Processor Intel Core I7 3770: Features, Comparison, Overclocking and Feedback

Intel is the world market leader in PC processors. This brand produces the widest range of microchips in various price and technology segments. Among the most notable solutions from the American corporation are the Intel Core i7 3770 microprocessors . These chips are implemented, in particular, on the basis of the high-tech architecture of Ivy Bridge. The microprocessors of the Intel Core i7 line are traditionally considered to be the highest performing games. The chips of the appropriate type are also considered to be well overclockable and stable in the corresponding mode. To what extent do these characteristics apply to the Intel Core i7 3770 processor? What are the strongest and weak points of the corresponding chip?

Understanding the CPU

The processor Core i7 3770 operates at a frequency of 3.5 GHz. It is classified as a chip belonging to the 3rd generation of Intel Core chips. This type of solution is characterized by the highest performance. The chip is made as part of a 22 nm process technology based on the Ivy Bridge core. It is installed on motherboards equipped with LGA1155 connector. It has 4 cores. Thanks to the concept of Turbo Boost 2.0, the processor frequency can accelerate to 3.9 GHz. The chip has a graphics accelerator HD Graphics 4000. The performance of this hardware component allows you to solve both everyday user tasks - such as launching office applications, working with the Internet, and using it as a gamer tool. Among the most notable technological options of the processor under consideration is support for the Hyper-Threading option. This technology allows the microchip to perform calculations within two threads on each core. Thus, in fact, the Core i7 3770 processor is 8-core. The chip is equipped with a powerful cooling system, designed to work with heat, corresponding to the functioning of the chip at 77 watts. Among other notable characteristics of the processor - the presence of cache memory level 3 of 8 MB.

Features of Ivy Bridge technology

The architecture on which the Intel Core i7 3770 processor is based is Ivy Bridge. It will be useful to study its features.

The technology under consideration is the result of the further development of Sandy Bridge microarchitecture. In principle, there are not too many differences between the corresponding decisions. In particular, the updated microarchitecture functions on the same connector as the previous one - LGA1155. Accordingly, the motherboard for Intel Core i7 3770 can be used the same as for older chips based on Sandy Bridge. Communications between the processors implemented on the basis of the architecture under consideration and the components of the system logic are carried out on the same bus as in the case of the Sandy Bridge technology, namely, DMI in version 2.0, which has a bandwidth of about 20 Gbit / s.

The functional nodes of the Ivy Bridge microarchitecture are the same as those used in the previous one - Sandy Bridge. Microchips based on the appropriate technology can have 2 or 4 cores with a 256-KB level 2 cache, 3 levels - up to 8 MB. In the structure of the chips on the microarchitecture under consideration, there is a graphics core, a memory controller working on 2 channels, an appropriate element for a graphics bus of PCI Express type, components responsible for Turbo technology and other related interfaces. The components of the Ivy Bridge-based chip are connected via the Ring Bus - as was the case with the previous microarchitecture from Intel.

What are the main differences between the Ivy Bridge technology on which the Intel Core i7 3770 processor is built from previous solutions? First of all, this is a technological process. The architecture is implemented at 22 nm. At the same time, the internal structure of the transistors has certain differences from the previous schemes. According to the information from the brand-manufacturer, the corresponding components have a three-dimensional structure. This design allows, in particular, to operate the chip under reduced voltage and lower heating intensity. So, the new architecture, on the basis of which the Intel Core i7 3770 processor - Ivy Bridge was created, based on the official information from the brand-manufacturer, is about 1.5 times more efficient than the Sandy Bridge technology in terms of the performance level per watt. As noted by IT experts, this property of the new microarchitecture from Intel creates the potential for active distribution of relevant processors in the notebook segment.

The noted technological advantages of Ivy Bridge are supplemented with energy saving algorithms, which Intel also implemented in chips based on the appropriate microarchitecture. Among other notable solutions introduced by the brand is a configurable TDP. The technological innovations introduced in the Ivy Bridge microarchitecture, and in particular the Intel Core i7 3770 chips, predetermined the possibility of Intel to produce these chips with an area of approximately 35% smaller than that of the Sandy Bridge-based chips. And it became possible in spite of the fact that in the structure of the newest microprocessors from Intel there are about 1.4 billion transistors. In turn, in chips based on the previous microarchitecture, there are 995 million corresponding components.

