Test: Intel Core i7 870 2.93 GHz

Konklusion

Intel har altid haft en tendens til at gå egne veje. Faktisk viser historien at AMD har været nogle rigtige copy-cats af Intel's design igennem årene, som de så senere har bygget ovenpå. Det har også været til Intel's fordel, da man med Core i7 900-serien og X58, også endelig indså at RAM-controlleren altså mest fornuftigt skal placeres i CPU'en. Selvsikkerheden fra Intel fejler absolut intet, men det kan i sidste ende også betyde at vi forbrugere betaler prisen. Core i7 800-serien har lige pludselig brug for en helt ny platform... Socket 1156 betyder ikke kun at man kan nøjes med at skifte CPU, nej man skal som minimum skifte CPU, bundkort og køler, da hullerne omkring soklen ikke passer med tidligere monterings-mekanismer. Det er et eller andet sted at drive gæk med forbrugeren, for allerede inden lanceringen af P55 og s1156 bundkortene, har nogen bundkort producenter taget initiativet i egen hånd, og har lavet huller til s775 montering omkring s1156 CPU-soklen. Så det er altså ikke fordi det ikke kan lade sig gøre. Intel lader bare til at ville smøre deres interesser til producenterne af køleløsninger - heriblandt dem selv naturligvis.

Intel lader altså til at ville fortsætte med at "tvinge" penge op af lommen på os forbrugere helt udnødvendigt, imens AMD's seneste opdatering AM3, for de flestes vedkommende ikke har krævet andet end en opgradering udelukkende af CPU'en.

Med andre ord, så er Core i7 800-serien og Core i5 700-serien langt fra at være den økonomisk ansvarligt-fornuftige opgradering som Core 2 Duo var i sin tid. Uden at glemme hvor hård en sammenligning netop Core 2 er.
 

Innovation/Teknologi - 5
Der er ingen tvivl om at de 10 måneder der er gået forbi, siden introduktionen af Core i7-serien, har kastet sig et par innovationer af sig. Entydigt er Intel's Turbo Boost en så suveræn innovation, at Samtlige Core i7 800-serie og Core i5 700-serie CPU'er fortjener topkarakter i denne kategori. Denne gør jo netop at de mest anvendte kerner i CPU'erne, automatisk overclocker så snart der er behov for det - kan det snart blive meget bedre?

Ydelse - 5
Core i7 870 overgår Core i7 920 i flere test.. behøver vi snart sige mere? Når Intel mener business, så mener de sgu business, og selvfølgelig kan de da ikke introducere en ny CPU, uden at dominere en 10 måneder ældre... Så er det åbenbart underordnet at 870 er 870 og 920 er 920. Yderligere er det også rigtigt imponerende, at det lykkedes os at overclocke til 4.3 GHz på en luftkøler. 870 er en drømme-CPU for overclockere.

Pris - 1
Intel Core i7 870 har en særdeles hamper pris. Hele kr. 3800,- er lanceringsprisen, og for de penge kan man bla. få en Core i7 920, et X58 bundkort og 6 GB DDR3 RAM. Så kr. 3800,- for en ny CPU? Nej tak, den springer vi over, og venter i stedet og ser på hvad de andre nye 800- og 700-serie vil bringe med sig pris/ydelses mæssigt.

Test: Intel Core i7 870 2.93 GHz

Innovation / Teknologi	5
Ydelse	5
Pris	1
Samlet	73%

UK summary

Intel has always had a tendency to go their own ways. Indeed, history shows that AMD has been real copy-cats of Intel's designs over the years, of which they have built their own designs on top. It has also been to Intel's advantage, as with Core i7 900 Series and X58, also finally realized that the RAM controller is most sensibly placed in the CPU. Intel's self-confidence doesn't fail, but it could also ultimately mean that we consumers pay the price. Core i7 800-series has all of a sudden needed a new platform ... Socket 1156 not only means that you can simply switch CPU, no you must at least change the CPU, motherboard and cooler, since the holes around the socket does not fit with previous mechanisms. That is somewhat playing games with the consumer, for even before the launch of the P55 and s1156 motherboard, motherboard manufacturers has allready taken the initiative into their own hands, and made holes for the S775 mounting on s1156 socket motherboards. So it is not because it is not possible. Intel just seems to want to care for their interests to the manufacturers of cooling solutions - among them, Intel themselves of course.

Intel seems to confidently "force" money out of our pockets, while AMD's latest update of AM3, for the most part didn't require anything other than an upgrade of only the CPU.

In other words, the Core i7 800 Series and Core i5 700-series, is far from being the economically, sensible upgrade that  Core 2 Duo was in his time - but indeed a really hard series to compete against.
 

Innovation/Technology - 5
There is no doubt that the 10 months that have passed since the launch of Core i7 series, has thrown a couple of innovations off into the new 800-series. Specifically Intel's Turbo Boost, is such superior an innovation, that all the Core i7 800-series and Core i5 700-series CPUs deserves top marks in this category. It makes the most widely used cores in CPU's, automatic overclock  as soon as you need it - does it get much better than that?

Performance - 5
The Core i7 870 beats the Core i7 920 in most testing environments. When Intel say's business, they do mean business, and of course, they cannot introduce a new CPU, without dominating a 10 months older one... So it is obviously subordinate that 870 are 870 and 920 is the 920. Further, it is also very impressive, it was able to overclock to 4.3 GHz on an air cooler. 870 is a dream-CPU for overclockers.

Price - 1
Intel Core i7 870 has a very steep price. A staggering DKK 3800, - is the launch price. For that amount of money , you could get a Core i7 920, an X58 motherboard and 6 GB of DDR3 RAM. So DKK 3800, - for a new CPU? We'll let this one pass,and se what the other models in the new 800- and 700-series will bring about price/performance wise.