The Intel Broadwell-E Review: Core i7-6950X, i7-6900K, i7-6850K and i7-6800K Tested
by Ian Cutress on May 31, 2016 2:01 AM EST- Posted in
- CPUs
- Intel
- Enterprise
- Prosumer
- X99
- 14nm
- Broadwell-E
- HEDT
Load Delta Power Consumption
Power consumption was tested on the system while in a single MSI GTX 770 Lightning configuration with a wall meter connected to the OCZ 1250W power supply. This power supply is Gold rated, and as I am in the UK on a 230-240 V supply, leads to ~75% efficiency > 50W, and 90%+ efficiency at 250W, suitable for both idle and multi-GPU loading. This method of power reading allows us to compare both the power management of the BIOS and the board's ability to supply components with power under load, and includes typical PSU losses due to efficiency.
Each of the Broadwell-E SKUs are rated at 140W, however they vary between 6 cores and 10 cores and with different frequencies. Normally one would assume that the core/frequency ratio would be adjusted to match TDP, but ultimately using more cores can consume more power. We see a distinct increase in power consumption moving up the product stack.
Prime95 Core Loading
For this review, we also looked into peak delta power draw when varying the number of cores using Prime95’s mode for peak power consumption. Prime95 identifies cores with multiple threads and adjusts its loading/pinning accordingly.
Broadwell-E Overclocking
Methodology
Our standard overclocking methodology is as follows. We select the automatic overclock options and test for stability with PovRay and OCCT to simulate high-end workloads. These stability tests aim to catch any immediate issues with memory or CPU errors.
For manual overclocks, based on the information gathered from previous testing, we start off at a nominal voltage and CPU multiplier, and the multiplier is increased until the stability tests are failed. The CPU voltage is increased gradually until the stability tests are passed, and the process repeated until the motherboard reduces the multiplier automatically (due to safety protocols) or the CPU temperature reaches a stupidly high level (100ºC+). Our test bed is not in a case, which should push overclocks higher with fresher (cooler) air.
Overclock Results
Due to time constraints we were only able to overclock the i7-6950X using the MSI X99A Gaming Carbon motherboard. MSI has improved its overclocking options as of late on the Z170 platform to make it easier to use, but our BIOS did not have those most recent updates, particularly for load line calibration. However, our sample hit 4.1 GHz at 1.30 volts before the OCCT load temperatures were prohibitive to move up any further. We saw similar things when testing the mainstream Broadwell parts with Iris Pro, which shows that this sort of overclocking performance might be indicative of the silicon itself.
That being said, speaking with our contacts at various motherboard manufacturers, we're told that 4.1 GHz is a reasonably average processor result for Broadwell-E. Some processors will hit 4.3 GHz on air at around the same voltage, whereas others need up to 1.4 volts, and thus results will depend on the cooling setup used or the thermal characteristics of the silicon. I have also been told that AVX is a different story: for any peak frequency attained normally, AVX overclock stable frequencies will be around 200-300 MHz lower.
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nevcairiel - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
Even if it is, its like 2 years and 2 generations late to the party then. By the time Zen is out, we have Kaby Lake, and they advertise being on-par with not the current, not the previous, but one gen even before that?Spunjji - Wednesday, June 1, 2016 - link
Their claims (if true) would signify rough IPC parity with Broadwell, which Skylake outclasses by a mighty 2.3% according to this site. That was in turn a staggering 3.3% over Haswell so even matching that won't leave them far off the mark. We have no reason to suppose the Kaby Lake release will alter than pattern substantially.It's all big ifs, though, and of course it'll be compared to whatever's out when it finally arrives.
Flunk - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
We can hope I guess, I gave up hope long ago.maxxcool - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
If you are buying a 8 core cpu from EITHER vendor specifically 'game on' your a proper idiot, tool and dumbass.JoeyJoJo123 - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
If you are telling people what they can and can't do with their money along with slinging personal attacks, you're a proper idiot, tool, and you need to get a job so you can manage your own money, rather than someone else's.Seriously though. This is the internet. You should really stop caring about what other people spend their own money on. People much richer than these kids are spending money on sports cars and getting into a wreck a week later, often involving other vehicle(s) and/or innocent people.
I really couldn't care less if 10,000 people on this article's comments section thought the new extreme edition processor was a "good value" and bought one (or more). More power to them.
hoohoo - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
AMD is not a charity.AMD will charge as much as the market will bear.
Ninety percent of the performance probably costs about ninety percent the price.
Michael Bay - Wednesday, June 1, 2016 - link
>supposed to be>Zen
At this point in time it`s not even remotely funny anymore.
Bulat Ziganshin - Saturday, June 4, 2016 - link
>Zen is supposed to be really, really close to Broadwell in IPC.are you really believe that AMD, who was a lot behind Intel back in 2008, and then lost a few years on Bulldozer development, in a miraculous way will jump over? i expect that Zen will be a little better than their last Phenom, and that their first implementation of SMT will be as inefficient as Nehalem one. And higher core count, as well as AMD huge lag in lowering-heat-dissipation technologies, will mean more heat and therefore stricter limits on frequency - the same limits as in 10-core Broadwell and probably even stricter. So it may be like 8-core Nehalem at 4 GHz (with best overclocking). That's better than i7-6700K for multi-threaded tasks, but of course slower for tasks with 1-4 threads, including most of games. Or you may continue to believe in Santa :)
jchambers2586 - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
you spend $434 on a CPU and it does not perform than a $ 250 6600K in gaming you would think spending more would get you better gaming performance. I don't' think spending $434 on the i7-6800K is worth it for gaming.beginner99 - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
This is the take-away. Useless for gaming for now. If 6-cores will actually benefit from DX12 remains to be seen. If I were I game developer I would focus on making use of the iGPU versus scaling above 4-cores because most of my user base has an idling iGPU and very few more than 4 cores.If it would at least have edram. For broadwell it's 5775c or else skylake for gaming.