Comparison with competitors

How does the Intel Core i7 3770 look like against the backdrop of competing solutions? Comparison of the considered chip and its analogs can be carried out, proceeding from the basic characteristics of microcircuits. One of the competitors of the processor in question is the AMD FX-8350 chip, based on the Piledriver microarchitecture, which is the result of the development of Bulldozer technology. This processor operates on the Socket AM3 + platform, which is often considered as a competitive LGA1155.

The processor Intel Core i7 3770 is ahead of the competitor from AMD first of all on the technical process - the solution from AMD is implemented at 32 nm. The chip from AMD has at the same time 8 cores. This technological advantage can be meaningful - but only if an application or game that fully exploits this resource is launched on the computer. However, as we noted at the beginning of the article, in fact the Intel Core i7 3770 8-core processor, thanks to the fact that it supports the concept of Hyper-Threading. Therefore, even if the two chips under consideration are launched in a similar environment - those applications that involve 8 threads - the results will not always be in favor of the solution from AMD. According to IT experts, it is thanks to the process technology in 22 nm that the Intel processor can be considered one of the most high-performance solutions in its price segment. The remaining characteristics of the chip become secondary. Direct competitors of the Intel Core i7 3770 processor, however, may be in demand for individual tasks that require a narrow specialization of chips. For example, when running games optimized for AMD chips.

Features of the graphic module

We will study the features of some key components of the processor in question. In particular, deserves attention the new graphic module - HD Graphics 4000, which is built into the chip from Intel. The main advantage of this hardware component is the support of modern technologies, such as DirectX 11, Direct Compute, and Shader Model in version 5.0. Moreover, the brand processor manufacturer has implemented support for GPGPU-computations through the OpenCL interface version 1.1. The graphic module HD Graphics 4000, which is present in the structure of the processor Intel CPU Core i7 3770, can work with 3 independent displays. The overall performance level of the chip also increased due to the availability of additional executive elements - their 16. The noted advantages of the HD Graphics 4000 graphics module allow using it to launch relatively demanding games, including laptops, which is very important in terms of further spreading the influence of Intel in the corresponding Market segment.

How productive is the Ivy Bridge architecture?

What is the increase in the performance of chips based on the microarchitecture in question in comparison with the processors implemented on the previous technology - Sandy Bridge? As noted by IT experts, the new architecture from Intel does not provide a revolutionary increase in chip speed. As some tests show, you can observe the increase in Ivy Bridge performance by about 5% in comparison with the previous architecture - at the same chip frequencies. Experts attribute this to the fact that Intel's new chips, in principle, have the same structure of computing cores as in previous processors.

If you directly compare Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge cores at the same frequencies and when Hyper-Treading is disabled in the second in popular tests, then in some cases the advantage of a newer technology will be hardly noticeable at all. So, when testing the considered solutions in the Sandra program, the arithmetic tests of the processor show almost identical results. Of course - if you use a PC with the same characteristics of other hardware components. If desired, you can take turns to test the chips on the same PC. First - check the Ivy Bridge based chip, then install the Intel Core i7 3770 on the same computer.

PCI Express Performance

So, in terms of chip performance in its pure form, the new Ivy Bridge technology has very few advantages with respect to the previous microarchitecture. However, as we noted at the beginning of the article, the support for the PCI Express technology is improved in the Core i7 3770 processor. Does this mean a practical increase in PC performance in terms of using the marked hardware component? As the tests carried out by experts show, this is so. PCI Express technology is the interface responsible for the performance of key hardware components located inside the chip. Ivy Bridge microarchitecture is compatible with the PCI Express controller in the 3rd version. The bandwidth of the corresponding implementation of the interface is twice as high as that of the second version, and is about 8 gigatransactions per second.

Features of the memory controller chip

Another remarkable hardware component of the chip in question is the memory controller. Let us study its features.

In principle, its main characteristics in the new chip are not too different from those that are observed when studying the microarchitecture Sandy Bridge. In particular, it supports working with DDR3 SDRAM memory in two channels mode. At the same time, the new chip has the ability to fine-tune the frequencies. So, when working with the corresponding parameter, the range of correction of the frequency values can be 200 or 266 MHz. It can also be noted that the new processor supports a frequency corresponding to the DDR3-2800 SDRAM.

Testing the processor in games

We now study what the performance of the chip in question is in games. As experts note, processors based on Ivy Bridge microarchitecture are slightly faster when tested in the corresponding mode than previous models, but, as in the case of measuring the speed of the chips in Sandra, not much. It can be noted that in many games the processor from Intel is ahead of the competitor from AMD - the FX-8150 chip. Of course, the testing of chips in games involves the use of similar in performance related hardware components - especially the video card. At the same time, experts recommend testing the processor with minimal graphics settings - in particular, at low resolution. This is necessary to ensure that the results of checking the performance of PCs in games are based primarily on the performance of the processor, not the video card.

