Article: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7200 Preview (Intel® Core™ for Mobile)

Wow, what do you know, I failed to post this again like the Bad Axe one. Sounds like I am too busy last month that I tend to forget I am doing things. In any case, I decided to do some tweaking with the Conroe's little brother, Merom and see how it goes in the desktop. Check it out...

The Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7000 series of processors is the successor processor to the Apple* baby which is the first "Core" processor, the Intel® Core™ Duo T2000 series. This processor is the younger brother of Conroe (desktop) and Woodcrest (server). It shares all the features of the desktop and server brothers, only that, this processor is targetted for mobile computing.

Source:Article: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7200 Preview (Intel® Core™ for Mobile)

Brag: Initial Clovertown Benchmark

I have uploaded an initial benchmark of Clovertown since I am really bored tonight. I don't really know what to do so I decided to fire it up and load a simple benchie, one that doesn't really require attention to run. SANDRA seems to be a good one to start with, so I fire it up and whoopsie daisy and it hits me like a champ (which it really is anyway). No more Mr. Nice Guy, this is one bad ass system. If you are looking for an ultimate multimedia stuff or into Virtualization, look no more because this is it.

Scrap that AMD* 4x4, which is a sorry solution to have four cores. Oh, if you don't have any idea of how powerful it is, click on the graph for a comparison against a wide array of Conroe processors and a Presler.

Article: Intel® D975XBX Overclocking Notes (Things You Should Know But Didn't Know Exists)

Wow, I can't believe I missed posting this article and it's been on my host for so long. What am I thinking? In any case, I did review it and edited it quite a few more and re-uploaded the article. I just remembered about this article when one of the forum members is having an issue with this board.

And by sending this link, it ended up being on his list of fixes as well, I hope it did help him though. Here's a snippet of the article:

VI. Danger of using CPU-Z and SpeedFan, and similar software with Bad Axe

Many enthusiasts has become accustomed to using the said utilities, specially CPU-Z, to check the specifications of the processor. The CPU-Z, for example, is capable of identifying the FSB, multiplier, CPU steppings, cache, number of cores and many other details that makes this utility a very valuable one and a must-have. The SpeedFan is another utility that shows "PC Health" in terms of environmental measurements such as temperature, fan speeds, and voltage settings among others. Similar software that can do such exists and have made it to the enthusiasts slew of utilities for checking and knowing more about their machines. And these software are pretty much mature and have proven their compatibility and stability.

Source:Article: Intel® D975XBX Overclocking Notes (Things You Should Know But Didn't Know Exists)

Tech Link (Technology): Intel Samples 45nm “Penryn” Microprocessors.

I'm still down with muscle pain and slight head-ache, darn, I hate this weather (hot, cold, hot, cold) and it all does to me is make me sick.

Anyway, enough of the ranting. Chipzilla looks to be very agressive in pushing the marketing process and ensuring technology leadership. I am excited to see how these will turn out, and waiting with both hands open to receive the new samples.

Intel Corp. on Monday said that the first prototypes of microprocessors using 45nm process technology have been produced. The announcement once again illustrates Intel’s very aggressive process technology transition roadmap and proves that Intel Corp. has delivered on its promise to tape out its first 45nm chip this quarter.

“We are processing the first samples of the Penryn design. These samples will go back to the design team to determine if design is working as expected,” Mark Bohr, director of process architecture and integration at Intel, is reported to have said in an interview with Reuters news-agency.

Intel’s sampling of the code-named Penryn processor at 45nm fabrication process occurs amid the company’s arch-rival Advanced Micro Devices still have not announced a single processor made using 65nm fabrication process, which is used to manufacture the majority of Intel’s central processing units (CPUs) these days. According to the director of Intel, the company is on-track to produce Penryn in volumes and ship them to customers in the second half of 2007.

No official details concerning the Penryn chip design were announced this time, however, according to previously published news-stories, the chip code-named Penryn is a 45nm incarnation of the dual-core Intel Core 2 Duo processor for mobile computers (code-named Merom) with SSE4 technology that, Intel promises, is set to benefit a variety of applications, including those involving graphics, video encoding and processing, 3D imaging, gaming, web servers and application servers. It is unclear what kind of advantages besides the SSE4 the new chips will have over the current Intel Core 2 Duo product family. Typically, thinner manufacturing process may allow Intel to crank up clock-speed of the chips, enlarge its cache sizes, reduce power consumption and make them cheaper to make.

Intel announced in mid-October that that it has fifteen microprocessor designs set to be manufactured using 45nm process technology, including such products like Bloomfield, Yorkfied and Wolfdale.

AMD is expected to ship its first processors made using 65nm fabrication process shortly and be on the market with 45nm process technology by mid-2008, still, several quarters behind Intel, but not a year, as in the case of 65nm production technology.

Source:Intel Samples 45nm “Penryn” Microprocessors.

Rant: Down with a fever...

I guess it's not just my web host that is down, but me as well. The past days seems bad for me, I got tummy problem, then my host is unreachable, and finally, Monday = call-in-sick day.

In any case, I guess I am still lucky, I just saw in the news that some people got really really really sick because of chemical leak or something. I don't remember if there's any fatality report, but I hope none.

So take care.

Source:

Misc: My web host seems to be down :( and my 11th Month Anniversary

My web host seems unreachable and been giving out a time out. I can't host any images yet and homegrown reviews aren't going to work out right. So stay tune (and yes, this is a cheat post, made on 28th of November. But hey, my host is down so...

In any case, this is the 11th month that this blog has stayed on. And for the most part, I am nearing my completion date, that is, closure date of the Blog by next month.

I have never intended for this Blog to live longer than six months, more like a couple of months after January'06, but things get a bit rough and I feel obliged to push on forward.

While my web hits continue to average 3k/month, I will be trending to slow down posting after my 1year anniversary. Till next Blog.

Source:

Rant: Feeling Bad

My tummy seems uncooperative lately :(...

Sorry for the short post, as I really am not feeling well. So I hope you are better than me, because I don't think you'll like to be in my shoes at this point in time (not that you wanted my spot on the planet though).

Tech Link (Processor): Intel to strengthen Core 2 Duo lineup in 2Q/3Q 2007

Is it a good news or is it a better news? Either way, it sounds better :). Digitimes reported that on top of the upcoming E4xxx series, a new E6x50 will also crop up. This will give consumers more choices (though the site claims it's going to replace the current line up). Again, whether it's the replacement processor or another flavor to spice up your life, just prepare your wallet and make it fat enough to savor the latest offerings.

Intel to strengthen Core 2 Duo lineup in 2Q/3Q 2007
Yen-ting Chen, Taipei; Steve Shen, DigiTimes.com [Thursday 23 November 2006]


In addition to the Core 2 Duo E4300 CPU, which Intel is slated to launch in the first quarter of 2007, the chip giant will add two Core 2 Duo E4000-series CPUs, the E4200 and E4400, in the second quarter of next year, according to sources at Taiwan-based PC makers, who viewed Intel's latest roadmap.

Intel originally planned to launch the 1.6GHz E4200 in the fourth quarter of this year to compete with AMD's Socket-AM2 Athlon 64 x2 3600+, but later on, the launch was suspended to make way for the 1.8GHz E4300 CPU, the sources indicated, without elaborating on what prompted Intel to delay the appearance of the E4200.

