Intel Unleashes 3.33GHz Core i7

 

Intel today upped the clock on its Core i7 Extreme Edition processor to create its fastest known desktop chip till date. The new Nehalem based 45nm Core i7 975 boasts of a clock speed of 3.33GHz, making it Intel’s and the industry’s speed leader.

 

The 8MB of L3 Smart Cache that Intel has provided the 975 matches the clock speed of the four cores of the processors. Additional speed for the processor comes from the 6.4GT/s data transfer rate of the Dual QuickPath Interconnects (QPI). Intel has gone all out for the processor by enabling performance-boosting features including its SpeedStep (EIST), Virtualization (VT), and Turbo Boost auto-clocking technologies.

 

For those who prefer to overclock this already speed-bumped processor, Intel has set the core-clock multiplier at 25X and also unlocked it. This should definitely make over-clocking enthusiasts go over the moon, and we might soon be hearing about some stunning CPU speeds.

 

The Core i7 975 carries a price tag of $999 for purchases in lots of 1,000, but the retail price is likely to be significantly higher. Though a bit steep, speed fanatics would surely not mind paying it to get their hands on the world’s fastest chip.

 

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