Intel Mobile Processor Core i7 vs Core i7 Extreme Edition

The Core i7 line-up of processors from Intel is already well known to be very fast. Still, Intel releases processors for utmost performance. These are known as the Core i7 Extreme Edition. The most notable difference between the ordinary Core i7 and the Core i7 Extreme Edition is the unlocked multiplier. The multiplier is directly related to the actual speed that the processor works at. Given an external clock of 133Mhz, the 990X (Extreme Edition) has a multiplier of 26, which results in an actual speed of 3.47Ghz. For most processors, the multiplier is locked to a certain value to prevent users from tampering with it. In the Core i7 Extreme Edition, the unlocked multiplier lends itself nicely to overclocking. With the example above, changing the multiplier to 27 would make the processor operate at almost 3.6Ghz. Proper care should be taken in overclocking a processor as the practice can easily destroy your hardware.

Another major difference between the two is price. The latest Core i7 Extreme Edition processor always claims the $999 price tag. For that amount, most people can already build a complete computer, maybe even two. If price is a factor in choosing or building your computer, an ordinary Core i7 can cost hundreds of dollars less with only a minor decrease in performance.

Lastly, Core i7 Extreme Edition processors feature a higher QPI rate than ordinary Core i7 processors valued at 6.4GT/s and 4.8GT/s respectively. QPI, or QuickPath Interconnect, is Intel’s technology that replaces the FSB (Front Side Bus) and basically connects the processor to the motherboard chipset. The higher transfer rate of the Core i7 Extreme Edition means that it is less likely to bottleneck as processor performance increases. This is very important as memory resides on the motherboard as well as other data containing devices like hard drives and other peripherals.

To wrap it up, Core i7 Extreme Edition processors are the best that you can get on a desktop computer. Even though the performance increase from an ordinary Core i7 may not be very significant, the jump in price is huge. So choosing a Core i7 Extreme Edition is not really rational unless you have cash to burn.

Summary:

1.Extreme Edition Core i7 has an unlocked multiplier while an ordinary Core i7 doesn’t.
2.Extreme Edition Core i7 costs significantly more than an ordinary Core i7.
3.Extreme Edition Core i7 has a higher QPI transfer rate than an ordinary Core i7.

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