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The First Intel Lynnfield PCs: Tested and Benchmarked
The First Intel Lynnfield Computers
Intel has unveiled its Lynnfield processors,test results for the first systems to use the new chips.
It isn't easy keeping up with Intel's enigmatically code-named chip releases, but on Tuesday it launched a processor called "Lynnfield." What does that mean to you? In a nutshell, Lynnfield (AKA Core i7-860, Core i7-870, and Core i5-750) and the new Intel P55 Express chipset represent the hot mainstream processors for the next generation of Intel-based PCs. Based on the Nehalem Core i7 processors introduced last year, Lynnfield processors are more efficient, more capable, and cheaper. Our tests on the first systems to use the chips, the Velocity Micro Edge Z30 and Falcon Northwest Talon (Core i7-860), show these chips deliver performance that used to be available only in $5K gaming boxes, for a fraction of the price.
You won't see Lynnfield processors in the cheapest budget PCs, but pretty much anything over $800 to $1,000 is a candidate for the new processors. Contrast this with the $2,500+ systems that used the previous Core i7-920, it-940, i7-950, and i7-975 processors.
Like the previous Core i7 processors, the new CPUs are optimized for multimedia and gaming tasks that support multiple threads (or tasks) happening simultaneously. These include things like transcoding/translating videos from formats like DVD to more compact formats like the ones used on the iPhone and Zune players. The new Lynnfield processors refine this idea by giving the processor extra "oomph" when working on single-threaded and multi-threaded tasks. For example, the new i7-860 processor can overclock one of its cores from 2.8GHz up to 3.46GHz when working on a single threaded task, while at the same time "turning off" unused parts of the core so those parts don't use energy and create heat. It's like closing the vents in unused parts of your house and closing the doors, so the room you're actually in makes the most of your central air conditioning.
There are other features in the Core i7-800 and Core i5-700 series in conjunction with the P55 Express chipset: The combination supports dual-channel DDR3 instead of triple-channel, easing the complexity of building and upgrading PCs. This translates into less costly PCs, with most of the performance of the higher priced PCs. Also, the P55 Express chipset support up to two PCIe x8 lanes or one PCIe x16 graphics lane: again this contrasts with the older i7 systems that supported two x16 or four x8 lanes. Why pay for extra chipset bandwidth that you will likely never use? (Triple- and quad-SLI systems belong squarely in the realm of the high-priced $5k PC).
There are a whole bunch of other tech stats on the P55 Express chipset and the new Lynnfield processors, but I'd direct you to our sister site, ExtremeTech.com for more on the nitty-gritty of the microarchitecture. It suffices to say that the technology and power that used to be in the hands of rich people that could afford $5,000 PCs is now in the hands of people that can afford $1,000 PCs.
The First Intel Lynnfield PCs: Tested and Benchmarked
We recently got a couple of the first available Lynnfield systems into PCMag Labs for testing: the $2,495 Falcon Northwest Talon (Core i7-860) and the $1,299 Velocity Micro Edge Z30. Both are very good PCs in their own right, but their biggest advantage is definitely their Lynnfield processors. (To find out how they stack up, check out our benchmark analysis .)
The Core i7-920 was the workhorse CPU for the first generation of Core i7 PCs, and it served well for a while in systems ranging from the Gateway F6801-03 ($1,280 MSRP) up to the Dell Studio XPS 435 ($1,769 direct). We also saw the Core i7-950 overclocked in the older Falcon Talon (Core i7-950) ($2,437 direct). All of these systems were good for the time, but as usual, the march of technology means that there's a newer, faster solution on the table.
The Velocity Micro Edge Z30 and Falcon Northwest Talon (Core i7-860) are actually well matched because both use similarly overclocked Core i7-860 processors and Nvidia GeForce graphics cards. The main difference being that the Falcon has an Intel SSD (solid state drive) and two higher-end graphics cards, and the Velocity uses single mainstream card. That said, both are neck and neck for most of the multimedia tests, and both are measurably faster at multimedia tasks than the systems using the older i7-920 and the Polywell Poly 790XG3, which uses the AMD Phenom II X4 955 processor.
Keep in mind, a few seconds here and there may not be missed in casual use. If you make your living from multimedia or 3D graphics, the seconds will add up, but not if you only work with photos and videos in your free time. It's a similar story with the Gateway LX6820-01 running the older Core 2 Quad 9550: it's behind, but not by much. If you're often doing multimedia tasks (video editing/transcoding and photo editing), the extra oomph the newer processors bring will be noticeable. Predictably, the Core 2 Duo powered HP s3710t runs a bit behind the quad-core systems, and the Intel Atom-powered Polywell Poly ITX-9400 runs way behind.
The newer systems also had better gaming performance. For real-world game testing and 3DMark Vantage testing, the graphics card usually matters more than the CPU, although a fast CPU still helps. For example, the Edge Z30 was about 10fps faster on both Crysis tests than the Gateway FX6801-03, both using the same graphics card. However, the Falcon Northwest Talon (Core i7-860) with two high-powered GTX 275 cards was able to top all comers at the 3DMark Vantage tests. That said, the greatest disparity was between systems running the Nvidia cards and the ones running the ATI Radeon cards with older drivers (like the Dell Studio XPS 435).
The takeaway: If you're already running a Core i7 system with an up-to-date system (drivers, graphics card, etc.), you're in a good place and you should skip this rev. If you're running older quad-core hardware, then an upgrade may be important if you need a speedier system now.