In the third quarter of 2007, Intel also plans to launch the Core 2 Duo E6390 CPU for the mid-range desktop segment, as well as the Core 2 Duo E6850, E6750 and E6650 CPUs for the high-end segment, according to Intel's latest roadmap, the sources said.

Featuring a 1333 MHz FSB, the E6850, E6750 and E6650 will get the roles being currently played by the Core 2 Duo E6700 and E6600 processors, which both have a 1066 MHz FSB, according to the sources.

Source:Intel to strengthen Core 2 Duo lineup in 2Q/3Q 2007

Tech Link (Gadget): Star Wars character USB flash drive.

Yay, another gadget :). I wanted to have this, if only to brag it to fellow StarWars fans like me. However, the author of this article seems to be at a lost as to what Star Wars is. I guess to each his own :).

I don't watch movies that have Star or Space in the title (Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Lost in Space, Space Odyssey), but I do know some people who would ditch their 6-gig Megadrive for this 256MB designer Star Wars flash memory stick in a heartbeat.

These stylish, metallic quarter-sized drives come with a full-body image of a Jedi, Darth Vader, Boba Fett, or Clone Trooper. Whoever the fuck those people are, I don't know, because I slept through Star Wars: Episode 1 and will never again waste $10 on that silly movie series again.

Source:Star Wars character USB flash drive.

Brag: Kentsfield Quad Core? How about Clovertown Eight Cores

I got some time to play with the big bad Clovertown so I manage to snag a CPU-Z and post it as my new bragging thread. I'll try to run some benchies if time permits, but right now, bask in the glory of eight cores. I am just excited to test out some multimedia stuff in this baby.

Click on the CPU-Z image for the validation link. For the un-initiated, notice the "CPU : Intel Xeon (*2)". Compare it with my Kentsfield which says "CPU : Intel Core 2 Extreme (*1)". See, Kentsfield is single socket Quad Core, while this new rig is dual socket Quad Core, with a whooping total of eight (8) cores. FanBoy out...

Press Release: OCZ Technology Unveils the PC2-9200 FlexXLC Modules - The World’s fastest memory now integrated with a Premium Hybrid Cooling Solution

You have to hand it to OCZ for coming up with such a really nice memory with 1150MHz/CL5-5-5-18. Apparently, it can ran decently on air or with watercooling using the two tubes on both sides.

I can't remember the first time I have seen a custom made DIY RAM cooler, but this solution from OCZ looks like a really great one and high performing. But this memory is definitely not for everyone. The 2.35vDIMM it requires to run will be just too much for the regular Juan. But the best thing is that it is protected with 2.4vDIMM EVP and lifetime warranty. You'll definitely get your money's worth.

Sunnyvale, CA—November 20, 2006—OCZ Technology Group, a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory, today unveiled the OCZ PC2-9200 FlexXLC 2x1GB Kit, a revolutionary new memory solution that offers unprecedented speed, signal integrity, and thermal management. These new modules feature the new OCZ FlexXLC heatsink that delivers superior heat dissipation via a hybrid copper and aluminum design alterable between passive air or water cooling. As the World’s fastest DDR2, the PC2-9200, in combination with the innovative FlexXLC technology, is considerably the most ground-breaking and unique memory product existing today.

The latest generation of DDR2 modules by far exceeds the original projections of the DDR2 design triggering a need for amendments in the operating specifications. For example, operating voltage, originally defined as 1.8V, has increased to typically 2.1V or even higher to reach 1GHz+ frequencies. In the case of a DDR2 module running at 1200 MHz and 2.1V supply voltage, this entails that the power consumption increases many times over that of the same module running at 400 MHz and 1.8V supply voltage. Power consumption, in turn, directly translates into heat dissipation.



The extreme increase in power consumption without substantial changes in form factor increases the power and heat density, which requires serious countermeasures to maintain the thermal balance necessary for signal integrity and high performance.

Thanks to OCZ’s FlexXLC (Xtreme Liquid Convention) heat management solution, the OCZ PC2-9200 operates at extreme speeds of 1150MHz without the high temperatures that inhibit or damage the module’s ICs. The FlexXLC module was engineered with a unique “flexible” design which gives enthusiasts the option to run the modules passively or water cooled via the integrated liquid injection system. The concurrent use of both technologies (water-cooling) promotes maximum heat dissipation.



"Water-cooling is more efficient than air cooling, yet standard memory kits are usually not available in off-the-shelf water-cooled configurations," commented Dr. Michael Schuette, VP of Technology Development at OCZ Technology Group. "The new OCZ FlexXLC series—featuring an exciting, novel hybrid water and air cooler based on OCZ’s embedded copper liquid injection system—pushes thermal management of memory modules one step further to keep up with the ever-increasing frequency demands. Moreover, the FlexXLC modules seamlessly co-migrate with any system upgrade to liquid cooling."

Among these thermal management advantages, the PC2-9200 FlexXLC also implements a new 8-layer PCB with thermally conductive power and ground planes to guide heat away from the interconnects with the memory ICs. This facilitates less “crosstalk,” consequently enhancing the module’s total signal integrity. The blend of 8-layer PCB technology and the FlexXLC surface cooler truly offers a state-of-the-art design for the extremist.

The PC2-9200 FlexXLC modules are optimized for the latest cutting edge platforms and will be available in 2GB (2x1024MB) dual channel kits. As part of OCZ’s line-up of premium memory, the PC2-9200 series is backed by a Lifetime Warranty and industry-leading technical support. Harnessing the achievement of leading-edge speed, high performance heat dissipation, and enhanced signal integrity, the unparalleled design of the OCZ PC2-9200 FlexXLC is a complete, all-encompassing solution certain to set a new benchmark in enthusiast memory.

For more information on the OCZ PC2-9200 FlexXLC Series, please visit our product page here.

Source:OCZ Technology Unveils the PC2-9200 FlexXLC Modules - The World’s fastest memory now integrated with a Premium Hybrid Cooling Solution

Tech Link (Motherboard): eVGA nForce 680i SLI LGA775 motherboard

If you have got to have a native SLI-capable motherboard, I guess you'll have to give this one a look. The motherboard satisfies the reviewer and the only complaint was availability. Check it out...

For the BIOS and overclocking alone, NVIDIA's partner-branded nForce 680i SLI boards deserve to do very well. Performance is where it should be with the components tested, the board is feature rich and the added software layer to nForce really does add something extra if you make the most out of it. The chipset doesn't move the game on any when it comes to built-in or augmented features, however it doesn't lack anything the competition gives in other than port counts. The board layout is great for this reviewer, the active cooling is quiet enough if you want to make use of it and the bundled bits are what you'd expect.

Therefore the only real problem with the product at the time of writing is availability and price. A faintly disgusting £190 or so in the UK, current prices, means the board makes little sense unless you must have the latest and greatest, or you crave the overclocking features and performance and can't wait for the price to drop. Compared to $250 in the US, those of you reading from the UK are being bent over for the board currently. "You get what you pay for", seems a little off, if it's just for overclocking performance, although you can be sure some will pay it regardless.

