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core i7 posts

Maingear's Axess HD Gamer PC looks to blow your mind, empty your wallet

by Ross Miller, posted Jun 19th 2009 at 4:44AM

Make no bones about, Maingear's new Axess HD Gamer (and by merit of its namesake, HTPC, too) is nothing if not a powerhouse for those wanting to pay an arm and a leg for a souped up gaming experience. You want specs? At its best, we're looking at an Intel Core i7 on a X58 chipset, dual NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT in SLI, up to 12GB of DDR3 RAM, Blu-ray, Windows Vista / Media Center, and two 3.5-inch storage bays supporting 320GB SSD or 2TB HDD. If you need more nerd cred, ghost of vaporware past Phantom Lapboard serves as one of the bundled input devices, as does the NVIDIA GeForce 3D vision kit and a 22-inch Samsung LCD. Starting price is $1,799, but if you wanna go for broke -- and whether not you can, you probably want to -- top configurations can run you well over $5,000.

Intel rebrands: Core i3, i5, i7 are in, Centrino on the outs

by Ross Miller, posted Jun 17th 2009 at 8:09PM

Intel's doing some spring cleaning on its branding structure, adding new Cores on the block. Joining the high-level Core i7 series will be the mid range Core i5 in the coming months and the lower-end Core i3's early next year. To be more specific, the Lynnfield chipsets will be either i5 or i7 depending on the feature set, Clarkfield mobile chips will be i7, and the 32nm Arrandale will at least at first fall under i3. Of course, with the new gang in town, some older monikers will be going wayside, and getting the slow fade out are Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, and Centrino, the latter being eventually marginalized for WiMAX and WiFi products only. Making the cut are Celeron, Pentium, and the ever-resilient Atom names. We're a bit sad to know there will never be a Core 2 Dodeca, but hey, it's only a name, right?. Hit up the read link for more details, including a video interview with Intel's VP of Marketing Deborah Conrad.

[Via CNET]

Read - Intel's New Brand Structure Explained
Read - Fewer Brands, Greater Impact

Intel Celeron, Core i7, and Atom lineup leaked?

by Tim Stevens, posted Jun 15th 2009 at 7:06AM

Intel Celeron, Core i7s, and Atom lineup leaked?

The sun rises, seasons change, CPUs get faster, and Intel's plans get leaked. That's the way it works, so while this report from Digitimes listing out Intel's chip releases through the beginning of next year should be taken with a grain of salt, feel free to make it a small one. Apparently there's a new line of celery-packing Celeron processors coming in Q3 called E3000, starting with the 2.4GHz E3200 and the 2.5GHz E3300. Both feature 1MB of L2 cache, 800MHz FSB, 65W power consumption, and hardware virtualization, meaning either can take you to XP-on-Win7 nerdvana. There will also be a new Core i7 960 chip with a core frequency of 3.2GHz in the fourth quarter, which is also when the nettop-intended dual-core Atom D510 will drop, while the more portable-friendly dual-core Atom D410 won't release until Q1 next year -- bad news for those who'd been hoping for a speedier netbook under the Christmas tree.

Six-core Intel Nehalem processors in the works?

by Nilay Patel, posted Jun 11th 2009 at 3:39PM

It's a bit of a whisper on the wind, but bit-tech says Intel's got six-core Nehalem processors in the works for later this year. The chips are said to be compatible with existing Nehalem mobos, so you crazy builders out there will be able to just drop it in and go. If you've got the scratch, of course -- pricing hasn't been revealed, but we'd expect the new part to be more expensive than the quad-core Core i7 975, which runs about a grand.

[Via TrustedReviews]

Sager NP9280 with Core i7 and triple SSDs is world's most powerful laptop, anchor

by Thomas Ricker, posted Jun 8th 2009 at 5:59AM

This one slipped by us but the world's first Core i7 laptop to ship is probably worth a double-back don't you think? The Sager NP9280 is almost certainly the same Clevo D900F we spotted at CeBIT back in March. That means a Core i7 snuggled up with Intel's X58 chipset with triple channel DDR3 memory, 1GB of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M graphics, and a 17.1-inch 1920x1200 display. No telling how long the 12-cell Lithium-Ion battery will last but if it exceeds 30 minutes of usage then we'd be impressed. As a desktop replacement, it's fully loaded with up to a trio of SATA hard disks (or SSDs), 4x built-in speakers, eSATA, HDMI and DVI video outputs, integrated 3 megapixel webcam, and 4x USB 2.0 jacks plus a single Firewire port all riding an 11.55-pound slab requiring 15.5 x 11.75 x 2.35-inches of elbow room. Unfortunately, there's no option for running dual GTX 280M GPU in SLI, for that you'll have to look to Alienware's Core 2 Extreme--based M17x. The NP9280 starts at about $2,000 though we like ours maxed out with a Core i7 975 Extreme Edition desktop processor, 12GB of DDR3 memory, and 3x 160GB SSDs for more than $7,000. But hey, that's us and we think robots are scary. Check the hover-craft inspired bottom after the break.

