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
GRID: Autosport
No graphics tests are complete without some input from Codemasters and the EGO engine, which means for this round of testing we point towards GRID: Autosport, the next iteration in the GRID and racing genre. As with our previous racing testing, each update to the engine aims to add in effects, reflections, detail and realism, with Codemasters making ‘authenticity’ a main focal point for this version.
GRID’s benchmark mode is very flexible, and as a result we created a test race using a shortened version of the Red Bull Ring with twelve cars doing two laps. The car is focus starts last and is quite fast, but usually finishes second or third. For low end graphics we test at 1080p medium settings, whereas mid and high end graphics get the full 1080p maximum. Both the average and minimum frame rates are recorded.
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor
The final title in our testing is another battle of system performance with the open world action-adventure title, Shadow of Mordor. Produced by Monolith using the LithTech Jupiter EX engine and numerous detail add-ons, SoM goes for detail and complexity to a large extent, despite having to be cut down from the original plans. The main story itself was written by the same writer as Red Dead Redemption, and it received Zero Punctuation’s Game of The Year in 2014.
For testing purposes, SoM gives a dynamic screen resolution setting, allowing us to render at high resolutions that are then scaled down to the monitor. As a result, we get several tests using the in-game benchmark. For low end graphics we examine at 720p with low settings, whereas mid and high end graphics get 1080p Ultra. The top graphics test is also redone at 3840x2160, also with Ultra settings, and we also test two cards at 4K where possible.
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ShieTar - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
You could have saved some money by not ordering a CPU on the very first day of availability. Other than that, there is no downside to having a 6800K instead of a 5820K, its just not vastly faster.ezcameron76 - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
What would have been the difference in getting it say next week or at what time would you say would be better. I have to have the PC build by this Thursday so didn't have the time but I wouldn't think the price would change in a short amount of time.ShieTar - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
About 50$ I assume. Don't know how to find this info for the US, but in Germany prices have dropped by 30€ from yesterday to today:http://geizhals.eu/?phist=1394467
ezcameron76 - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
I paid $450 on neweggezcameron76 - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
My question is should I return the 6800k for the 5820k as it will overclock better or no?ShieTar - Wednesday, June 1, 2016 - link
Not really, the first 10% of better OC will be wasted on compensation of the IPC improvement anyways. And with virtually no CPU-limited games out there, you don't really need to OC anyways.TEAMSWITCHER - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
I'm not sure. Most of the reviews are overclocking the 10-core 6950X. I'm wondering if there will be some sweet 6-core parts (6800K and 6950K) that overclock great because the four disabled cores are used separate the six functional cores. I'm speculating that having active cores separated by inactive cores might help to impede thermal accumulation.It's a funny thought I had today, but I don't know of any way to find out which cores are disabled.
HighTech4US - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
Where the heck is the GTX 1080 review?It's been weeks since the NDA was lifted on it and now with the NDA lifted on the GTX 1070 nothing again.
Since there was time to do this review excuses about not enough time to do a proper review won't hold water.
fanofanand - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
960 *cough*JanSolo242 - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
For a mere $4,115, why not order a 22 core Xeon? :-Dhttp://ark.intel.com/products/91317/Intel-Xeon-Pro...