So when the board price drops and 680i SLI becomes a bit easier to get hold of, we see no reason why it doesn't automatically become the enthusiast core logic of choice, with the eVGA example a fine place to put your investment, in our opinion. We like almost everything bar the price, and although we were expecting a bit more from the core logic at stock clocks, stock clocks is arguably anathema to what the board is all about. Those 500MHz CPU bus frequency overclocks, paired with unlinked memory clocking and generous voltage adjustment in order to get the most from the mainboard and the devices plugged into it, are what it was designed for.

Well-heeled tweakers and overclockers will likely pick them up as soon as possible, the rest of us wait for something a bit less than £200 as the asking price, at least in the UK. The sum up: nForce 680i is a feature-rich, high-end core-logic set with outstanding out-of-the-box overclocking ability, great controlling software and, at least in this instance via eVGA, it'll be found on a well-designed board with a sweet layout.

Source:eVGA nForce 680i SLI LGA775 motherboard

Misc: New Layout

Hmmm, I have succumbed to the new beta site and I can't seem to bring back all the old links that I have in my old blog site.

Things seems to be harder to customize, but very very newbie friendly. Unfortunately for me, my coding skills is next to zero so I am really having issues. For now, all my articles will still sport the old template until I know how to sort things out.

FanBoy out...

Press Release: OCZ Technology Unveils the XTC (Xtreme Thermal Convection) Memory Cooler

Wow, just a couple or three years ago, I used to make my own DIY or ghetto-style RAM cooler. Nowadays, it would seem that it is becoming a necessity. OCZ* finally plunges into the RAM cooler business with their XTC Memory Cooler. Check it out for more...

Sunnyvale, CA—November 16, 2006—OCZ Technology Group, a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory, today unveiled the premier memory overclocking accessory, the OCZ XTC Cooler. As active cooling becomes increasingly important for today’s high-speed memory solutions, OCZ developed the XTC Cooler for effective heat management of OCZ’s proprietary XTC (Xtreme Thermal Convection) modules.

Once installed over the memory subsystem, the XTC Cooler’s dual 60mm fans channel a steady flow of air over and through the XTC modules creating a cooler environment for the memory ICs. For the overclocking enthusiast accustomed to awkwardly propping up case fans, the aluminum-based XTC Cooler is the ultimate air cooling solution.

“To address the requirements of extreme overclockers OCZ is releasing the new XTC cooler which is designed to pair up with the Xtreme Thermal Convection heatspreaders utilized on our entire lineup of premium memory solutions,” commented Alex Mei, OCZ Technology Group, Inc. “This cooler forces airflow through our open Xtreme Thermal Convection heatspreader design to offload even more heat from the entire module array, thus enhancing both stability and performance of the memory, especially when aggressively overclocking.”

Though optimized for use with OCZ’s XTC heatspreaders that come with all OCZ high-performance modules, the XTC Cooler is a beneficial cooling aid for all system memory. Thanks to superior active cooling, the XTC Cooler improves memory performance and longevity for ultimate reliability in desktops to high-end gaming systems. The OCZ XTC Cooler is backed by a 1 year warranty and industry-leading technical support.

For more information on the OCZ XTC Cooler, please visit our product page here.

Source:OCZ Technology Unveils the XTC (Xtreme Thermal Convection) Memory Cooler

Tech Link (Motherboard): MSI P965 Platinum Review

Hmm, Blogger seems to be having a bit of a problem lately. Ever since I transition to their "beta" site, I have always been having quirks and fits and hiccups. Anyway, I found a review that is quite nice for stock or low overclock. The author seems to have issues pushing this motherboard higher than 366MHz. If you are not an overclocker and is figuring out what board to pair with your nice, and shiny conroe, give this review a look and decide for yourself. Expand for more...

Core 2 Duo has brought upon us a massive influx of motherboards all vying to hold together your fancy new Core 2 PC. Despite these many options however, there are only a handful of chipsets being employed by motherboard manufacturers in all Core 2 supporting motherboards. We've both P965 and 975X based boards and found them to be excellent products. We also looked at MSI's own 975X Platinum which was a fair contender against competitors. Today we are reviewing their more budget oriented P965 flavoured board for Core 2 Duo.

The MSI P965 Platinum, as you may imagine, uses the 965 chipset from Intel and has full support for Core 2 processors as well as a number of other important features. While 965 based chipsets don't feature full bandwidth Crossfire as their 975X counterparts do (we'll get into this on the next page), they are able to reach higher FSB speeds for overclocking chips with lower multipliers. Our full review will take a look at all the aspects of this board including its overclocking performance so keep reading!

Source:MSI P965 Platinum Review

Brag: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E4300 95% overclock on stock cooler

I manage to overclock the poor little CPU to a high 95%. I don't know if this is a world record Conroe/Allendale overclock on air with stock cooler, but I think it is.

You can click on the chipzilla logo or click here for the CPU-Z validation.

Some of the tidbits:
Motherboard: Abit* AW9D-MAX
Memory: Micron Fat Body D9 DDR2-533MHz 2x512MB
Hard Drive: IDE 80GB Seagate
Optical Drive: IDE Generic DVD ROM

That is all for the day FanBoyz...

Misc: Little Becky wants to demolish her school

Hahaha, I really find this very funny. If you need a good laugh, go check it out. The little girl is smart, you gotta love her accent, sweet!

Tech Link (Platform): Asustek shines along with Intel launching quad-core CPUs

It's just amazing, so many motherboards to support the uber processors from Chipzilla. You'd think people had enough of these boards already, but enthusiasts will just never get enough. FanBoyz, prepare your wallets, this is going to be a ride of a lifetime. As for me, I am playing with dual Clovertown, this will tide me over while waiting for newer toyz. Expand to read the full news..

Asustek shines along with Intel launching quad-core CPUs
Vyacheslav Sobolev, DigiTimes.com, Taipei [Tuesday 14 November 2006]

Asustek Computer was ahead of competitors in terms of quantity of motherboards presented to support Intel's launch of quad-core CPUs, formerly known under the codenames Clovertown (for servers and workstations) and Kentsfield (for desktops). Today, Intel formally launched Clovertown and Kentsfield as the Intel Xeon 5300 series and Core 2 Extreme processors, respectively.

With 10 motherboards supporting Kentsfield and the same amount for Clovertown, Asustek easily won the competition, and was awarded to deliver the first testimonial speech among Intel's partners. In desktop motherboards, Asustek was followed by Gigabyte with eight models, Universal Abit with seven and Foxconn (the registered trade name for Hon Hai Precision Industry) with five. In total, 39 desktop motherboards from eight vendors were presented at the event.

For quad-core Xeon processor support, the two leaders were Asustek and US-based Supermicro, each with 10 motherboards. Gigabyte and Micro-Star International (MSI) shared third place, with three motherboards each. In total, 32 products from eight vendors represented Intel's ecosystem in this segment.

Today, Intel officially launched four quad-core Xeon processors and one Core 2 Extreme CPU, all with 64KB level-one (L1) cache (equally shared between data and instruction caches) per core and 2x4MB level-two (L2) cache. Priced from US$455 to US$1,172, all the new CPUs are promised to be socket-compatible with Intel's future 45nm quad-core processors, according to Intel.