Intel, along with the base model of the Intel Core i7 3770, releases the one that has an unlocked software multiplier. That is - adapted to overclocking. It's about the Intel Core i7 3770K processor. Let's study the specifics of using the opportunities for overclocking this chip.

Overclocking the Intel Core 3770

You can overclock the processor by increasing the multiplier to 63. By the way, the previous microarchitecture, Sandy Bridge, allows you to set the value to within 59. As we noted above, the overclocked chip can function in the mode corresponding to the performance of DDR3-2800. You can also note the processor's support of the useful function of XMP in version 1.3.

How productive is the Intel Core i7 3770 chip in the corresponding mode? Overclocking the processor, as experts say, is accompanied by not too impressive results. In particular, the maximum stable frequency at which the microcircuit operates is about 4.6 GHz. That is, there is an increase in growth, in comparison with the nominal value, by about 20%. Experts estimate such performance as very modest - even against the background of previous models based on Sandy Bridge architecture. In particular, such chips as the Intel Core i7-2600K, as well as the Intel Core i7-2500K processor can be accelerated to values of about 5 GHz under acceptable voltage conditions. In this case, as experts say, the processor, in principle, does not get very hot, because the cooling system successfully copes with the increase in the frequency of the chip. Problems appear with the stability of the chip as it accelerates. When starting the processor in this mode, it is not recommended to set a voltage frequency exceeding 1.2 V.

Thus, the overclocking potential of the Intel CPU CPU Core i7 3770 is estimated by experts as very modest. However, for enthusiasts of the Intel brand, all opportunities for overclocking are open, provided that the processors of the Sandy Bridge line are used.

Summary

What conclusions can we draw by examining the Intel Core i7 3770 processor? The characteristics of this chip allow you to evaluate it as one of the most advanced in the segment. First of all, thanks to one of the most perfect technical processes - 22 nm. Very interesting is the implementation of support for the PCI Express chip in the third version. Also worthy of attention is the improved graphics core of the processor. Improved energy saving technology chip.

However, in terms of actual performance indicators, the processor in question can not be called revolutionary in comparison with the capabilities of the leading models of the previous line, based on Sandy Bridge microarchitecture. When comparing the performance of microcircuits at nominal frequencies, the performance of new products is literally several percent higher, and, moreover, not in all modes. In games, this advantage may not be apparent at all. Regarding overclocking, the potential of the device in this mode of operation is not too high, even against the background of previous models.

Processor Core TM i7 3770, according to experts, is best adapted to promote the brand Intel in the mobile solutions market. In the segment of desktops, in principle, it has the same capabilities as older models of chips. However, in the notebook segment it may well be one of the most competitive. These advantages are due to the processor, first, the reduced size, and secondly, the more efficient, as we noted above, power consumption.

Reviews

Let's consider one more important aspect of research of processors Intel Core i7 3770 - responses. What do the users say after testing the capabilities of the chip in question?

The opinions of the owners of PCs equipped with the microcircuit in question are generally very positive. Yes, of course, some users share the opinions of experts regarding the modest overclocking potential of the device, as well as a minimal increase in its performance at nominal frequencies - when comparing the corresponding characteristics with the previous models.

However, for many brand enthusiasts, these chips are advanced solutions. First of all, due to the technology, which is expressed in support of the technologies noted above, in particular, PCI Express, the availability of a powerful graphics chip, software standards, such as DirectX 11, in accordance with DDR3-800 frequencies. Many users purchase the chip as a separate hardware component - in the Intel Core i7 3770 Box format in order to install it on an existing PC and increase its performance. Judging by the reviews on thematic online portals - the owners of the processor are satisfied with the corresponding improvement of their computers.

So, the most powerful aspects of the Intel Core i7 3770 processor are:

- the presence of 4 cores supporting 2 computational flows on each;

- the use of a powerful graphics chip;

- Support for the latest hardware and software standards;

- high productivity in comparison with direct competitors in the market;

- Low level of energy consumption;

- small chip sizes.

Among the relatively weak aspects of the chip: a relatively low performance in overclocking, as well as not a very pronounced increase in performance in comparison with older models based on Sandy Bridge. In general, the processor in question is quite a highly competitive, technological chip, which can be claimed by various categories of users.