Intel Core i7 is out, should you upgrade?

Intel launched yesterday what it claims to be the fastest processor in the planet, the Intel Core i7. It is first their new line of processors which are based on the Nehalem architecture (45nm).

Many hardware critics can only say nothing but praises for the Core i7 which is a breakthrough in computing technology. Intel showed that their Core i7 is at least 40% faster than their top of the line Core 2 Extreme processor (QX9770).

Hyper-Threading Technology is back

The Core i7 can utilize their own HT Technology which can be a great advantage for highly threaded applications and games. Multi-tasking would be a breeze as computing threads can be done in parallel. With its 4 cores, it can deliver 8-threaded performance.

Unfortunately, there’s not a whole lot of games that can optimize those 8 threads but they’re in talks with game developers to make use of the technology. However, games that utilize HT Technology (FarCry 2 was demoed) can give you a totally realistic experience when playing just as what the developers intended the game to be played.

Turbo Boost Technology

This technology automatically increases or decreases the processor’s frequency as needed. It can disable the 3 cores if not needed to save energy and can easily maximize their capability for CPU-intensive processes. No need to tweak the frequency on the BIOS settings just to get more juice out of your processors.

So should you upgrade your current machine?

Well do you need 4 cores or is your dual core good enough? I think changing the name to Core i7 is a marketing ploy so that buyers who would be asking for the most latest processor can be caught unaware that they’re already buying a quad core that they probably won’t need. Removing the word "Quad" on their branding can do that.

If you do a lot of 3D or video rendering then the Core i7 can really save you a LOT of time. If you think your current quad core is fast, the Core i7 is way much faster.

If you’re an extreme gamer and overclocker then you would probably want to get your hands on the fastest processor around. They removed the overspeed protection and has a native support for DDR3 1066MHz. *whistle*

Be prepared to pay top dollar for the Core i7 which is already available in the market:

Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHz – $284
Intel Core i7 940 2.93GHz – $562
Intel Core i7 965 3.2GHz Extreme Edition – $999

And pay some more for the select few of high-end motherboards that supports the Core i7. Not to mention the still-expensive DDR3 RAM chips and a PCI-E 2.0 graphics card.

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Calvin is a newbie blogger who’s working as an IT consultant and blogs for a hobby. He has his own personal blog, Calvin’s Hub, where he writes about his thoughts on just about everything that interests him.

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