As I’m sure you’re all aware by now the core i7 line of processors use a ‘new’ socket. It is much bigger than the LGA775 socket and has 1366 contact pins. It’s no surprise that it is called socket LGA1366 then.

All i7 processors are quad core and with the release of i7 Intel brought back a useful technology called Hyper-Threading (as seen on Pentium 4’s). This allows unused parts of each core to start execution on a second thread, speeding up multi-threaded applications even more. So the OS will see the CPU as having 8 cores available (4 physical, 4 HT).

All Intel Core i7 processors feature:

    * Intel Turbo Boost technology
    * Intel Virtualization technology
    * Enhanced Intel SpeedStep technology
    * Execute Disable Bit
    * Intel 64-architecture

Processor Number: i7-920

• Intel Smart Cache: 8 MB
• Clock Speed: 2.66 GHz
• Intel QuickPath Interconnect Speed: 4.8 GT/s
• DDR3 Speed: 800/1066 MHz
• Integrated Memory Controller: 3 channels, 2 DIMMs/Ch
• Intel Virtualization Technology
• Execute Disable Bit

• Enhanced Intel Speedstep Technology
• Enhanced Halt State (C1E)
• Intel 64
• Intel Demand Based Switching
• Intel Turbo Boost Technology
• Intel Hyper-Threading Technology
• Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O

• Lithography  45 nm
• Max TDP   130 W
• VID Voltage Range 0.800V-1.375V

I could write a whole review in itself on the technology in and behind core i7, so I’ll have to skip over most things, but it’s worth pointing out that Intel have moved the memory controller from the NB to the CPU with the release of i7 (much like AMD did several years ago now) this move has allowed them to support triple channel DDR3 for lots and lots of memory bandwidth.

Next Page – Physical Layout