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(More customer reviews)I have had my previous P4 for quite a while. I had overclocked it and took it for all it was worth and have been waiting for the right time to buy a new PC. Well, after many years of good use, the P4 forced my hands last week when the southbridge fan gave way and the board stopped functioning. After having to work through a bunch of glitches with it for the last six months, I knew it was time for me to build a new system.
When I get ready to build a new system, I spend tons of hours researching everything. I specifically focus on quality. I know that I am more satisfied with the Intel line than the AMD line (I built both). I spent a lot of time looking at the 800 series, 900 series, and 900 extreme series i7 processors to make sure I know the value of each chip. It will always be a question of quality and speed versus dollars and everyones value point is different.
I had a choice here. I could have gotten an i7 920 (or even the i7 860 with an even cheaper motherboard), some good but cheap memory, add a nice 1.5TB hard drive and have a definite upgrade from what I have now and cost me half as much for my system. I would have been happy with it and love the increase in performance. But one thing I have learned is that if I am willing to spend a little extra, I will be satisfied a lot longer. The price I paid here on Amazon is the same as for the 950, although almost twice as much than the 920. With free shipping, and no sales tax, I really get a better value for this chip here than anywhere else. The speed tests show that the performance of the 960, especially when paired with good memory and an extremely fast hard drive, far outperforms the 920 so that the money difference can be justified. I know a lot of enthusiast are set on buying the 920 and then just overclocking it, but the 960 can be overclocked easily to 4.1 Ghz and can get to speeds the 920 only dreams of having (I am not complaining about the 920, but I just don't care for the overclocking argument). Paired with a solid state drive and PC3-1600 low latency Dominator triple-channel memory chips (and a P6X58D Premium motherboard with SATA III and USB 3.0) and I have a system that will last me quite a while before I need an upgrade. Could I have waited until the price of those components come down? Yes, but there will always be something better. I spend a lot of time on my computer (for work and play) and I want something that will satisfy me for many years before my next upgrade.
As far as performance, OH MY GAWD! I can't really compare it to the 920 since I don't have one. I can't even separate out the effect of the solid state drive, dominator memory, P6X48D motherboard, or the i7-960, but I swear the computer just reads my mind and performs the tasks. Never had I seen instant loading like this system does. I am absolutely blown away. I am sure Windows is creating a new operating system to slow things down, but until that happens, I am a happy camper.
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Intel Core i7 960 3.2GHz Clock Speed 8M L3 Cache LGA1366 Desktop Processor BX80601960Product Description: The Intel Core i7-960 processor combines the power of four 3.20 GHz computing cores into a single processor, guaranteeing enough processing power for the most demanding applications. With 8 MB of smart cache, the Core i7-960 processor ensures that you get maximum responsiveness from your system, even when several intensive programs run simultaneously. Compatible with motherboards based on the Intel X58 Express chipset, the Core i7-960 processor takes your computing and gaming experience to the next level.
Intel Core i7-960 Processor features:
Four 3.20 GHz cores for better multitasking and multithreaded performance.
8 MB of smart cache.
Integrated memory controller delivers higher memory bandwidth.
Quick Path Interconnect provides fast data transfer between the processor and chipset.
With four cores in one processor, users will experience better multitasking and multithreaded performance.
The Intel Core i7-960 processor delivers outstanding performance for demanding tasks.View larger. Powerful New Microarchitecture Eliminates Slowdown The i7 family is Intel's flagship processor, and for good reason. With the i7 family, Intel engineers invented a revolutionary new style of microarchitecture. They replaced the front side bus--a longtime staple of processor design--with a new technology called QuickPath Interconnect (QPI). Using QPI, the Intel Core i7-960 processor achieves unprecedented levels of bandwidth, and can use its four computing cores to their maximum potential.
To put it simply, users will enjoy faster and more streamlined processing than ever before. Your computer will handle multiple projects and applications without the slowdown you'd experience with a lesser processor.
Extremely intensive programs like high-definition media editors will run more smoothly and responsively. And you'll be able to experience next-generation games without frame-rate hiccups and slowdowns.
New Technologies Boost Performance The Intel Core i7-960 processor also makes use of several other cutting-edge technologies:
Turbo Boost Technology allows the processor to run up to 133 MHz faster when it's operating below power/thermal limits.
Hyper-threading Technology enables more efficient use of processor resources, making the most of highly threaded software like media players and next-generation games.
Smart Cache Memory increases available RAM resources, leading to less lag while multi-tasking.
Media Editing and Sharing Easier than EverWhether editing high-definition videos, touching up family photos, or splicing up music, the Intel Core i7-960 processor provides the processing power needed. The processor's four cores are optimized to keep up with the most advanced digital editing software. It also accelerates DVD encoding and compression, allowing you to easily share your HD home videos with everyone.
Unparalleled Gaming PerformanceWith the advent of next-generation games, PC gaming is more immersive than ever. The latest games take advantage of multi-threaded programming, allowing for more realistic graphics, physics, and artificial intelligence (AI). But you need more than just a good graphics card with high GPU output to fully experience all these effects. Underlying the visual realism and advanced AI scripts are thousands of high-speed calculations that your CPU must process.
Fortunately, the Intel Core i7-960 processor is specifically designed to handle these calculations. Using multi-thread architecture, it has the ability to process thousands of graphical characteristics at once, resulting in a smooth and lag-free experience. Intel worked closely with CryTek -- the developers of the advanced game engine behind such games as Crysis and Far Cry -- to guarantee that gamers have an immersive and lifelike experience.
The Intel Core i7-960 processor is backed by a three-year limited warranty.
Intel Core i7 Processor Comparison Intel Core i7-980X Processor Extreme Edition Intel Core i7-970 Processor Intel Core i7-960 Processor Number of Processing Cores 6 6 4 Number of Simultaneous Threads 12 (With Intel HT Technology) 12 (With Intel HT Technology) 8 (With Intel HT Technology) Clock Speed 3.33 GHz 3.20 GHz 3.20 GHz Max Turbo Frequency 3.60 GHz 3.46 GHz 3.46 GHz Intel Smart Cache 12 MB 12 MB 8 MB Max Memory Size 24 GB 24 GB 24 GB Memory Types DDR3-1066 DDR3-800/1066 DDR3-800/1066 Number of DDR3 Memory Channels 3 3 3 AES New Instructions Yes Yes No
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