Intel: Official prices for quad-core CPUs (in 1,000-unit lots)

Processor
Price (US$)

Quad-core Intel Xeon X5355 (2.66GHz, 1333MHz FSB, 120W TDP)
1172

Quad-core Intel Xeon E5345 (2.33GHz, 1333MHz FSB, 80W TDP)
851

Quad-core Intel Xeon E5320 (1.86GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 80W TDP)
690

Quad-core Intel Xeon E5310 (1.60GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 80W TDP)
455

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 (2.66GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 130W TDP)
999


Source: Intel, compiled by DigiTimes.com, November 2006

Thirty nine desktop motherboards and 32 server and workstation (combined) boards were presented at Intel's launch of quad-core CPUs on November 14 in Taipei
Photo: Vyacheslav Sobolev, DigiTimes.com, November 2006


Asustek's DSBF-D12, one of the vendor's motherboards for the new quad-core Intel Xeon 5300 series
Photo: Vyacheslav Sobolev, DigiTimes.com, November 2006

Source:Asustek shines along with Intel launching quad-core CPUs

Press Release: Intel Ignites Quad-Core Era

Ok, today is the day that marks the new era of computing power for the world. Chipzilla first introduced dual core on the desktop, and now, they are again the first to issue the power of four cores computing to the desktop. Expand to check out the full press release.

Intel Ignites Quad-Core Era
World’s Best Microprocessor Gets Even Better
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 14, 2006 – Intel Corporation today kicked off the computer industry’s multi-core PC era by delivering four computing “brains” inside a single microprocessor with the introduction of the Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® 5300 and Intel Core™2 Extreme quad-core processor families. These products deliver immense speed and responsiveness for general purpose servers and workstations and for digital media creation, high-end gaming and other market segments that crave absolute performance.

Intel began the transition to multi-core technology 4 years ago with Hyper-Threading Technology (HT Technology), followed by the introduction of the industry’s first dual-core PC processors in April last year. Intel recently refreshed its entire product line by introducing over 40 new processors, including those based on the revolutionary Intel® Core™ microarchitecture, a more powerful yet energy-efficient design.

“Today’s announcement ushers in another new era in computing,” said Paul Otellini, Intel’s president and CEO. “The capabilities of quad-core microprocessors will bring new possibilities for science, entertainment and business. I’m incredibly proud of what Intel’s employees have achieved with these new products.”

Intel has made this next step in the computer’s ongoing evolution as fast and easy as possible through continued investment in silicon process and manufacturing technology, innovative and tailored product design, and a myriad of software developer tools and programs.

Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5300 series

Extending the leadership established by the Dual-Core Intel Xeon 5100 series processors, the new Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5300 series sets new world records** on key industry standard benchmarks:


A Dell PowerEdge 2950 server running BEA JRockit JVM delivered a record breaking SPECjbb2005 result of 210,065** BOPS, as much as 61 percent better than the next result.
Using the SPECint_rate_base2000 benchmark, which measures integer throughput, Fujitsu-Siemens PRIMERGY TX300 S3 set a new world record with a score of 200**, up to 63 percent better than the previous record.
A HP ProLiant ML370 G5 server running TPC-C benchmark, which measures database performance, shattered the previous record by as much as 42 percent with a score of 240,737** tpmC at $1.85/tpmC.
An IBM System x3650 server running the LS-DYNA 3-vehicle-collision workload, a leading high-performance computing benchmark, set a new record for a single-node performance**.

In addition, OEMs have published record-breaking** results on SAP-SD 2-Tier**, SPECWeb 2005**, SPECfp _rate_base2000**, Fluent** and SPECapc 3dsmax Rendering** benchmarks. The chips deliver up to 2.5 times the performance of the fastest competing processor** for the ultimate in powerful, dense and energy-efficient general purpose servers.

Quad-core Intel Xeon Processor 5300 series servers provide more headroom for server virtualization than any other two-processor, standard, high-volume server platform. The new processors deliver up to 50 percent faster** performance within the same thermal envelope and at the same cost as the previous generation Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor 5100 series launched less than 5 months ago.

Four Intel Xeon processors are launching today at clock speeds ranging from 1.60GHz to 2.66GHz, with front side bus (FSB) speeds ranging from 1066MHz to 1333MHz, and thermal design power (TDP) of either 80 watts or a performance-optimized 120 watt option. In the first quarter next year, Intel will launch two more quad-core Xeon processors – a low-voltage version for ultra-dense deployments with a TDP of only 50 watts and a processor designed for single-socket workstations and servers.

Intel Core 2 Extreme quad-core processor QX6700

The world’s best desktop processor for multimedia applications, the Intel Core 2 Extreme quad-core processor QX6700 is up to 80 percent faster** than the company’s current Intel Core 2 Extreme Processor X6800.

This is the world’s first quad-core desktop processor available for unmatched, highly threaded performance. Ideal for today's games with incredible performance for tomorrow’s highly threaded games; the Intel Core 2 Extreme quad-core processor QX6700 is available at 2.66GHz with a 1066MHz FSB. The processor runs on Intel’s existing 975X Express chipset family.

The company plans to offer a mainstream quad-core processor starting in the first quarter next year under the Intel Core 2 Quad processor brand name. The processor will be an ideal choice for processor-intensive, highly threaded programs such as entertainment, gaming and multimedia activities.

Pricing and Availability

Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor X5355 2.66GHz 1333MHz 8MB 120W
$1172

Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor E5345 2.33GHz 1333MHz 8MB 80W
$851

Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor E5320 1.86GHz 1066MHz 8MB 80W
$690

Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor E5310 1.60GHz 1066MHz 8MB 80W
$455

Intel Core 2 Extreme quad-core processor QX6700 2.66GHz 1066MHz 8MB 130W
$999



Additional information and resources in the Quad-Core Media Kit

Intel, the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.


Intel, Intel Core, Xeon and the Intel logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

Source:Intel Ignites Quad-Core Era

Tech Link (Operating System): Vista, Office 2007 cracked. Kind of.

Well, this just sucks. Err, I guess for some people it's a blessing but for the honest ones this is just unfair. Hey, it's piracy, stop stealing people's money off some workers at MS!

Microsoft has had a long history of battling against piracy, ever since Bill Gates' Open Letter to Hobbyists in 1976, long before there was even a personal computer software industry to speak of. Now, Microsoft finds itself in its latest piratical engagement, with the recent cracks of Windows Vista and Office 2007, both of which just hit gold release status. Torrents of the cracks are already finding their way around pirate sites.

The crack for Windows Vista (which is called "Vista BillGates") is not a true crack, as it replaces components from the final version of the operating system with those from earlier betas. This allows the would-be pirate to use a product key that worked with Beta 1, Beta 2, RC1, or RC2, with the Gold release of the operating system. This allows the OS to be activated normally over the Internet, but does not bypass the activation system itself. Microsoft had made these earlier betas available to the public on a limited basis.

The other piratical news today is that a copy of the Enterprise edition of Office 2007 was also made available on the 'Net. This version, like other "Corporate" editions of Microsoft products, uses a volume license key (in this case, Volume Activation 1.0) and does not require activation over the Internet.

Of course, Microsoft has methods of fighting back against these latest leaks. The company can push updates through Windows and Office Update that deactivate the pirated copies. As the company did with Windows XP Corporate Editions, Microsoft can invalidate corporate volume license keys that have leaked out at a later date. This latter strategy worked moderately well for Microsoft—at least a few people whose pirated copy of XP had its VLK invalidated did bite the bullet and replace it with a legitimate version. Also, Microsoft can continue their strategy of using Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) to restrict access to certain non-essential updates. Internet Explorer 7 was an example of a product offered only to users who passed WGA.

