Lynnfield Beckons!

As we get nearer and nearer to the imminent Lynnfield (aka Core i5) launch, more and more leaked news and benchmarks are starting to hit the internet. So I thought it would be nice to track a timeline of the more significant milestones/news of this product since my team is partly working on it too :)

Last year in October 2008, a website released the first ever Lynnfield processor shots to the world. It compared the pin layout and substrate sizes between the 3 latest generations of Intel processors, the Yorkfield (Core 2), Bloomfield (Nehalem) and the Lynnfield (Nehalem) in a series of pictures. Technically, Lynnfield and Bloomfield share the same achitecture basics, but Lynnfield will be the first platform that will fully integrates the whole Northbride on die. In Bloomfield, only the memory controller portion was integrated and the Northbridge was still needed to handle the PCIE connections. Check out the pictures from here http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://xtreview.com/images/lynnfield-processor-LGA-1160-01.jpg&imgrefurl=http://xtreview.com/addcomment-id-6579-view-lynnfield-processor-vs-bloomfield.html&usg=__JgCpB503Pks4e02vcmqQZT6FFlk=&h=307&w=600&sz=50&hl=en&start=8&um=1&tbnid=TwElCOXEYBfu2M:&tbnh=69&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlynnfield%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

Then I remembered when the first becnhmark on SuperPi, FRITz Chess, Cinebench and CPU score in 3DMarkVantage was released from some Chinese website showing a Lynnfield 2.13Ghz around December 2008. On every site that I visited, all cautioned againts using the numbers to conclude anything as the processor and the motherboard was still in its very early stages. Link to news: http://xtreview.com/addcomment-id-7237-view-Intel-Core-i5-Lynnfield-benchmark.html

Only recently, Anandtech did a more comprehensive 11-page review with gaming benchmarks of a engineering sample with a not so complete Turbo Mode enabled. According to Anandtech, Lynnfield will have multiple Turbo Mode options based on how many cores are currently in used. When 3 cores are used, Lynnfield is able to shut down the extra core and divert the extra power to boost the 3 remaining cores for an extra 200Mhz. Thats great right? Wait, there's more. Moving to two cores, the same feature will boost the remaining two cores for 400Mhz and finally, at one core, an amazing 600Mhz increase in clock speeds! I like this feature alot.

Model Number	Clock Speed	Cores / Threads	Maximum Single Core Turbo Frequency	TDP	Price
?	2.93GHz	4 / 8	3.60GHz	95W	$562
?	2.80GHz	4 / 8	3.46GHz	95W	$284
?	2.66GHz	4 / 4	3.20GHz	95W	$196

So if you games need raw processing speed, you get it with the Turbo Mode. Need multi core processing? No problem, Lynnfield has 4 cores to provide. You indeed get the best of both worlds with this processor. In short, we could say that Lynnfield will be the first CPU that is very optimized for both single threaded and multi threaded games.

Ofcourse then the next question is, how much will it cost? Anandtech also provided much valuable information about the Lynnfield's estimated position in the market and the launch prices for the different offerings

Name	Manufacturing Process	Cores	Target Market	Release
Gulftown	32nm	6	High End Desktop	1H 2010
Core i7 (Bloomfield)	45nm	4	High End Desktop	Q4 2008
Lynnfield	45nm	4	Performance Desktop	Q3 2009
Clarksfield	45nm	4	High End Mobile	Q3 2009
Clarkdale	32nm	2	Mainstream Desktop	Q4 2009
Arrandale	32nm	2	Mobile	Q4 2009

Processor	Price
Intel Core i7-940 (2.93GHz)	$562
Intel Lynnfield 2.93GHz	$562
Intel Core i7-920 (2.66GHz)	$284
Intel Lynnfield 2.80GHz	$284
Intel Lynnfield 2.66GHz	$196
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 (3.00GHz)	$316
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 (2.83GHz)	$266
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400 (2.66GHz)	$213
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 (2.66GHz)	$183
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 (2.33GHz)	$163

Interestingly, Intel decides to sell the lowest end Lynnfield part (2.66Ghz) with HyperThreading disabled. I think this is partly due to it being priced lower than the i7-920 because with the Turbo Mode of the Lynnfield, the performance will easily beat the 920 thus there is no reason for end-users to purchase the higher-priced i7-920 then. The same goes for the i7-940 as the aggressive Turbo Mode will blow the i7 out of competition anyways. The only advantage the i7 has left is if the user is looking for high memory bandwidth and triple channel memory as well as full x16 dual PCIE lanes

