..it has to do with the cooling needed. very different figures, and se yes, it's going to be overstated, because when it's understated ,the chip will overheat.


Yet...;)...


I had 3960X pull 155 W @ STOCK. Through 8-pin only.


FX-4100 STOCK 122 W.


150W is NOT that high, really a 7950 or GTX670 is like 225W, cooled with a dinky little cage fan and a cooler that is barely an inch thick.:shadedshu


150 W is NOTHING.


Now, my 3770K, at stock, pulls 50 W.


But then, I don't see many others pulling 4.6 GHz or more @ less than 1.2 V, like my chip does, although there are definitely others out there... I've seen a handful better, for sure.

Silicon quality is actually in far greater variation than most think, it seems.
Posted on Reply
#44
btarunr
Editor & Senior Moderator
largonSeems to me LGA2011 is heading the way of LGA1366.
I have a feeling Intel might just axe IB-E altogether and launch a new HEDT platform based on Haswell in mid-late and leave LGA2011 out dying much like they did with LGA1366, only worse as this time as users hoping to upgrade to IB-E would have just aging SB-E to poke at.
Ivy Bridge-E is a reality so far. LGA1366 lived through two micro-architectures: 45 nm Nehalem and 32 nm Westmere. I'd imagine the same for LGA2011: 32 nm SnB-E and 22 nm IvB-E.
Posted on Reply
#45
Rei86
[H]@RD5TUFFWe want technology that actually delivers performance.:shadedshu


Intel hurry up and give us Ivy Bridge - E already!
read this post and actually laughed my ass off for a sec.

can't wait for the TPU reviews to show that its not worth the extra money over the i7-3930k :shadedshu
LionheartIs it silly that the only thing I found interesting is the black box packaging? :clap:
I haven't bought a AMD Chip for my personal rig in a long time (FX53 personal, JUSt purchased a A8-5600k for the HTPC); But I gotta say AMD does the packaging better. Look at thos FX-8XXX boxes. So nice.
Posted on Reply
#46
largon
btarunrIvy Bridge-E is a reality so far.
If IB-E actually launches I wonder how Ivy Bridge arch chippery can remain relevant against LGA1150 Haswell and it's Xeon counterparts that will launch before it. But ofcourse, it's another story if Haswell offers no CPU-side performance bump vs. Ivy...
Posted on Reply
#48
Aquinus
Resident Wat-man
Well, I got a 3820 knowing (or at least thinking that I knew,) that IVB-E was going to be coming down the road for skt2011. Intel did a good job with their 22nm chips, but I bet you they can do better. Look at SB-E over SB for example, SB-E added support for native DDR3-1600 where SB was native at 1333 and SB-E "supports" PCI-E 3.0 and plenty of it just to name a couple big ones. I suspect that IVB-E might have some Haswell-like features if SB-E was any indication.
Posted on Reply
#49
Vego Actina
question is: does it clock better

i have at e5 1660 from 2012 and it needs lower v for everything below 5ghz than my last 3960x

hope to see some improvement with thisone
Posted on Reply
#50
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
Vego Actinaquestion is: does it clock better

i have at e5 1660 from 2012 and it needs lower v for everything below 5ghz than my last 3960x

hope to see some improvement with thisone
seems to be alot of vid cards just for a small monitor
Posted on Reply
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