The First Intel Lynnfield Computers
Intel has unveiled its Lynnfield processors,test results for the first systems to use the new chips.
It isn't easy keeping up with Intel's enigmatically code-named chip releases, but on Tuesday it launched a processor called "Lynnfield." What does that mean to you? In a nutshell, Lynnfield (AKA Core i7-860, Core i7-870, and Core i5-750) and the new Intel P55 Express chipset represent the hot mainstream processors for the next generation of Intel-based PCs. Based on the Nehalem Core i7 processors introduced last year, Lynnfield processors are more efficient, more capable, and cheaper. Our tests on the first systems to use the chips, the Velocity Micro Edge Z30 and Falcon Northwest Talon (Core i7-860), show these chips deliver performance that used to be available only in $5K gaming boxes, for a fraction of the price.
You won't see Lynnfield processors in the cheapest budget PCs, but pretty much anything over $800 to $1,000 is a candidate for the new processors. Contrast this with the $2,500+ systems that used the previous Core i7-920, it-940, i7-950, and i7-975 processors.
Like the previous Core i7 processors, the new CPUs are optimized for multimedia and gaming tasks that support multiple threads (or tasks) happening simultaneously. These include things like transcoding/translating videos from formats like DVD to more compact formats like the ones used on the iPhone and Zune players. The new Lynnfield processors refine this idea by giving the processor extra "oomph" when working on single-threaded and multi-threaded tasks. For example, the new i7-860 processor can overclock one of its cores from 2.8GHz up to 3.46GHz when working on a single threaded task, while at the same time "turning off" unused parts of the core so those parts don't use energy and create heat. It's like closing the vents in unused parts of your house and closing the doors, so the room you're actually in makes the most of your central air conditioning.
There are other features in the Core i7-800 and Core i5-700 series in conjunction with the P55 Express chipset: The combination supports dual-channel DDR3 instead of triple-channel, easing the complexity of building and upgrading PCs. This translates into less costly PCs, with most of the performance of the higher priced PCs. Also, the P55 Express chipset support up to two PCIe x8 lanes or one PCIe x16 graphics lane: again this contrasts with the older i7 systems that supported two x16 or four x8 lanes. Why pay for extra chipset bandwidth that you will likely never use? (Triple- and quad-SLI systems belong squarely in the realm of the high-priced $5k PC).
There are a whole bunch of other tech stats on the P55 Express chipset and the new Lynnfield processors, but I'd direct you to our sister site, ExtremeTech.com for more on the nitty-gritty of the microarchitecture. It suffices to say that the technology and power that used to be in the hands of rich people that could afford $5,000 PCs is now in the hands of people that can afford $1,000 PCs.
The First Intel Lynnfield PCs: Tested and Benchmarked
We recently got a couple of the first available Lynnfield systems into PCMag Labs for testing: the $2,495 Falcon Northwest Talon (Core i7-860) and the $1,299 Velocity Micro Edge Z30. Both are very good PCs in their own right, but their biggest advantage is definitely their Lynnfield processors. (To find out how they stack up, check out our benchmark analysis .)
The Core i7-920 was the workhorse CPU for the first generation of Core i7 PCs, and it served well for a while in systems ranging from the Gateway F6801-03 ($1,280 MSRP) up to the Dell Studio XPS 435 ($1,769 direct). We also saw the Core i7-950 overclocked in the older Falcon Talon (Core i7-950) ($2,437 direct). All of these systems were good for the time, but as usual, the march of technology means that there's a newer, faster solution on the table.
The Velocity Micro Edge Z30 and Falcon Northwest Talon (Core i7-860) are actually well matched because both use similarly overclocked Core i7-860 processors and Nvidia GeForce graphics cards. The main difference being that the Falcon has an Intel SSD (solid state drive) and two higher-end graphics cards, and the Velocity uses single mainstream card. That said, both are neck and neck for most of the multimedia tests, and both are measurably faster at multimedia tasks than the systems using the older i7-920 and the Polywell Poly 790XG3, which uses the AMD Phenom II X4 955 processor.
Keep in mind, a few seconds here and there may not be missed in casual use. If you make your living from multimedia or 3D graphics, the seconds will add up, but not if you only work with photos and videos in your free time. It's a similar story with the Gateway LX6820-01 running the older Core 2 Quad 9550: it's behind, but not by much. If you're often doing multimedia tasks (video editing/transcoding and photo editing), the extra oomph the newer processors bring will be noticeable. Predictably, the Core 2 Duo powered HP s3710t runs a bit behind the quad-core systems, and the Intel Atom-powered Polywell Poly ITX-9400 runs way behind.
The newer systems also had better gaming performance. For real-world game testing and 3DMark Vantage testing, the graphics card usually matters more than the CPU, although a fast CPU still helps. For example, the Edge Z30 was about 10fps faster on both Crysis tests than the Gateway FX6801-03, both using the same graphics card. However, the Falcon Northwest Talon (Core i7-860) with two high-powered GTX 275 cards was able to top all comers at the 3DMark Vantage tests. That said, the greatest disparity was between systems running the Nvidia cards and the ones running the ATI Radeon cards with older drivers (like the Dell Studio XPS 435).
The takeaway: If you're already running a Core i7 system with an up-to-date system (drivers, graphics card, etc.), you're in a good place and you should skip this rev. If you're running older quad-core hardware, then an upgrade may be important if you need a speedier system now.