EggXpert

i7 chips are now available.  new socket LGA 1336

motherboards are available too.  that's nice.  but i wonder how much overclocking one can do, since there aren't any aftermarket heatsinks available for this chipset? i wonder how much faster is this than my Q6600.  and why do i always have regret about my chip after something cooler comes out?  Maybe its like when you get married and then all of the sudden all the hot ladies want to be around your presence.  Makes you wonder if you're missing out on something by not being with the hot ladies and by being married.

I digress.  Wonder if there are any black friday deals for the i7.  now that'd be sweet.

There had been new socket cooler for the newer chipset being made, since the i7 won't be in on the shell later this month you can probably get your hand on the new socket cooler.

Overclocking from reviews are decent, but still have to wait for mature BIOS to come in to play as well.

The HSF makers will be releasing mounting brackets for their HSFs to fit the Socket 1366.

In terms of OCing, http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2008/11/06/overclocking-intel-core-i7-920/1 , there seems to be a 4.0 Ghz wall, but 4.0 Ghz with 8 MB L3 cache, seems pretty rock to me.

I wouldn't fret though, a nice 775 set-up will last one for quite a while. It's still great technology, the 45nms, and maybe the Q6600, unless one has the cash to burn for the 1366 set-up.

Trying to stay on top of the technology evolution is like urinating in the wind. It's frustrating, costly, and most important, messy!

Penewah!.

It's costly urinating in the wind now?

Darn government taxes...

jbaumgartner136:

This should be quite an upgrade from my Pentium D 920 processor.  The lowest Core i7 (the 920) overclocked is just a tad slower than the Core 2 Quad Extreme Edition, according to other website's comparison.  Plus using DDR3 instead of DDR2 is another advantage.  I think I will wait for the price to drop and for the kinks to be worked out before I jump into the i7 frenzy.

Same here.  I'm on a Pentium 3 (mobile version)

The motherboard BOXDX58SO from intel that supports the new i7 nehalem chip says that it supports Triple channel memory.

However it only has 4 slots?  Is intel doing this for a reason?  All of the other X58 board makers are using 6 slots.

1.) Is this really a Triple Channel Board?

2.) What happens when I fill up all 4 slots?  Do I get cut down to 2 channel?

I think I read this somewhere before.  This is what I know of it, but don't take my word on it.  The first 3 slots will be used as Tri Channel.  The 4th slot can also take DDR3 and the same speed as the first 3 sticks, but it will only run in a single channel.

 Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

I assumed that each slot was a channel.  I don't understand how you can get 3 channels with 4 sticks, unless...

1) One channel is split between 2 slots.  Meaning channels with different capacities. 

2) All memory is logically divided into 3 channels. 

If 3 channel is supported with 4 slots filled, I would assume that the entire memory must be logically divided into channels.  I know that would be different than Dual channel configurations though, where a slot does represent a channel. 

Maybe, if you do drop down to 2 channels if you fill all slots, surely you wouldnt be dropped down to 1 channel with 4 slots. 

Maybe it is a way for intel to get you to upgrade to a new board if you want to expand your memory and keep 3 channels. 

???

Just leave he 4th slot unoccupied.  from the looks of things, it seems like somebody got drunk at Intel's motherboard manufacturing thingy and for the heck of it used 4 slots for triple channel. 

It's like the hot dogs and buns weirdness.  Why more buns than hot dogs?  Or more hot dogs than buns?