Microsoft's aim is to make piracy annoying enough that casual users will stop bothering with it, despite the fact that dedicated pirates will still manage to break it again and again. Still, it's clear that the battle between pirates and those who would wish to stop them is far from over.

Source:Vista, Office 2007 cracked. Kind of.

Tech Link (Platform): Intel's newest Quad Xeon MP versus HP's DL585 Quad Opteron

Hmm, lately I have been posting server platform than I used to. In any case, if you are interested with server platforms, you may want to check this out. Expand for more...

Conclusion so far

Yes, our testing is not done. We still have to test other databases, and we are running benchmarks with Bea's JVM while you are reading this. Those benchmarks will be presented in our Clovertown - Intel's new quad core server CPU - review. In this review we focused a little more on the actual servers. So what can we conclude so far?

The Xeon 7140MP "Tulsa" is nothing less than a massive improvement over the previous Xeon 7041: it consumes less, performs a lot better (see the SPEC int/fp numbers) and is much less expensive. The new Xeon MP needs fewer optimizations than the Opteron to perform well in Java applications. Or if we look at our preliminary Bea Webrockit numbers, it performs better than the quad Opteron with a highly optimized JVM in applications with a big memory footprint (like SPECjbb2005) thanks to its massive L3 cache. In applications where the large L3 cache doesn't play a big role, the relatively poor server performance of the "NetBurst" architecture becomes visible again: our MySQL benchmark runs a lot better on the AMD Opteron and Intel's newest Core architecture Xeons. Power consumption is still rather high though, and the HP Opteron server consumed over 230W less.

In a nutshell, the new Xeon MP will have a hard time convincing people who are leaning towards an Opteron server or want the best performance/watt. But on the other hand, the decent performance and superior RAS features will keep the customers who desire high availability in the Intel camp, while the previous Xeon MP was such a poor performer that many people had no other choice than the AMD Opteron in the quad socket market.

When "High-end RAS" is less important, the excellent performance of the Xeon 5160 based Supermicro 6015 server shows how much potential the Xeon DP "Clovertown" has. Clovertown is nothing more than two Xeon DP 51xx on one chip, but it could give our quad monsters a hard time. You will find out more very soon....

Source:Intel's newest Quad Xeon MP versus HP's DL585 Quad Opteron

Overclock: Back in Black !! K|ngp|n Brings Down The ORB...AGAIN !!

Famous overclocker, K|ngp|n, has just claimed all of FutureMark*'s 3DMark benchmark World Record. He used a new motherboard based on eVGA*'s with the newest NVIDIA* chipset 680i running two brand spanking new video cards based on 8800GTX. He is just unstoppable. Expand for more...

Time to smash the orbs up again.
These runs all done with 8-9hrs benching time using all the hardware at once.
GPU's only pushed maybe 60-70% . So much left untapped...imagine what the scores will be 1 month from now lol:

NVIDIA EVGA 680i SLI motherboard (bios reads wrong in cpu-z)
Kentsfield b3/Conroe b1 @1.75v actual vcore/-100c loaded temps.
2 x 8800gtx SLI -40c to -45c approx 850-870/1150 Tek-9 ln2
CORSAIR DOMINATOR 8888 2gb
1 SILVERSTONE ZEUS 850W PSU 12v stayed at 12.3v load through all benches with max clocks.

3DMARK 2006 SLI with KF NO LOD AT ALL

Source:Back in Black !! K|ngp|n Brings Down The ORB...AGAIN !!

Brag: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E4300 is here

I just opened up the new box of goodies I got and it has a pleasant new suprise. It is the the new processor with 800MHz FSB, yep, not the full blown 1066 but hey, this should be one good CPU to have that sure is ready to rock and roll with fast DDR2. You can click on the image for the validation link. Expand for more...

Now why did I say rock and roll? Well, if you're one of those overclocker who happen to have the newer mobos but still using the older generation CPU then this is one good upgrade path. The motherboard will surely have enough juice for at least 266MHz FSB while a DDR2-533MHz can easily do that on stock vDIMM as well. So yeah, this looks like a very good upgrade path. See details below...

CPU : Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 (*1)
CPU Arch : 2 Cores - 2 Threads
CPU PSN : Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 4300 @ 1.80GHz (ES)
CPU EXT : MMX SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 EM64T
CPU Cache : L1 : 2 x 32/2 x 32 KB - L2 : 2048 KB
Core : Allendale (65 nm) / Revision : ???
CPUID : 6.F.2 / Extended : 6.F
Freq : 1800.09 MHz (200.01 * 9)

Misc: I just got back home..

Too tired from the trip. But it's all worth it. I'll try to manage my thoughts tomorrow, for now, I'm off to having a good rest.

Update (11/11/2006): I guess I don't want to miss an opportunity to share with all that "boy scouts" aren't dead. Ok, it would be more apt to say "girl scouts". It is because, on my way back home and my last stop over which is HK, one of my fellow Pinoy lost $400 US. It's not something that is small, it's actually a hefty amount. The young man, aged between 20 and 25, just came back from his duty as a "seaman" and he just found out he lost his money. It seems idiocy is also still very healthy, that is, when he was sharing his story of how it he must have lost his hard earned cash. Expand for more...

I am not going to share how he lost it, but suffice it to say, that after his valiant attempt to recover it, and the boarding time is ticking (close to 5mins before before boarding), a middle aged lady stepped in and offered $100. The two doesn't know each other, but she is a fellow Pinay (hence, the "girl scout"). She gave a "lesson" to the young man, about how to properly manage his money, etc. etc. At first, the young boy said "no thanks" but after the second offer, he gave in and accepted.

While I am against the offer (hey, that young man sure have more money in his stash, he just lost some of his loot along the way), it just makes me happy that someone has given assistance. I sure would have been happy for such kind heart being offered if I we'll be in such same situation as the young man, but I will not be stupid enough to get the money unless I really don't have any in the first place. I mean, hey, he's got a couple of bags of "duty free" already.

Oh well, there are lots of things that happened between the two, but I am not going to elaborate more. Just suffice it to say, I applaud the lady for such kind heart and I wish her a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and most of all, a happy life.

That is all for the day!

Press Release: New NVIDIA Products Transform the PC Into the Definitive Gaming Platform

I've read several reviews already and if all of them are right to the target, then this is a winner. I will not be quick to judge the final verdict, in the end, user experience will still play a big role whether this new solution is going to be a success or not. Expand for more...

New NVIDIA GeForce 8800 and NVIDIA nForce 680 Redefine Reality on the PC

For further information, contact:

Bryan Del Rizzo
NVIDIA Corporation
(408) 486-2772
bdelrizzo@nvidia.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

SANTA CLARA, CA—NOVEMBER 8, 2006—PC enthusiasts around the world have a lot to be excited about today as NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA), the worldwide leader in programmable graphics processor technologies, introduced two new product families that transform the PC into the premier gaming platform: the GeForce® 8800 graphics processing unit (GPU), and the NVIDIA nForce® 680i SLI media and communications processor (MCP) designed specifically for Intel® Core™ 2 Quad and Core 2 Duo processors. These two new product families represent the hardware foundation that allows users to start building their own definitive gaming PC platforms to experience high-resolution, high-performance gaming and stellar high-definition visuals.


