Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770: Paper Tiger?

Deals
By Tom's Hardware News Team
published

X48 Chipset Required

The new X48 chipset that is required for the new Extreme Edition CPU will also only be released in the first quarter of 2008. By increasing both the FSB and the TDP, Intel is forcing its customers to by a new chipset.

The technical specifications are slightly different than those of the X38. Here are the highlights:

  • The highest supported front side bus has been raised to 400 MHz (1600QDR)
  • The chipset does not support DDR2 memory.
  • DDR3-1600 is supported on an FSB of 400 MHz (1600QDR)
  • If DDR3-1600 memory is used, only one memory module is allowed per channel. Thus, the buyer must use 2 GB modules to reach 4 GB of RAM.
  • According to Intel, DDR3-1600 will operate at 1.8 Volts and CL8-8-8

The X48 chipset will use the same southbridge as the P35 and X38, namely the ICH9.

All of our tests were run on the Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6 motherboard.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
FunctionsX48X38
Front Side Bus80010661333160080010661333
MemoryDDR3-800DDR3-1066DDR3-1333DDR3-1600DDR3-800DDR3-1066DDR3-1333
FSB:DDR3800:8001066:8001066:10661333:8001333:10661333:13331600:10661600:1600800:8001066:8001066:10661333:8001333:10661333:1333
Supported Timings800 = 5-5-51066 = 7-7-71333 = 8-8-81600 = 8-8-8800 = 5-5-51066 = 7-7-71333 = 8-8-8
Memory Voltage800/1066/13331.50 Volt +/- 5%1600 = 1.80 Volt +/- 5%800/1066/13331.50 Volt +/- 5%
Tom's Hardware News Team
Tom's Hardware News Team

Tom's Hardware's dedicated news crew consists of both freelancers and staff with decades of experience reporting on the latest developments in CPUs, GPUs, super computing, Raspberry Pis and more.

3 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Capitannimo
    I am not sure why you are not mentioning the cooling system you use.
    Also why you don't mention that this processor needs water cooling system even if not over clocked.
    Reply
  • Intelextreme
    Looks like a Zalman fan to me in the pictures so maybe water cooling is not needed, at least for those not into cases (something I typically consider "benchmark machines" and was surprised by the lack of dry ice. By the way thermoelectric, chilled water, cooling using peltiers can't be beat! Finally I have a QX6850 and I get a 3mdMark06 of 18,548 with a Gigabyte EX38-DQ6 and a Shappire Radeon HD4870 X2 2gb (using not yet anywhere near perfected drivers) and without overclocking the GPUs until a water block is released for it. I was going to upgrade to a QX9770 now that I can pick one up for a good price since the 9775 came out but since reading that the difference in speed is not incredible I have decided to wait for the new Core i7 or whatever they call the new extreme processor and motherboards with new sockets coming out soon.
    Reply
  • Intelextreme
    To show the QX9770 overclocked alone is bias as I run my QX6850 overclocked. When compared to the QX9770 running at stock speed, the QX6850 differs typically by a few points, it is not until the QX9770 is overclocked to 4ghz that the difference becomes as high as close to 20% in come cases. However, that ignores the fact that a lot of the other processors are good overclockers, and I can overclock my QX6850, using thermoelectric chilled water cooling, to a stable 3.8. Therefore, the difference between the two in terms of speed is not enough at this point to justify purchasing an X48 chipset motherboard and a QX9770 when a new socket and extreme CPU is coming out soon. If I was putting together a computer now I would likely go cheap and look for a used QX6800 and as good a used motherboard as possible just because I would be selling them soon anyway.
    Reply