Skylake-X review: Intel Core i9-7900X and the X299 platform

Introduction Intel's new X-Series consists of i5, i7, and reissued i9 processors, all of which require the same X299 chipset that comes with the LGA2066 socket. The S-series processors will continue to be used with the 200 chipset. In some applications and games, we've encountered performance trends that didn't match our expectations. Considering that Skylake X has a speed advantage due to higher clock speeds as well as new architectural... Intel has reduced the shared Last Level Cache (LLC-L3) and transferred it from an inclusive to a non-inclusive (but exclusive) approach. This was done with the help of an efficient caching algorithm that improves the hit rate of the L2 cache ... The Basin Falls X299 chipset The Kaby Lake-X and Skylake-X processors sit in an LGA2066 socket (R4), powered by an X299 chipset with 6 watts of power, underscoring Intel's strategy of using server chipsets for their HEDT- Li... Why should it always only hit AMD when a change of architecture leads to application-specific "collapses" in the expected performance or, more simply put, the CPU in certain applications simply does not... Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation Because we were just so nice, we continue the high-altitude flight of the overclocked Core i7-6950X, because even with this benchmark the optimization problem described above is very clear:... Grand Theft Auto V (DX11) GTA V restores the old pecking order and also shows two things. First, it's still an Intel domain, but AMD has made up for it with the Ryzen CPUs! It's really amazing how to deal with some fine... Project Cars (DX11) Even with Project Cars, the chemistry between the new CPU and the engine is right, even though it was observed time and again that all 10 cores clocked up to 4.0 GHz, even though they were not all busy. But we would... Introduction During the launch article of AMD's Ryzen 7 CPUs, we had already explained all workstation and HPC benchmarks in great detail and also questioned the background for many results in some cases even down to the last detail. En... Important preliminary remark Since Intel no longer realizes the contact between Die and Heatspreader by metallic solder at Skylake-X and Kaby Lake-X, but also uses cheaper TIM (Thermal Interface Material) to use the same way. Cooling with the Chiller crowbar In order to be able to achieve usable (overclocking) results, we had to switch from the normal water cooling to the Alphacool Ice Age Chiller 2000, as already mentioned in the previous chapter. ... What is left for us after all these pages as a summary? Intel's market leadership in recent years is ultimately based on a continuous offer of more or less large updates, which of course also this time a certain amount of expected...

What is left for us after all these pages as a summary? Intel's market leadership in recent years is ultimately based on a continuous offering of more or less large updates, which of course brings with it a certain level of expectations this time. But the signs are on a storm more than ever, as AMD has been able to put considerable pressure on Intel in some price ranges with Ryzen. At least in terms of price, Intel has already responded and that's good for us customers and enthusiasts in the end. And technically?

It's a detail for both competitors

Intel's mesh fabric and AMD's Infinity Fabric show how highly parallel architectures require ever more sophisticated interconnects. In some cases, however, this results in power regression when compared to simpler configurations that connect the subsystems more directly. It should also be remembered, however, that both companies have been using the previous layouts for more than a decade and only improved or improved them. have adjusted. But now the clock is virtually back to zero for both of them and manufacturers have to live with the new challenges equally.

Initially, Ryzen was plagued with some enigmatic performance problems at launch. Now, more than three months later, continuous firmware, chipset and software updates have alleviated a large number of these problems, respectively. even completely fixed, which we had initially identified in the launch review and the follow-ups. In this respect, too, e.g. the Ryzen 7 1800X really made a very positive impression, especially compared to Intel's 1000 USD alternatives at the time. The Ryzen CPUs are not always the fastest CPUs in the segment in question, but it is now also impossible to ignore them in any way at the price point called.

Enthusiasts at Intel will probably be hoping for similar improvements. After all, AMD has also managed to remove the largest roadblocks – with only a fraction of Intel's budget. We've already asked Intel if you can expect simple, software-based optimizations to fix what we've noticed negatively in a timely manner. While the company representatives' statement is aimed precisely at the fact that a special software tuning for the new architectural improvements and the changed cache hierarchy could significantly improve performance, we remain skeptical to some extent.

Experience with AMD's Ryzen has shown that the problems need to be addressed elsewhere. It is always worth remembering that the Core i9-7900X tested today is based on the same microarchitecture as older core CPUs. It is therefore unlikely that only code-only updates alone will be able to solve the problems that have arisen as a result of the modified layout of Skylake-X, if Skylake-S and its derivatives are already well supported at the same time. Here, as with AMD, firmware and driver updates will still have to be followed up in order to really be able to meet the potential of the new technology.

Performance improvements

However, it can also be seen that aggressive Turbo Boost frequencies and a resymmetric cache hierarchy are suitable for ironing out the weaknesses of Broadwell-E in many areas. Because if the Core i9-7900X is doing well, then there is no stopping. Often the chip beats any competitor we let compete against, including the Core i7-6950X. For some workloads, the higher latency generated by the current implementation of the mesh topology makes the Core i9 stumble a little. It's not a complete drop in performance, but it can be seen as an annoying anomaly that just doesn't look good on a 1000-euro CPU. For pure gamers, the Core i9-7900X becomes a real question of conscience anyway, because you have to buy a new motherboard with faster memory kits in addition to the new CPU.

Let's get to the number one folk sport for the PC enthusiast and young gamer. Of course, they also want to see decent overclocking possibilities, whereby the Core i9-7900X already offers a significantly higher clock than the Core i7-6950X. But exactly where the sun shines violently and particularly brightly, it naturally also gets correspondingly hot. It is telling if Intel itself already recommends an AiO compact water cooling as a minimum requirement and offers it itself with the TS13. But even these solutions cannot disguise the thermal limit that Intel produces itself by using mediocre, cost-saving thermal paste instead of a standard metallic solder. If you want to be happy with the Core i9 and at the same time rely on higher clock rates, you will not be able to avoid a real open-loop water cooling. In any case, this looks much better with AMD's Ryzen.

In the semi-professional sector, our workstation and HPC benchmarks have proven that a CPU twice as expensive as the Core i9-7900X doesn't necessarily have to be twice as fast as the half-priced Ryzen 7 1800X. On the contrary, the significantly inexpensive AMD product can still compete in some benchmarks. This works with limitations even if the Core i9 acts as unleashed if no performance brakes occur. Overall, of course, it's the much faster CPU, but as big as the price might imply, the lead is definitely no longer.

Conclusion and outlook

Anyway, AMD's soon-to-be-followed Threadripper CPU has certainly taken Intel out of the concept, as amD is now suddenly and unexpectedly arguing about its core competency. In order to be able to maintain or expand their own position at the moment, the X299 motherboards certainly need a firmware update in order to make the theoretically possible performance arrive constantly in reality. AMD has already shown quite well that this can work, despite a smaller budget.

But with Threadripper, the cards are likely to be reshuffled again in the semi-professional field. Not only in terms of price, but also. Then AMD will demand a slice of the big money pie in the HEDT market and perhaps return to the profit zone that is so badly needed.

We will be following the smaller Skylake-X and Kaby Lake-X CPUs in the next few days, but we won't be able to draw a real conclusion for this segment until after the launch of AMD's Threadripper. It's just too early to do that and the summer remains reasonably exciting.

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