_{Say hello to 'Adrianne', the world's first real-time, virtual celebrity based on model and actress Adrianne Curry, all rendered on the new NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX graphics processing unit (GPU).}

"We set out to build the ultimate platform for PC gaming and high-definition video," said Jen-Hsun Huang, president and CEO at NVIDIA. "There is no better way to experience Windows Vista, DirectX 10, HD-DVD, and Blu-ray than with a PC powered by GeForce 8800 and nForce 680i SLI. Our announcement today is the culmination of four years of research and development and represents the biggest technological leap we have ever made. Gamers are going to be blown away."

The GeForce 8800 GPUs are the world's first to support Microsoft® DirectX® 10, the next-generation programming interface that will be introduced with the upcoming Microsoft Vista™ operating system. The GeForce 8800 GPUs feature a number of groundbreaking technologies including:

• A revolutionary new unified shader architecture comprised of up to 128-parallel, 1.35GHz stream processors that deliver amazing floating point processing power for unmatched gaming performance


• NVIDIA Quantum Effects physics processing technology that ushers in a new generation of visual effects and graphics realism


• Simultaneous 16x anti-aliasing and 128-bit High Dynamic Range (HDR) lighting for unparalleled image quality

"The raw performance and visual effects of the new GeForce 8800 GTX is just going to knock your socks off," said Pat Gelsinger, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Digital Enterprise Group at Intel. "Intel's Core 2 Quad and Core 2 Duo combined with the GeForce 8800 GTX and SLI technology delivers the most compelling visual experience the world has ever seen."


_{The hardware foundation for the Definitive Gaming Platform is the NVIDIA nForce 680 media and communications processor--an advanced overclocking motherboard solution for Intel Core 2 Quad and Intel Core 2 Duo-based PCs.}

Throughout the GeForce 8800's development process, NVIDIA worked in close partnership with the world's top game designers to develop next-generation DirectX 10 titles on next-generation NVIDIA GPUs, enabling them to take full advantage of the increased performance and new features. As a result, more than 20 next-generation titles, including Crysis, Hellgate: London, World in Conflict, Company of Heroes, Microsoft Flight Simulator X, and Age of Conan—all with jaw-dropping visuals, were on display at the Company's official unveiling which took place today in San Jose, CA—all running on new GeForce 8800 GTX GPUs.

"NVIDIA has placed the industry's first DirectX 10 graphics processors into the hands of the world's leading game developers, representing a significant milestone in the DirectX 10 game development cycle," said Peter Moore, Corporate Vice President, Interactive Entertainment Business, Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. "The GeForce 8 series, combined with the unparalleled graphical capabilities of DirectX 10 and Windows Vista—built from the ground up for games—will give game developers a virtually unlimited platform for realizing their gaming vision."

The other half of the definitive gaming platform is the new NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI MCP, which was designed to deliver the highest performance for Intel Core 2 Quad and Core 2 Duo-based PCs. Aimed squarely at the hard-core enthusiast, the NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI MCP is a motherboard solution that provides extensive support for the latest cutting-edge technologies—including enhanced support for NVIDIA SLI multi-GPU technology. With its dual Gigabit Ethernet ports and advanced storage features, the NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI MCP can, in about one second, send a 30-minute television show between PCs and store hundreds of high-definition movies. Featuring what customers are saying is the most advanced overclocking solution in the market, the NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI MCP can more than double the front-side bus (FSB) speed of many Intel Core 2 Duo CPUs. Also included is support for SLI-Ready high-performance memory DIMMs, and a third PCIe graphics slot for extended multi-display environments or future physics processing.

In addition to providing silicon to the world's leading motherboard manufacturers, NVIDIA also announced today it has started to design and manufacture its own line of enthusiast-class NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI-based motherboards, which are being offered as a turnkey solution for select channel partners. This "Designed by NVIDIA" program allows NVIDIA partners—such as EVGA and others, to bring NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI-based motherboards to market faster than ever before, and lets consumers know that the motherboard they are purchasing fully supports all of the hardware and software features that are offered with the NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI MCP.

"EVGA is proud to be a launch partner for the new NVIDIA GeForce 8800 series and we are beyond ecstatic to be the first company to bring an NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI-based motherboard to the enthusiast market," said Andrew Han, President and CEO of EVGA. "EVGA would like to applaud NVIDIA for the astonishing performance enhancements found in both the NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI core logic and GeForce 8800 GTX graphics solutions."

GeForce 8 series GPUs, including the GeForce 8800 GTX and GeForce 8800 GTS, NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI-based motherboards, and fully-equipped Windows-based PCs are now available from leading retail outlets, system builders, and OEMS.

"We're very excited about bringing the definitive gaming platform to Velocity Micro customers. The superior overclockability of the NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI-based motherboard combined with the graphics power of the GeForce 8800 GTX GPU are at the bleeding edge—nothing less than what our customers demand," said Randy Copeland, CEO of Velocity Micro. "NVIDIA continues to demonstrate why they are the leader in the enthusiast space, and we are excited to deliver this phenomenal level of performance and functionality in our new line of Raptor gaming PCs, which are available to consumers today."

For a full list of NVIDIA partners or for more technical information on the GeForce 8800 GTX and GeForce 8800 GTS GPUs or the NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI MCP, please visit www.nvidia.com.

Source:New NVIDIA Products Transform the PC Into the Definitive Gaming Platform

Misc: It's always fun to be "yourself"

I just had lunch with my peers in Shanghai. It has always been fun to be yourself and just be free. Free of anything, just be yourself and have fun.

I can't remember the last time I ate sharing the food with everyone in almost "unsanitary" way. We shared the food in a bowl, where there's no serving spoon so we all use our chop sticks to get the food. I still feel a bit nervous, I might get some illness or something, but I figure, "Hey, I used to eat like that".

There's so many things I like to write, about my experience this afternoon, but I guess I'm too lazy to describe it. Suffice it to say, I had fun.

Tech Link (Processor): Intel X3220: LGA775 quad-core Xeon power

I am not in the mood today, but that doesn't mean I am not going to post some really juicy bits. FCG grab hold of a really neat toy, a server CPU but base on Socket T/LGA775 so it fits nicely on regular desktop board.

He tested it on a i965-based motherboard and as per his post, the performance is great. He even overclocked the baby and hits 4GHz. Now that's really amazing, four (4) cores on 4GHz. Maybe I should begin posting my server pets as well. Expand for more and check out FCG's toys.

If you haven't heard by now, Intel will be releasing a Socket T (LGA775) quad-core Xeon during Q1 2007. This chip will be identical to the Kentsfield, save the name string, and the dual processor (DP) ready Clovertown except for one small difference. Binning. Expect the Xeon flavored "Kentsfields" to run cooler and with less voltage than their desktop system brotheren.

Here's the expected lineup:
X3210 - 2.13GHz, 2x4MB L2, 1066MHz FSB
X3220 - 2.40GHz, 2x4MB L2, 1066Mhz FSB
X3230 - 2.66GHz, 2x4MB L2, 1066MHz FSB
X3240 - 3.00GHz, 2x4MB L2, 1333MHz FSB

Price should be very similar to Kentsfield, where the X3220 is the equivalent of the Q6600 and the X3230 matches the QX6700. As you can see, these CPUs are the newer B3 stepping. Expect this to be the retail revision when these particular CPUs appear for sale in early 2007.