However, there are also rumours that Intel might withdraw the lower i7-920 totally in order to draw a proper line between it's high-end and mainstream products. This is actually very bad news for fans of the i7-920 as this part has been one of the most overclockable processor especially with the D0 stepping, easily surpassing the 4Ghz mark. If Intel indeed withdraws it, fans of the high-end market will have to settle with higher priced i7-965s and 975s. If you've been thinking of building a i7 PC for awhile now, better do it sooner than later.

Anandtech also introduced one of the early CPU cooling offering from Thermaltake for the Lynnfield processors, the Thermaltake Spin-Q. I think anybody that eventually buys this should keep a few plasters in hand during installation lol.

Since Lynnfield is going to use a different LGA 1156 socket, you will not be able to re-use existing Bloomfield coolers due to the difference in the motherboard socket hole widths. However, the Thermaltake solution above comes with adjustable push pin position making it suitable for both Lynnfield and Bloomfield motherboards. But if you ask me, push pins are a nightmare to work with. Gimme screws and springs anyday.

The gaming benchmark shows that the Lynnfield is pretty much on par with a i7 at the same frequency and even leads it in some games. This was all with a crippled Turbo Mode unit that Anandtech was using. It will be very surprising that Lynnfield should not be able to extend that lead further when retail units start shipping with fully functional Turbo Modes. Crysis bechmark below:

Anyways, there are more pictures and plenty more additional info from the full review. Check it out at http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3570&p=1

I especially liked their closing statement : "Penryn was always good, Bloomfield was nice to talk about but Lynnfield may end up being the one you marry." :P

And in the recent Computex, one slide from Intel pretty much sums up the performance of Lynnfield compared to my current QX9650 processor:

Computex also became the place where motherboard manufacturers were showing off their brand new P55 motherboards that will support the Lynnfield processors. Amongts the usual suspects are the Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, Foxconn, Asrock & DFI. Take a look at Gigabyte's new board! I can only wonder how many PWM phases its packing for its power supply around the CPU.

And finally, one of the news that I just read about today. Some Taiwanese motherboard company (guess who?) has reportedly stated that the Lynnfield processors will be a absolute dream to overclock. It seems early samples sent to them was able to hit 5Ghz....on air cooling!

Though this might just be rumours, but it's sure adding more hype to this potentially exciting product. Read the short article at http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2009/06/03/lynnfield-overclocks-to-5ghz/1

Let's see if Lynnfield will really take the world by storm. What do you all think?

SC's Build

My department has a habit of giving out 'free' Intel CPUs to it's employees for the purpose that we get to feel more connected to the products we work on (I so hope they will give out a Larrabee! Haha). We know it as the Beta Unit Program and this time, we are all getting Q9550 (2.8Ghz) Yorkfield processors. Great job hoh? (More like softening us up so that they can squeeze more life force from you everyday to do work haha)

One of my colleague, JG went down during the long weekend/Agong's Birthday public holiday to KL LowYat to help himself and another colleague pick up items for their PC build. He was planning to get the new Radeon 4770 card and plan to CF in the future and I thought he made a pretty good choice.

However, I did not know that LowYat traders practiced this kind of business attitude: He was told by X shop's person that they will not be selling new stock of the 4770s as it is affecting the other product's stock movement. He was then forced to get the alternative Radeon 4830. I mean, customers are getting forced to pay more for less performance here for the sake of profit. The 4770 they were selling was not exactly selling under priced at RM399 since AMD did launched the 4770 initially at USD109.99 or RM384 after all. What should have happened was they should have dropped the prices of the current cards since they do perform weaker to the 4770. I know doing business is not easy and every possible profit margin should be pursued but man I'm disappointed. Telling people the whole of LowYat not one single 4770. Just my two cents.

Anyways, I got the item and price list from JG, took a look, and was telling another colleague (SC) that was also interested to build his own PC with the beta unit that if he was OK, I could help him out to do his. SC agreed and I suggested to JG that once we were done (his was still missing the OS at the moment), we could do benchmarks to see which build ended up better just for the fun of it :P. Just throwing in a challenge to make things alittle bit more exciting (I could always cheat by OC-ing some parts hehe). Budget will be a RM1,500 total without keyboard/mouse/speakers/LCD. Windows 7 will be the OS.