[Via ReviewStash]

Continue reading Sager NP9280 with Core i7 and triple SSDs is world's most powerful laptop, anchor

Intel's Core i7 975 Extreme Edition reviewed, crowned world's fastest desktop processor

by Thomas Ricker, posted Jun 3rd 2009 at 4:33AM

Surprise, Intel's top of the line 3.33GHz Core i7 975 Extreme Edition is fast. In fact, based on the reviews by Hot Hardware and PC Perspective, among others, this quad-core proc is the fastest desktop processor ever. While it's only 4-5% faster across the board than Intel's previous champ, the Core i7 965, world's fastest is world's fastest, right AMD? Better yet, the CPU is suitable for "significant" overclocking -- HH took it around the benchmark block at 4.1GHz and found only a "small voltage bump" while hitting a 50-degree C max temperature using Intel's stock heat sink. Look for the Core i7 975 to hit retail for a $999 list price which explains why the first gaming rigs wrapped around the 975 start at $8,000.

Read -- Hot Hardware review
Read -- PCPer review

BFG inadvertently outs new Intel Core i7 950 / 975 CPUs in Phobos gaming PC

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 1st 2009 at 5:25PM

So, here's an interesting one. Intel has yet to officially launch the two newest members of its Core i7 crew, but that little factoid isn't stopping BFG Technologies from doing the honors. Today, the company has introduced its freshest gaming rig, the Phobos, complete with Core i7 950 (Phobos Advanced) and Core i7 975 (Phobos Elite) CPU options. Furthermore, BFG is claiming that these new machines are the first ever to offer one-touch CPU and GPU overclocking, as all that can be handled on the front-mounted touch panel on the tower itself. Heck, there's even an integrated iPhone / iPod dock on the top of this bad boy. The Phobos rigs are yours to order right now starting at $5000 (Advanced) / $8000 (Elite), and the full release is after the break.

Gallery: BFG inadvertently outs new Intel Core i7 950 / 975 CPUs in Phobos gaming PC

Continue reading BFG inadvertently outs new Intel Core i7 950 / 975 CPUs in Phobos gaming PC

Alienware's Allpowerful laptop teases with riddles

by Thomas Ricker, posted May 28th 2009 at 7:21AM

Five days before launch and out pops another teaser for the Alienware Allpowerful gaming laptop. The image above again comes courtesy of the cats and kittens over at the NotebookReview forums. Noted symbolist, Larven, went so far as to translate the gibberish on the picture setting the forum into a tizzy of code cracking. It reads line-by-line as follows:

The sum of the first four primes (Answer: 17 hinting at a 17-inch display or Core i7 maybe?)
Denotes a state of two parts (Core 2 Extreme or dual-GPUs perhaps?)
Known as the gentleman's muscle car of 1967 (Plymouth GTX pointing to NVIDIA graphics?)
When pure, it will carry a yield strength of 7-11 mpa (Aluminum chassis?)
Is always empty in zero sum games (Core?)

Of course, with a name like Allpowerful, we're expecting something big here. We've seen Core i7 laptops before, but dual GTX 260M / 280M GPUs might be a little much? We'll turn the sleuth-work over to you now dear readers. Best guess gets a HTTP cookie.

[Thanks, MAG]

New Intel Core i7 CPUs show up unannounced

by Darren Murph, posted May 27th 2009 at 8:05PM

Intel's Core i7 has become somewhat of a mainstay in the most recent wave of gaming rigs, but it's been quite awhile (in processor years, anyway) since we've seen any new siblings join the launch gang. We'd heard faint whispers that a new crew was set to steal the stage on May 31st, and those rumors are looking all the more likely now that a few heretofore unheard of chips have appeared online. The 3.06GHz Core i7 950 is shown over at PCs For Everyone with 8MB of shared L3 cache and a $649 price tag, and it's expected that said chip will replace the aging Core i7 940. Moving on up, there's the luscious 3.33GHz Core i7 Extreme 975, which is also listed with 8MB of shared L3 cache but packs a staggering price tag well above the $1,100 mark. If all this pans out, this CPU will replace the Core i7 Extreme 965 as Intel fastest Core i7 product. Just a few more days to wait, right?

[Via PCWorld]

Read - Core i7 Extreme 975 listing
Read - Core i7 950 listing

Kinetic's HD:Hub HTPC now shipping, HD DVD still a selectable option

by Darren Murph, posted May 23rd 2009 at 4:04PM

We've got to hand it to 'em -- these guys aren't ashamed to be clearing out excess inventory, and honestly, we're still fond of the choice. Sure, HD DVD may be defunct, but what's the harm in having the capability in your HTPC should an old friend pop over with a disc to watch? All that aside, Kinetic UK's trio of media center PCs are now shipping after being introduced initially in March, with Blu-ray / HD DVD compatibility, up to 6TB of storage space, Core 2 Duo / Core 2 Quad / Core i7 processor choices and a healthy array of CTO options elsewhere. As for prices, you're looking at starting tags of £849.00 ($1,351) for the Mini HD:Hub, £1449.00 ($2,306) for the Home HD:Hub and £1569.00 ($2,497) for the flagship X HD:Hub.