Here's what CPU-Z shows for the X3220 running on my watercooled Asus P5B. Although this screen shot shows a modest 400FSB I've had no problems with 450x8 with this combination. I prefer to run the lower FSB though as I can use a 4:5 memory divider to reach DDR-1000 quite easily.

Source:Intel X3220: LGA775 quad-core Xeon power

Press Release: OCZ Technology Announces the PC2-6400 Titanium Series with EPP Technology

Ok, I feel really bad today. The weather here in Shanghai, PRC is 18c and I heard my friend told me that it's about to hit 10c on Wednesday. Darn, I'll be freezing my ass off for sure, I am already too lazy to go around at this temperature and it's only going to get worst.

Oh well, I hope you are better situated than me and enjoy OCZ's newest enthusiast toy bathed in their coveted Xtreme Thermal Convection (XTC) technology. If you are willing to lend a toy to this FanBoy, ring my bell and I'll be more than glad to put it to the test and I can pump 2.6v of voltage loving power and see how this baby will perform. For now, since I don't have it, just expand and see the full Press Release.

Sunnyvale, CA—November 2, 2006—OCZ Technology Group, a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory, today unveiled the PC2-6400 Titanium Series, the first-ever EPP-ready modules rated with a 1T command rate. Optimized for the existing nForce 590 SLI-based motherboards and impending NVIDIA platforms, the PC2-6400 Titanium EPP-Ready series delivers enthusiasts an alternative way of achieving high performance results without the need for substantial bus speeds. As the first DDR2 Titanium XTC (Xtreme Thermal Convection) product released, the innovative PC2-6400 EPP-Ready series is a premium solution for all enthusiasts, gamers, and high-end system builders.

PC2-6400 Titanium memory modules are built with an EPP (Enhanced Performance Profiles) programmed SPD to provide a true “Plug and Play” overclocking feature that eliminates the need for manual configuration and makes memory optimizations a household item for beginners and gamers.

"NVIDIA’s new nForce 590 SLI chipset with support for Intel LGA775 processors including the new quad core QX6700 processor really delivers the best performance when paired with the appropriate memory", commented Dr. Michael Schuette, VP of Technology Development at OCZ Technology. "For the extreme enthusiast, we specifically created the new OCZ PC2-6400 Titanium modules with built-in selectable (EPP) Enhanced Performance Profiles with reduced latencies for ultra fast memory accesses at 800 MHz data rate. Moreover, on the qualified platform and boards, the PC2-6400 Titanium modules are capable of accepting one command per clock cycle, also known as 1T Command Rate, which solves bus contention issues and increases memory performance by a considerable amount.”

PC2-6400 Titanium modules will be available in 1024MB densities and 2GB (2x1024MB) dual channel kits. Each memory module features a unique titanium mirrored XTC (Xtreme Thermal Convection) heatspreader for the most effective heat dissipation. Furthermore, each OCZ PC2-6400 Titanium EPP-Ready module is 100% hand-tested for quality assurance and compatibility and is backed by an industry leading OCZ Lifetime Warranty and technical support for unparalleled peace of mind.

For more information on the OCZ PC2-6400 Titanium Series, please visit our product page here.

Source:OCZ Technology Announces the PC2-6400 Titanium Series with EPP Technology

Rant: Sad Sunday :(

So I am now here in PRC, blogging my way to boredom. I am going to IDF and I guess that will take my mind off home for a while. But while at the cozy hotel, my heart longs to go back home and I miss my family so bad.

Oh well, work is needed to support the family so I will have to sacrifice some time away from them. It won't be long, but this is just the start of the very long week. Darn, I want to go home so bad.

Misc: T.M.X. trouble: Elmo is stolen!

Bah, humbug! I could care less about the toy, but I understand how the parents and their kids would react to such baroque atrocity. Expand to read the full news...

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Wal-Mart is seeing red over a missing shipment of T.M.X. Elmo, a frontrunner for this year's hottest toy.

The world's largest retailer wants the missing Elmos back as soon as possible and declared that it will "do whatever it takes to ensure [Elmo] gets to shelves this holiday season."

In a statement emailed to CNNMoney.com, Wal-Mart (Charts) spokeswoman Jolanda Stewart said the shipment, containing more than 100 T.M.X. Elmo dolls, went missing on Oct. 31 en route to a Wal-Mart store in Bentonville, Ark.

"We're continuing the search for them," she said. Wal-Mart is also offering a trip to a comedy club in New York City as a reward for returning the shipment.

However, officials at the Bentonville police department told CNNMoney.com that they were not currently aware of any missing Elmo report from Wal-Mart.
12 hot holiday toys

Fisher-Price, a division of No. 1 toymaker Mattel (Charts), unveiled the new T.M.X. Elmo to the world in September.

Industry watchers pegged T.M.X. as the hottest toy of the year and suggested consumers get the toy while they can because they expected an extreme shortage of Elmo over the holiday shopping season.

For its part, Wal-Mart said while many retailers are concerned about having the item in stock, it still expects to receive weekly shipments of the toy over the holidays.

But Marshal Cohen, chief retail industry analyst with market research firm NPD Group, said the missing toys could turn into quite an embarrassment for Wal-Mart.

"It's a really big deal for Wal-Mart," said Cohen. "T.M.X is the hottest product is has in its stores right now. So suddenly the missing Elmos make the toy three times more valuable to Wal-Mart than its original retail price."

"The other problem for Wal-Mart is that it really can't afford to have consumers read about the missing Elmos and then avoid its stores and go to the competitor in hopes of finding Elmo there," he added.

Anxious parents can also hope to score an elusive T.M.X. Elmo at Wal-Mart's rival Target (Charts) and other toy stores such as Toys 'R Us and online merchant Amazon.com (Charts).

Source:T.M.X. trouble: Elmo is stolen!

Tech Link (Memory): DOMINATOR CAS4 tested ---> Corsair TWIN2X2048-8888C4DF OCing Report!!!

One of the overclockers over at XS has posted a result of his evaluation kit of the uber RAM from Corsair*. Of course, it is going to undergo some massive torture and stress testing. Expand for more..

Hello and Welcome fellow memory addicts to my 12th OCing Report!

--- Part1: Introduction. ---
Less than two weeks ago, I have received from Corsair a brand new 2x1GB DDR2 kit for evaluation. This time, it's the highest rated (and most expensive at the same time, hehe) representative of the new "DOMINATOR" line - TWIN2X2048-8888C4DF. There are at least two reasons this memory stands out, before even getting into testing it:

* whooping stock rating of DDR2-1111 12-4-4-4.0 @ 2.40v
* intriguing looks with an ingenious new cooling solution behind it called "Dual-path Heat Xchange (DHX)"

So, what's up with the new looks, you'd ask? Well, here's what Corsair engineers came up with. In short, heat generated by memory chips on a module is being dissipated through convection (by means of heatinks attached to the back of memory ICs) and conduction (through solder balls of BGA package, into copper traces and planes of PCB). So, Corsair engineers took their proven PCB design and modified it. They added a bit to its height, then extended above mentioned copper traces to that new area, finished them off with large copper pads on both sides of PCB and slapped a nickel-plated heatsink on those pads. After that, another aluminium heatsink equipped with fins at the top has covered memory ICs.
To aid in heat dissipation, Corsair wants to convince enthusiasts to throw away 80-120mm fans we've all being using so far, and added their own little cooler. It consists of three 40mm quiet fans and its housing is mounted on top of the modules with help of "tabs" on both sides of DIMM sockets. Pretty neat, eh?

