Core i7 940 Review Shows SMT and Tri-Channel Memory Let-down

[zCexVe]

As the computer enthusiast community gears up for Nehalem November, with reports suggesting a series of product launches for both Intel's Core i7 processors and compatible motherboards, Industry observer PC Online.cn have already published an in-depth review of the Core i7 940 2.93 GHz processor. The processor is based on the Bloomfield core, and essentially the Nehalem architecture that has been making news for over an year now. PC Online went right to the heart of the matter, evaluating the 192-bit wide (tri-channel) memory interface, and the advantage of HyperThreading on four physical cores. In the tests, the 2.93 GHz Bloomfield chip was pitted against a Core 2 Extreme QX9770 operating at both its reference speed of 3.20 GHz, and underclocked to 2.93 GHz, so a clock to clock comparison could be brought about.

The evaluation found that the performance increments tri-channel offers over dual-channel memory, in real world applications and games, are just about insignificant. Super Pi Mod 1.4 shows only a fractional lead for tri-channel over dual-channel, and the trend continued with Everest Memory Benchmark. On the brighter side, the integrated memory controller does offer improvements over the previous generation setup, with the northbridge handling memory. Even in games such as Call of Duty 4 and Crysis, tri-channel memory did not shine.

 

[Anusha]

WTF are those last two pics about? :/

 

[zCexVe]

Ahh,dont worry about this Anusha.I just posted without reading it.Then I realized they tested a tri-channel memory controller with two DIMMS.Fools source is www.pconline.com. Use google translator.

 

[Anusha]

but is that fps or something in the last two pics??? :/

 

[zCexVe]

Sorry,Google translator dont translate pictures.But it should be FPS.I'll look into it for u.

 

[blood_brotha]

loading times?

 

[zCexVe]

This is through google from www.pconline.com

http://66.102.9.104/translate_c?hl=...7.html&usg=ALkJrhiNvkDDmvZwcFvh3BVxQB28kIJrLg

"Call of Duty 4" scenes included in the comparison test of time:

载入的测试场景​

The load test scenario​

游戏所有特效开至游戏能够支持的最高级别，同时关闭垂直同步，分辨率为1024x768 0AA/0AF。​

Effects of all games to open the game to the highest level of support, to close at the same time the vertical sync with a resolution of 1024x768 0AA/0AF.

载入的场景为快乐歌运输号场景。​

Included in the scene for a happy song, the transport scene.

第一次载入时间由于误差太大，因此我们从第二次载入开始计算，测试三次取平均值。​

The first time to load because of errors too, so we loaded for the second time from the start, taking the average of three tests.

由于是手动操作，因此存在一定误差，测试只作参考。​

Because it is manually operated, so there is some error, the test for reference only.​

​

双通道相比单通道载入时间快了2秒，三通道相比双通道提升则不明显。​

Dual-channel single-channel load compared to the fast time of 2 seconds, compared to the three-channel two-channel does not improve significantly.

《孤岛危机》场景载入时间对比测试：​

"Crysis" scenes included in the comparison test of time:​

载入场景为Benchmark的测试场景​

Benchmark for the scene included in the test scene​

DX10大作Crysis孤岛危机以真实的画面著称。​

Daisaku DX10 Crysis Crysis to the true picture of that.

分辨率为1024x768 0AA/0AF，VeryHigh。​

A resolution of 1024x768 0AA/0AF, VeryHigh.

测试场景为BenchMark自带的， 测试三次取平均值。​

BenchMark bring their own tests for the scene, taking the average of three tests.

由于是手动操作，因此存在一定误差，测试只作参考。​

Because it is manually operated, so there is some error, the test for reference only.​

​

小结：在内存测试中，Core i7的双通道比单通道性能上有了不少的提升，但三通道比起双通道提升不明显，以两者有1G内存差距来看，甚至可以把提升看成是容量的功劳。​

Summary: In memory tests, Core i7 of dual-channel performance than single-channel has a lot of improvement, but compared with the three-channel two-channel upgrade was not obvious to 1G memory, there are gaps, can even enhance the look As the capacity of the credit.

当然，也有可能是当前软件对三通道支持不好、Core i7带宽不足等原因，未能发挥三通道的威力。​

Of course, there may be software to the current three-channel support of the poor, Core i7 bandwidth shortage and other reasons, can not play a three-channel power.

这点只能等软件和Core i7平台成熟后再进行探讨了。​

This can only be such as software and Core i7 mature platform to explore the future.​

 

[zCexVe]

loading times?

Yes it is.