Windows Computers Intel i7

Setup

• Intel Core i7 Nahelam 920 2.66 GHz processor [1]
• OCZ DDR3-12800 1600 MHz 8-8-8-24 3 GB OCZ3G1600LV3GK triple channel memory [2]
• Asus P6T Deluxe Nahelam motherboard [3]
• Seagate Cheetah 15.K6 15000 RPM 146 GB ST3146356SS hard drive [4]
• Windows XP with Mac OS X Panther theme

Nahelam Processor

Nahelam is the name of the new Intel Core i7 processor. It is a 'tock' in the Intel cycle, meaning an architectural change. As opposed to a 'tick' which is a silicon build change.

Quick list of notable changes:

• No more front-side-bus, it's more like AMD with integrated memory controller in the processor
• True quad-core die, not two dual core dies on one processor
• Automatically clock the processor if only one is active
• 45 nm lithography, same as Penryn
• Maximum 1.65 Volt for the DRAM bus/controller
• New socket, 1366 pins, because of the integrated memory controller
• More expensive motherboards, launch boards was around 400USD
• Hyperthreading is back

Motherboard

At launch Intel and Asus were the first to launch their motherboards. I got the Asus P6T Deluxe board for free after I've complete a price guide system for a friend (thanks pibbz).

The P6T is feature packed, it even got a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) controller.

For a full specification list, check the Asus product page.

Overclocking

This is were it gets exciting. The Nahelam processor is very flexible, meaning it can handle high clock rates. This might have something to do with the fact that it is design to dynamically increase the performance (thus the clock rate).

To overclock the system, only a few settings has to be changed:

• BCLK Frequency - Base clock, feeded to the processor, IOH, and ICH chipset, normally 133 MHz (think of this like the old FSB)
• CPU/Core Voltage - Processore core Voltage, 0.8 - 1.375V
• Uncore Voltage - Uncore is everything except the processor cores, meaning the QPI links, L3 cache, and DRAM memory controller. This should reflect the DRAM Voltage and vice versa, not over 1.65V
• DRAM Frequency - Set this to the specified speed of the memory, either PC3-8500/1066 MHz PC3-10666/1333 MHz PC3-12800/1600 MHz, or higher
• DRAM Voltage - Memory DIMM Voltage, not over 1.65V

Optionally

• CPU Ratio - Unlocked only on highest models
• Spread Spectrum - Disable, it modulates the frequency of the buses by a few megahertz to avoid a build-up of electro-magnetic interference.
• IOH voltage - The X58 controller is responsible for the PCI-E lanes and DMI to the southbridge (think of this as the old Northbridge), 1.1V
• ICH voltage, ICH10 Southbridge controller for every peripheral connected to the system, 1.1V
• HPET or APCI 2.0 - Disable or enable the High Performance Event Timer

4.2 GHz Overclock

This is the highest I could make the system boot Windows XP and complete a SuperPI 1M run (09.812 sec). Temperature hitting the dangerous 70 degrees with stock cooler.

• CPU Ratio: 19
• BLCLK: 220
• DRAM: 1763 MHz
• UCLK: 3528 MHz
• QPI Rate: 10586MT/s
• CPU Voltage: 1.48750
• CPU PLL Voltage: 2.10
• Uncore QPI/DRAM Voltage: 1.65
• DRAM Voltage: 1.66
• DRAM timing: 10-10-10-25
• IOH Voltage: 1.30
• ICH Volrage: 1.30
• Spread spectrum: Disabled
• ACPI 2.0 / HPET: Disabled (Yes)

References:

• custompc.co.uk - Core i7 Overclocking
• i4memory.com - Intel Core i7 920 overclocking (Asus P6T Deluxe)
• bit-tech.net Overclocking Intel's Core i7 920

Tools

• SuperPi
• CPU-Z

References

• Power management and, uh, forced induction