Intel Core i7-960 processor: an overview, description, features and reviews

The processor model Core i7-960 was released in 2009 and is aimed at the use of computer systems based on the LGA1366 platform. Although its sales and started a long time ago, but technical specifications continue to be relevant to this day. Even now, this chip without any problems can cope with any task.

The niche of this semiconductor crystal

This processor solution is oriented to the use of the most productive computer systems. This includes gaming computers, workstations, graphic stations, and even entry-level servers. For such computers, the key requirement is high speed, but the cost of a semiconductor crystal is already being taken to the background. It is this combination that the CPA can boast of.

Socket

Core i7-960 was oriented to the installation of a socket LGA 1366. Motherboards with such a processor socket were combined. They allowed to install both desktop CPU models (this family was the hero of this review), and server ones. Later, this socket was replaced by LGA 2011, which allowed to create even more productive PC configurations.

Technological features

Intel Core i7-960 Was made according to the standards of 45 nm technical process. Against the background of the current 14 nm this value looks very, very unconvincing. But do not forget that the product was released in the distant 2009. By the standards of the computer industry, this is a serious interval, and at that time it was the advanced technology for the production of silicon chips. Therefore, there is nothing supernatural in the outdated technical process.

Cache system

As in all the most productive current CPU models, the system of 3 levels of fast memory was equipped with Core i7-960. Characteristics indicate that the total size of the first level was 256 KB, the second - 1 MB, and the third - 8 MB. In this case, the last one was common for all the computing resources of the chip. The second level, in turn, was divided into 4 equal parts of 256 KB, which could only interact with a certain CPU core. Well, the first was even more fragmented. It, like the second level, was divided into 4 parts of 64 KB, and then - two more at 32 KB. One of them could only store data, and the second - the instructions of the CPU.

Random Access Memory

One of the key features of the LGA 1366 platform was the availability of a three-channel memory controller. This allowed to obtain a significant increase in the speed of the computer system when installing three slats of RAM.

The supported memory standard is DDR3. The allowed frequencies in this case are 800 MHz and 1066 MHz. You can install more speed bars, but they will not work faster than 1066 MHz. The maximum amount of addressable RAM is 24 GB (3 channels of 8 GB).

Thermal package

The thermal package in the Core i7-960 was 130 watts. In this respect, this chip really looks like an outdated solution against the backdrop of the current flagship CPUs with a thermal package not exceeding 100 watts. The maximum permissible temperature of the processor was 67.9 ^° C. The highest temperatures with such a central processing unit could be obtained in the overclocking mode with a regular cooling system. And even in this case, it was impossible to exceed the limit of 55 ^° C.

Frequency formula

The minimum frequency of this chip was 3.2 GHz. Thus, it operated in the mode of least load or in case of a significant increase in temperature during operation. The maximum frequency in this case could be 3.46 GHz. Such a value could be obtained in single-threaded computing mode. There were also 2 additional frequencies of 3.33 GHz (for 4 modules with increased load) and 3.4 GHz (in the case of only 2 computational units). Such a flexible frequency control was provided by the proprietary technology from Intel, which was called TurboBust. It and now can often be found on semiconductor crystals of this manufacturer.

Internal architecture of the CPU

Core i7-960 was a family of solutions based on the Bloomfield architecture. This chip included at once 4 computational units, capable of working even in the mode of 64-bit computing. In turn, this solution from Intel has implemented another proprietary technology - HyperTraining. With its help, the real 4 cores were converted at the software level into 8 processed threads.

Overclocking

The CPU clock multiplier was blocked in the Intel Core i7-960. Therefore, the possibility of overclocking in this case was provided only by increasing the frequency of such a component of the computer as the system bus. This allowed in practice to obtain an additional 200-300 MHz, even with only a regular cooling system. If the computer system is equipped with an improved modification of the cooler, then an even more significant increase in performance could be obtained.

Price

Intel's i7-960 processor was priced at $ 305. Taking into account the performance and the availability margin, this cost proved to be more than justified. On the other hand, the segment on which this chip was aimed is not so critical of the cost of a semiconductor solution. In this niche, speed is the number one priority in terms of the degree of importance, and it is with this indicator that the product even has no special problems so far.

Reviews

Feedback from the owners of this CPU indicates that there are no significant shortcomings. Conditionally, we can only call the high cost, but in fact this chip does not experience any problems either. Given the niche positioning of the CPU , there is nothing special about this. Any quality thing can not be cheap. Well, plus in this case much more. This is speed, and energy efficiency, and good overclocking capabilities, albeit only on the frequency of the system bus.

Results

At the time of its release Core i7-960 Was aimed at the niche of the most productive computer devices. Now, of course, there are more high-speed chips. But the possibilities of this semiconductor product are such that even now, 6 years after the start of sales, it can easily cope with any existing application, including the most demanding. And this situation will certainly be preserved in the next 2 years.