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...

Why should it always only hit AMD when a change of architecture leads to application-specific "collapses" in expected performance or, more simply put, the CPU in certain applications simply does not deliver what you want promised by her?

We've already addressed the differences between Broadwell-E and Skylake-X, but we'll see what this can mean in reality as the gaming and workstation benchmarks progress, but we'll see what this can mean in reality due to a lack of application optimization in the individual case. Here it meets Intel with full power and it shows once again how important the appropriate rework can be later. BIOS, drivers, application optimization – you can choose something or stuff everything in your pocket.

Civilization IV AI Test vs. VRMark

Let's look at the two benchmark results below! The AI test of Civilization VI reflects exactly what one might expect due to the different clock rates and architectures. So far the world is still healthy and the tester is satisfied with himself and the hardware.

But at the latest, when you have completed VRMark, you get into thinking. What the hell has actually happened here? The nominally much slower Core i7-6950X suddenly wipes the floor with the Core i9-7900X? You really have to let the following graphic melt on your tongue:

Mesh instead of ring bus – optimization does not necessary

But what happened? Since we have noticed such outliers down several times throughout the benchmark history, we have contacted Intel and communicated our measurement results. We have already quoted the answer on page two in the original, because it shows very nicely the hurdles with which even a player like Intel has to contend strongly when it comes to something technically new.

Intel, like AMD at Ryzen, is thus struggling with a problem that affects the optimization of the software towards the respective platform and extends from source code to compilations. So let's take a look at Civilization IV in detail, because the AI test isnot everything.

Civization IV and the pitfalls of the object

If we consider the game as a complete work of art, the lead of the Core i9-7900X from the AI test is suddenly history and the CPU is almost sawn off. Let's first take a look at the bare FPS numbers:

Of course, the absolute frame rates themselves do not say everything about immersion and the subjective feeling could look completely different. But in the case of Civilization VI, the disadvantage of the Core i9-7900X is obvious. In the following chart gallery, the frametimes and the incorruptible Uneveness index show very clearly that the subjective feeling could be even worse than the pure FPS numbers can!

We will therefore focus on this fact as the gaming tests progress, and we will contrast the graphics for the FPS numbers and the detailed chart analyses for each game separately. But we will also have to return to the mesh problem in the workstation and HPC tests.

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