Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 Processor Review

Post by **Apoptosis** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 10:52 pm

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 Processor Review

Legit Reviews has already covered the Intel Core 2 Extreme Processor QX6700 in a number of articles, but now that the first quad-core CPU is officially launched we bring you 20 pages of information to ponder. If you want to see what the future holds when it comes to quad-core processors then this article is a must read. The Intel QX6700 quad-core processor is a monster when used with certain applications!

Article Title: Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 Processor Review
Article URL: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/412/1/
DIGG URL: DIGG IT

Post by **Apoptosis** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 11:26 pm

just added this chart to the review in the overclocking section:

I think it better shows the performance gap between AMD and Intel than just saying 17.2FPS to 6.6FPS!

Cypher · Post by **Cypher** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 12:07 am

I so want one.

cadaveca · Post by **cadaveca** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 12:19 am

Pennies are already saved. Just gotta save for XBX2 and 4GB of ram now.

bubba · Post by **bubba** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 7:23 am

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 8:02 am

Will you be publishing another article on trying to max out the QX6700 on water? If not, and you give us some clocks versus temps please

Otherwise very nice article!

Dan

Post by **Apoptosis** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 8:08 am

DMB2000uk wrote:Will you be publishing another article on trying to max out the QX6700 on water? If not, and you give us some clocks versus temps please

Otherwise very nice article!

Dan

I won't be looking into overclocking and temps much more on that platform... It's on a pre-production board and a HSF that will never be in production. Once a production board arrives and a retail HSF I'll be able to look at temperatures and give readers numbers that actually matter. If you are interested in overclocked temps you can see on the overclocking page that i was hitting 85C on one of the cores WITH water cooling. I'd honestly call my QX6700 maxed out at 3.73GHz... Would you take your $999 processor past 85C on water?

Post by **Apoptosis** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:08 am

Dan,

Just because I love you... Here is some water cooling overclocking 3dmark 06 results and temperatures at idle and load. I used Intel TAT to get load temps, so the load was only on TWO of the FOUR cores... The system locked up while running TAT and core 0 got up to 89C during the test at 1.5V with the CPU running 14 x 266MHz. Also notice that the temp went up 3-4C by going from a 13 to 14 multiplier at just idle... One last thing... notice the difference in temps between Core Temp Beta and Intel TAT... dunno about all that.

Idle Test 1: 13 x 266MHz = 3.46GHz w/ 1.5Vcore

Load Test 1: 13 x 266MHz = 3.46GHz w/ 1.5Vcore

Idle Test 1: 14 x 266MHz = 3.73GHz w/ 1.5Vcore

Post by **FZ1** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:34 am

Nice job, Nate

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:05 am

You've just proved why I think your all so awesome, and made my day

Thanks Nate your a star!

Which software are you more inlcined to believe, intel or coretemp? I know both will have their inaccuracies. And Ive not seen coretemp showing a temp lower than other programs before!

Idling above 50oC, ouch. I'd definately not feel happy about that. Though I must admit that I'd appriciate the extra warmth in my room at the minute, its only 7oC outside. And isnt throttling at 80oC?

Dan

cadaveca · Post by **cadaveca** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:13 am

Throttling should occur @ 82c, unless the bios has overridden this functionality.

I'm quite put off of that heatload...not gonna stop me from trying one out tho.

Got stock water-cooled temps? I tend to see TAT a few degrees lower than CoreTemp, too, but let TAT load the cores, i find, for max temps.

Post by **Apoptosis** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:21 am

DMB2000uk wrote:You've just proved why I think your all so awesome, and made my day

Thanks Nate your a star!

Which software are you more inlcined to believe, intel or coretemp? I know both will have their inaccuracies. And Ive not seen coretemp showing a temp lower than other programs before!

Idling above 50oC, ouch. I'd definately not feel happy about that. Though I must admit that I'd appriciate the extra warmth in my room at the minute, its only 7oC outside. And isnt throttling at 80oC?

Dan

I'm not sure what temp program to trust (that's why i showed both). Intel has a new version of TAT that supports quad core, but will not give it to me even under nda... here is the e-mail from Intel as to why:

I have been working with Legal on a Cease and Desists for some websites that have it posted. It is Intel Confidential and meant for Customers only with NDA. Some customer has leaked this out. If used incorrectly there could be potential damage to the processor.There are no planned updates for the public.

Off the record TAT punishes CPU's and is actually blowing them up, so Intel really doesn't want enthusiasts using it. If any of our readers are using it I don't advise using it for long periods of time (anything over 30mins is long).

As to the temps --- they are hot and this is why I have been trying to tell people to go water cooled... I'm at 59C/55C at idle when overclocked, which is pretty insane if you ask me. It's obvious these cores have some leakage on the core because when pushed beyond their rated specs they tend to get toasty.

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:27 am

Its reading things like this that make me feel all warm and fuzzy knowing Ive got a dual 120mm rad that will be able to handle quad core temps

Dan

Post by **Apoptosis** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:41 am

DMB2000uk wrote:Its reading things like this that make me feel all warm and fuzzy knowing Ive got a dual 120mm rad that will be able to handle quad core temps

Dan

Intel believes that when the move to 45nm happens in 2007 that quad-core processors will run cooler as a result. Makes sense on paper, but water cooling is required if someone wants to overclock these CPU's. Remember during my Fall 2006 IDF coverage I noted several times that ALL the overclocked quad-core CPU's were water cooled that Intel showed off. That was a sign that water cooling is now a must for enthusiasts.

cadaveca · Post by **cadaveca** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:58 am

Apoptosis wrote: here is the e-mail from Intel as to why:

I have been working with Legal on a Cease and Desists for some websites that have it posted. It is Intel Confidential and meant for Customers only with NDA. Some customer has leaked this out. If used incorrectly there could be potential damage to the processor.There are no planned updates for the public.
Off the record TAT punishes CPU's and is actually blowing them up, so Intel really doesn't want enthusiasts using it. If any of our readers are using it I don't advise using it for long periods of time (anything over 30mins is long)

Here's what it says in the EULA:

LICENSE: Intel grants you the following non-exclusive, non-transferrable, royalty-free,
copyright license subject to the terms of this Agreement. Intel grants you the right to
copy the software and materials ("Materials") onto a computer for your personal,
noncommercial use. You will not use, copy, modify, sell or transfer any part of the
Materials except as provided in this Agreement. You will not reverse engineer,
decompile, or disassemble the software.

Now, i don't know american law, but I am familiar with Canadian law. Intel won't have much ground to stand on up here, as there is nothing in the installer or documentation provided that signifies this program as confidential.

then, there's this:

LICENSE. You may copy the Software onto your organization's computers for your organization's internal use, and you may make a reasonable number of back-up copies of the Software, subject to these conditions:
1.You may not copy, modify, rent, sell, distribute or transfer any part of the Software except as provided in this Agreement, and you agree to prevent unauthorized copying of the Software.
2.You may not reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Software.
3.You may not sublicense the Software.
4.The Software may include portions offered on terms in addition to those set out here, as set out in a license accompanying those portions.

It gets better when you can consider a forum your "organization"...legal cease and desist.

eva2000 · Post by **eva2000** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:57 am

Apoptosis wrote: Off the record TAT punishes CPU's and is actually blowing them up, so Intel really doesn't want enthusiasts using it. If any of our readers are using it I don't advise using it for long periods of time (anything over 30mins is long).

wow didn't know that

would explain my higher temps and power draw with TAT than dual stressprime orthos with my testing at http://i4memory.com/showthread.php?t=3259

I assume they mean TAT's own internal cpu load tests and not the monitoring function ?