Intel Core i7-970 CPU Review

Testing

To see how the i7-970 performs we installed it in the same test system we used to benchmark all the other LGA1366 CPUs we've reviewed recently. At it's heart this is an Asus P6TD Deluxe motherboard, coupled with 4GB of 1,600MHz DDR3 and an ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics card.

In terms of price, the i7-970 is closest to the i7-980X EE, so we've also included its results on the graphs on the following pages. We've also included the performance results for the cheaper quad-core Intel Core i7-930, so you can see how much of a difference the two extra cores of the i7-970 make.

Just for interest, the graphs also include the performance data for AMD's fastest 6-core CPU, the Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition. This CPU was tested in an Asus Crosshair IV Formula motherboard which is based on the new AMD 890FX chipset.

Test Setup

Software

Here is a list of the applications we've used for our testing - most of them are available free for public consumption, although some are popular professional software applications.

• Crysis v1.21
  
• X3: Terran Conflict rolling demo v1.2.0.0
  
• WPrime v2.00
  
• Media Benchmarks v2007.235
  
• Maxon Cinebench 10 (x64)

We use Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, as this is the most flexible and reliable 64-bit OS for testing the applications above.

Hardware

• ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics card (Catalyst 10.5 WHQL)
  
• 1TB Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 hard disk
  
• PC Power & Cooling 750W PSU
  
• Asus P6TD Deluxe motherboard
  
• Asus Crosshair IV Formula motherboard
  
• 4/6GB 1,600MHz DDR3 memory (CL9)
  
• Titan Fenrir TTC-NK85TZ CPU cooler