Source:DOMINATOR CAS4 tested ---> Corsair TWIN2X2048-8888C4DF OCing Report!!!

Brag: Kentsfield is now on the loose....

Ok, I'm late with the posting but all I can say is that, wohooo, it's a great day today. I didn't know, or I might have missed it, that embargo for releasing the performance results has been pulled in to November 2. I guess, I won't be posting my numbers anytime soon, I am leaving for IDF in China next week. In any case, busy yourselves with *some* of the reviews on the web. Expand for more...


XBitLabs

Conclusion
Summing up I have to state that it will be very hard to draw a final line today. The thing is that Kentsfield processors have evidently got far ahead of their time. There are not that many applications yet that could use the potential of all four cores and load them to the full extent. In fact, these are only 3D rendering tools, video editing tools and a few codecs. These are the few applications where multi-core architecture can show its real best and prove adequate to its theoretical potential. Since there are not that many optimized applications, Kentsfield processors cannot yet become the ultimate leaders from the performance-per-watt prospective. Dual-core Conroe based CPUs still retain the leadership here.

However, despite this fact, Core 2 Extreme QX6700 launch is definitely a success. Firstly, Intel was brave enough to push the multi-core concept into the market. Intel was the one to give software developers to understand that the time has come to revise their algorithms dramatically. The upcoming year 2007 should become a turning point: we expect a lot of new applications that would benefit from systems on multi-core processors.

Moreover, smart pricing policy makes Core 2 Extreme QX6700 a very attractive purchase today already. Its frequency is only 10% lower than that of the top Conroe CPU, Core 2 Extreme X6800. So, Core 2 Extreme QX6700 will be just a little bit slower than the predecessor in applications that do not support multi-threading. However, the are priced equivalently, so that the users looking at the price-to-performance ratio in the first place will be able to consider Kentsfield as a possible good choice. Especially since it will be extremely efficient in case of several tasks running in parallel even if they are not optimized for multi-threading. And in optimized apps, Core 2 Extreme QX6700 is unattainably fast.

So, even if you do not yet see any tangible benefits from the quad-core Kentsfield processors for your particular case, the situation will undoubtedly change very soon. This new Intel solution has big future ahead.

THG

The dust still hasn't settled from Intel's Core 2 Duo market shakeup, a technology that allowed Intel to definitively take back the performance crown it has spent so many years battling to grasp. The Core 2 Quadro adds heat to the fire by doubling its performance potential.

Doubling the number of simultaneously-executable threads by doubling the number of cores, however, is just as likely to double power consumption and heat output. This comes at a time when most users cannot yet even take full advantage of current dual-core capabilities; a time when most PC software is written for two cores at most; a time when Intel's reputation is still recovering from the heat nightmare that was the Pentium D; and a time when mass marketing is shifting towards tiny boxes. In other words, Core 2 Quadro is probably the last thing the mass market needs right now. Knowing this, Intel is releasing only enthusiast-level versions.

But Intel's timing is neither poor nor coincidental: AMD's first quad-core release is expected in approximately two weeks. While most technology analysts don't expect anything revolutionary in terms of performance gained, it remains to be seen whether AMD's new product is evolutionary enough to tighten the race. HyperTransport's bidirectional nature might play a key factor in making AMD's solution more competitive, while other planned updates may further enhance scaling and IPC.

TechReport

Conclusions
Like any solution with four CPU cores, the Core 2 Extreme QX6700's effectiveness depends on what you feed it. Give it a nicely parallelizable task with four or more threads, and it will utterly embarrass former top dogs like the Core 2 Extreme X6800 and the Athlon 64 FX-62. For applications like video encoding, 3D rendering, image processing, and scientific computing, the QX6700 trumps all other desktop processors—and, I suspect, a great many dual-socket Opteron workstations. 3DMark06's multithreaded CPU test gives us a glimpse of how multithreaded gaming might look, and the QX6700 performs very well there, too.

Feed it a simple app with only one or two threads, though, and this quad-core monster begins to look an awful lot like a Core 2 Duo E6700 with higher power consumption and a much steeper price tag. Of course, even that isn't a horrible place to be. In single- and dual-threaded applications, the QX6700 still wallops the Athlon 64 FX-62 nearly across the board, with similar power requirements and heat output. That fact simply underscores how good the Core 2 lineup truly is.

Still, this is very much an Extreme processor in every sense. As I've said in various ways over the years, I happen to think forking over a grand for a CPU is sheer insanity. If you do write that check, though, be prepared to write another one for a good water cooling system. Most air coolers that could keep this thing cool would simply be too loud for my taste, and you won't want to attempt much overclocking with air cooling.

This quad-core CPU puts Intel in the same tricky position that the GPU guys have had to endure from time to time: the hardware is now well ahead of software development, particularly in mainstream consumer applications and games. Many owners of this beast may be stuck waiting for new applications to arrive that use it to its fullest ability. Like I said, though, I'm confident the applications will come, and when they do, the Core 2 Extreme QX6700 may well be the best option for running them.

Soon, the QX6700 should get some competition in the form of AMD's so-called 4x4 platform. Can AMD unseat the QX6700 using dual-socket motherboards? Interesting question. I have my doubts, but I suppose we'll soon find out.

Enjoy....

Tech Link (Memory): Enter the "Why I Love Corsair" Contest

Corsair has a contest going on that will let FanBoyz (and non FanBoyz alike) get a hold of a custom Gold Plated Dominator 2GB DDR2-8888 memory kits. For some reason, there are four eight's (8s) in there so I am not really sure if it meant DDR2-8888MHz or maybe they meant PC2-8888 (which means DDR2-1111MHz).

In any case, if you are good with essays, why not check it out and see if you can bag one of those custom-made (and I assume, limited) Gold Plated DDR2 kits. Expand for more...

Celebrating the company's 1 millionth premium module shipped in 2006, Corsair will offer 5 custom 2GB DDR2-8888 gold-plated DOMINATOR memory kits as contest prizes for the "Why I Love Corsair" 200-word essay contest.

Press Release

Essay contest details:

Contest runs from November 1 to November 14, 2006. All entries must be received before November 14, 2006.
Prizes: 5 sets of gold-plated DDR2-8888C4DF DOMINATOR memory kits
To enter, email the essay to contest@corsairmemory.com
Maximum essay word count limit: 200
Winners will be announced on Corsair.com on December 1, 2006.

Source:Enter the "Why I Love Corsair" Contest

Misc: Happy All Saints Day

Yes, this is a cheat post. I post this on 2nd of November, but hey, I just want to make sure I got all days covered so sue me :). Anyway, I stayed home all day yesterday. I am not able to give my friends and relatives a call. I decided I'll give them a visit this weekend.

Why would I cancel it? Simply because I am tired and the next day isn't really holiday. And when you live far away from your friends and relatives, I'll end up not being able to go to the office the next day. I'll be too tired. So I figure, I'll miss that day, but make it up during the weekends. So yeah, I stayed home all day long and slept and ate and watched TV and played with the kids.

So Happy Halloween to all of you!