Without delay, let me introduce the contenders *ding ding ding*

JG's Build
Gigabyte P45 UD3L Motherboard
2x2GB Kingston DDR2 800Mhz
Seagate 500GB 7200rpm Hard Disk
Sapphire 4830 512MB GDDR3
CoolerMaster 460W RealPower PSU
CoolerMaster ATX Casing (dunno which and have not seen it yet)
Stock shaped Intel LGA775 CPU cooler
LG 22x IDE DVD-RW

Total Price : RM1,520


SC's Build
Asus P5Q Pro P43 Motherboard
2x2GB Kingston DDR2 800Mhz
Western Digital Caviar Green 500GB 7200rpm Hard Disk
PowerColor 4770 512MB GDDR5 (PC Depot had stock!)
CoolerMaster 460W RealPower PSU
PowerLogic Quatro 200 Casing (Free 460W PSU but no 12V rail or 6pin for graphic card)

CoolerMaster X Dream4 LGA775 Cooler
Liteon 22X Sata DVD-RW
CoolerMaster 460W RealPower PSU

Total Price: RM1,478


OK, some reasons and comments on my choices. Mainly the difference between the two builds is the motherboard and graphic card. From the budget, it was pretty obvious that CF ready mobo is going to cost too much. A CF ready P45 mobo will cost aboout RM500 (cheapest was Asus P5Q Pro P45 for RM489 @ PCDepot) and you will then be forced to break the budget to get the 4770s. Since CF is out of the question, there is no point to get a P45 board anymore. A P43 board is basically a P45 board with 1 less PCIE x16 lane and is still equally as capable as the P45 in all other aspects. This allowed me to save about RM70 and it was then well placed into the more expensive but better performing 4770.

I also chosed ASUS due to the many motherboard feature it supported including it's Quick Boot feature that allows you to enter into a ASUS mini OS with internet browsing capabilities in 5secs! The Asus mobo also came with BIOS protection and offered alot of overclocking capabilities and settings.

On to the build! Counting this time, it would be my 4th time configuring and building a PC for me or someone else but this will be the first time I'm documenting it hehe. Hope I get this right and pardon for the blur photos. Took it with my Nokia 5800 cos too poor for DSLRs :(

The traditional lay-out-everything-on-the-floor-and-take-a-picture lol:


ASUS P5Q Pro P43 Motherboard. 6x SATA and 1 IDE cable. Too bad it's a brownish color for the PCB. Black would've been perfect but rare to find in midrange mobos. However, I did find a mATX with black PCB before. The ASUS P5KPL-AM, a pretty nice G31 board.

The new Radeon 4770

With the space ship designed cooler :S

It was pretty much a nice build. The casing was a big surprise. For the price of Rm105, it really felt well made and even the plastic front did not feel cheap. The paint job on the side panels was also very well done and the aluminium-like insides gave it a slightly classier look. At one point I was complaining to SC that this cheap casing does not even provide screws or PCB stands. We actually went on to impovised and screwed the mobo on anyways with whatever screws we could find until we saw the packet of screws/PCB stands tied together with the supplied power cable that came with the case (the casing comes with a PSU ready remember?). OMG!! Should've noticed that much earlier! Anyways, my apologies to the PowerLogic casing. sorry if I hurted your feelings. I will learn to respect cheap casings from now on haha.

Completed build:

The idle temp as seen from BIOS was about 55C which is a little too high if you ask me. Thinking to replace the exhaust fan with a 120mm, add a 120mm intake at the front and a 80mm at the side panel directly moving air towards the processor area. The pleasent surprise was the system was pretty quiet. The 4770 boots up with 100% fan speed and then lowers down to nearly an inaudible level after that. So far so good.

Since there is still the OS to install so stay tuned for the bechmark results much later. I'll probably run 3dMark Vantage and some game FRAPS and will try to post up by this week. I'll also do some cable tie management for the cables and post up a few more pics. It's still an ugly jungle right now. Do you think I made the correct choices? Let me know! :)

P.S. Thanks to SC for allowing me to spend his money for him. Hope you like your new PC!