DNAB... Definitely Not A Banana Intel Core i7 950 ( yay! )

[BenchZowner]

I can't believe this is true, but fortunately ( for me : ) it is

A few days ago... ok, ok! 2 days ago, I tested a Core i7 950 that did 4.8GHz SuperPi 32M on ice ( the regular one, not dry ice ) [ CoreTemp 37C/35C/36C/33C ] and the results were very encouraging ( 5.4GHz-something SuperPi 1M, 5.3GHz AquaMark 3, 5.16GHz Pi32M @ -58Cpot_temp, wPrime at 5.05GHz ).

Today I had a few liters of LN2 ( 12 to be precise ).

Yesterday I started preparing some Windows images with Norton Ghost ( something that made me waste a lot LN2 today :shakes: ) and then recovered the HDD to an all-around Windows XP Pro SP3 installation.

 

I wanted to test the CPU, but I got tempted to do some AquaMark 3 with a LN2 cooled 5870, so I prepped both the mobo & the VGA for LN2.

I started with CPU on LN2 and an empty Tek-9 3.0 "Fatbody"-cooled 5870 @ stock to check the overclocking capabilities & the "coldbug/coldboot" of the CPU.

I didn't try hard, neither really paid any attention ( I had an old friend here and we had some good laughs during this benching session ) so there might be more or even more than a lot of OC headroom left ( we shall find out soon )

 

After fooling around in Windows XP I decided to load the Windows 7 x64 image to get some higher AquaMark 3 & 3D Mark03 numbers, but that wasn't the best of ideas I must admit :

 

Norton Ghost 14 had problems restoring my image, and after 2 tries and lots of waiting, I decided to give Windows Backup a go.

Finally, after 3 minutes or so the image was finally restored and we were ready to go.

 

Well... that's when I realized that I lost a few scores & screenshots because I forgot to transfer them from the HDD to my USB stick...

 

I was bored and didn't mod the 5870, so it was SmartDoctor & Afterburner.

Well, the result was 1287MHz / GDDR5-5224 AquaMark 3 @... -179C ( -180C = coldbug : ) @ 1.45Vsomething.

 

I didn't push the UnCore, nor the RAM ( slacky 8-8-8-28 80 tRFC and 2/8 divider, B2B 12(!) ) just the CPU clock

 

I lost a nice 393k AQ3 with the card at 900/1200 and 5.54G CPU while saving the screenshot ( damn GPU-z lol and lack of LN2 ).

 

I also benched SuperPi 1M @ 5.5GHz / DDR3-2400 8-8-8-28 Triple Channel just for fun

 

I really need a cascade to spend some time testing the CPU and finding the best clocks/timings & settings

 

I'll leave you with a few screenshots ( well... some of the saved ones )

 

One of the cb lost screenies

 

A cr*ppy AQ3 ( full screenie, yay )

 

A... not so tweaked ( just LSC ) SuperPi 32M on dice

 

5.57GHz 4cores/8threads CPU-z validation ( pending, x86-secret is down )

 

I shall be back soon

[SF3D]

Nice results! Seems to be a decent 950.

 

Now just push the BCLK in 3D.

[BenchZowner]

Thanks Petri

I will try to get more LN2 next week and push things the proper way this time.

 

Here's the CPU info in case you guys want to hunt down the same batch of 950s:

[BenchZowner]

Had a short session today ( didn't went really well, stupid kneaded eraser insulation on the VGA didn't work well : ), the scores aren't tweaked at all, so don't give me a lecture about the efficiency.

I had to tweak the CPU settings from the beginning since I can't remember the settings I used the other time :

I'm BCLK limited ( and NB temp limited probably, 69C @ boot lol ) and got lots of stuff to check ( ideally on a -130C cascade : ) to see if I can get past that stupid BCLK wall, check the settings & stuff affecting the CBB & CB ( Cold Boot Bug & Cold Bug ) and tweak the RAM sub-timings & cool the RAM with LN2 as well.

 

The CPU can do 5300+ 3D Mark06, 5500+ AquaMark 3 & Pi 32m, so unless someone can hook me up with a 5.7GHz+ 32m / AquaMark 3 - 5.5GHz 3D Mark06 chip, I'm fine ( somebody ?! )

Will come back soon with proper scores with CPU + VGA/s + RAMs @ LN2 ( maybe LN2 on teh chipset too )

 

 

 

 

[Massman]

It's positive that you can improve those scores?

[stummerwinter]

...so unless someone can hook me up with a 5.7GHz+ 32m / AquaMark 3 - 5.5GHz 3D Mark06 chip, I'm fine ( somebody ?! )

Will come back soon with proper scores with CPU + VGA/s + RAMs @ LN2 ( maybe LN2 on teh chipset too )...

 

No, not willing to do so...

 

But really nice chip...:celebration:

 

Want sop see more...:nana:

[BenchZowner]

I picked up some dry ice today ( 15.5 lbs / 7kg ) to do some VGA pretesting as a preparation for the next LN2 session.

I decided to use an i7 920 just to grab a few more HWpoints for the sake of it :

I started with low CPU clocks and did some VGA OC digging, hitting 1355MHz GPU @ AquaMark 3 at... hold on... 1.672V ( probably stable with less voltage, I was just rushing and wanted to be ok in terms of ext. param. that could affect the stability ), 1300MHz GPU @ 3D Mark 03/05/Vantage at -60C to -65C.

 

Then I pushed the CPU a lil' further, and tried some 3Dm03/05/Vantage just for fun.

 

40069 3D Mark05 - http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm05=5135996

104126 3D Mark03 - http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=6262310

P23075 3D Mark Vantage ( Performance Preset ) - http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dmv=1858927

 

I think I'm ready for my next LN2 session now