Is this the Alienware 'Allpowerful' laptop?

by Thomas Ricker, posted May 18th 2009 at 7:41AM

Menacing huh? The slightly enhanced image above was uploaded to the NotebookReview forums by a jockey claiming to be from Alienware marketing in Costa Rica. The tease upon tease shows what could be the Allpowerful laptop already counting down for product launch in 15 days. Further image manipulation reveals the typical offset-left trackpad found in Alienware's current gaming rig lineup. One thing's for certain, with a name like "Allpowerful," we'd better be looking at a 17-inch screen (minimum) and heavy-hitting Core i7 or we're setting phasers to kill. Pew pew. Fully enhanced image with added fanart by forum member Quicklite after the break.

[Thanks, Sneaky]

Read -- Original post
Read -- Image dissection

Continue reading Is this the Alienware 'Allpowerful' laptop?

iBUYPOWER's Core i7-powered LAN Warrior makes other SFF rigs weep

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 28th 2009 at 6:28PM

See that, Shuttle? Yeah, that's your worst nightmare. iBUYPOWER has just shocked the small form factor (SFF) world with a new rig that's potent enough to act as your standalone gaming machine. Equipped with a menacing look, a carry handle and room for two full-sized dual slot video cards, the aptly titled LAN Warrior caters to no one outside of the enthusiast niche. For the crowd willing to shell out for the latest and greatest, they'll find a Core i7 CPU (920, 940 and 965 Extreme available, up to five ventilation fans, an optional liquid cooling system, ASUS' Rampage II Gene X58 motherboard, up to 12GB of DDR3 memory, twin GeForce GTX 295 / Radeon 4870 x2 GPUs, four internal 3.5-inch bays, up to 6TB of HDD space, up to two Blu-ray writers, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11n WiFi and a planet-killing 1000-watt power supply. Amazingly, the starting tag on this one is just $999, and it's available now from the outfit's website. Full release is after the break.

Gallery: iBUYPOWER's Core i7-powered LAN Warrior makes other SFF rigs weep

Continue reading iBUYPOWER's Core i7-powered LAN Warrior makes other SFF rigs weep

Intel applies "stars" ratings to processors, processors lose self-esteem

by Donald Melanson, posted Apr 10th 2009 at 3:14PM

It looks like those confused by the multitude of Intel processors out there needn't linger in indecision any longer, as Intel itself has now come up with a new scheme that it hopes will help simplify the buying process significantly. As you can see above, that consists of a new rating system that gives processors between one and five stars, which Intel says indicates "relative performance, not a price-performance type of thing." As you might expect, the five-star rating is reserved for the like of the Core i7 and Core i7 Extreme, with the one-star ranks apparently occupied solely by various Celeron processors -- the Atom, it seems, is in a class all its own. Somewhat less notably, Intel has also taken the opportunity to roll out some spruced processor logos, which should already be showing themselves in stores along with displays featuring the new star rating system.

[Thanks, Simon B]

HP's debuts new Pavilion Elite m9600 series desktops, range of widescreen monitors

by Paul Miller, posted Mar 25th 2009 at 9:20AM

For middle-of-the-high-road types, HP just debuted its new Pavilion Elite m9600 series of Core i7 excitement. Things don't get quite as wild as Dell's new 24GB monsters, but HP packs in a respectable amount of power for the price. The base configuration includes a Core i7 920 2.66Ghz processor, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive, NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GS graphics and a DVD burner, all for $950, and you can escalate up to a Core i7 940 2.93GHz processor, 12GB of RAM, a couple of 1TB hard drives, 1GB ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics and a Blu-ray burner. HP is also outing four new 16:9 monitors, the 18.5-inch w1858, 20-inch 2009m, 21.5-inch 2159m and 23-inch w2338h. The latter two include HDMI inputs, and the prices range from $170 to $300 -- not bad at all.

Kinetic HD:Hub HTPC gets hip with Core i7, square with HD DVD

by Darren Murph, posted Mar 15th 2009 at 12:09AM

We know, vendors have to get rid of these leftover HD DVD drives somehow, but it's still a tad comical to see brand new systems shipping with support for a format that perished over a year ago. Nevertheless, we're still pretty jazzed about Kinetic's HD:Hub, as the built-in HD DVD drive is actually a dual-format player that handles the very much alive Blu-ray format as well. Furthermore, this one comes with a potent Core i7 processor, up to four TV tuners, 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, a Creative X-Fi Titanium sound card and Windows Vista runnin' the show. There's no mention of a price, but we get the feeling that these are mostly reserved for those across the pond.

[Thanks, Anonymous]