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.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
205 Comments
View All Comments
chrisso - Friday, June 17, 2016 - link
The athlon xp chips and most of the pentium 3 equivalents beat the snot out of intel chips for quite a while actually. One of my mates was gobsmacked when I ran lost coast at 56 fps using a 3000+ I bought used from ebay for £28.A 3 gig pentium 4 could manage about 40.
lunchbox4k - Wednesday, June 1, 2016 - link
The Athlon 64 (K8) and part of the Athlon (K7) was designed by Jim Keller, guess who designed ZEN?solomonshv - Wednesday, June 1, 2016 - link
when AMD was better than intel, i stuck with intel because i was in high school and couldn't afford the an AMD processor. the cheapest San Diego class CPU was north of $300 and AMD was charging $1000 for the FX 57. i ended up getting a Pentium 4 630. overclocked it from 3GHz to 4.4GHz and was happy as can be.hoohoo - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
Wait and see still seems like the best approach given the price of these CPUs.lunchbox4k - Wednesday, June 1, 2016 - link
You can always do that, unless you always pay for the top chip, with technology wanting to double in performance every year for the same cost, some SOCs will be pennies in the near future.bronan - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
I find that really the wrong approach, yes the piledriver suffered from the weird decision with the cache and that made it crinch instead of perform well. But they are still very well running cpu's which cost about a fraction of the insane high prices intel tends to give the endless just a bit high clockspeed and new socket models. All keep saying that they are such a big step forward while i see only a little step in reality and yes the insane slow build in gpu sucks so bad its not even worth using on anything. The big problem is that intel makes the non gpu version locked and lowers the clock on that too. While i am 1000% certain those would be the best and greatest overclockers.The silly gpu is forced on everybody, but i bet nobody ever use that crap.
JoeyJoJo123 - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
Just FYI, a Darwin award is awarded to those who accidentally, involuntarily, and often stupidly remove themselves from the gene pool, permanently. While this (often) involves a lack of forethought which leads to the person's own death, accidents resulting in the person becoming permanently infertile also count.Someone could voluntarily and knowingly remove themselves from the gene pool, but because there is forethought to this action, I've never heard of a Darwin award for this.
I don't believe buying an overpriced processor equates to removing oneself from the gene pool.
Azethoth - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
It is even worse. Being able to afford this because you have so much money the cost does not even register means you are actually up for whatever the inverse darwin is. Statistically the wealth makes you live longer and healthier. You are not working 24/7 and you can certainly eat better and working out with a hot personal trainer and having wonderful vacations wherever you feel like going on the planet.cswor - Wednesday, June 8, 2016 - link
Or mommy and daddy have money.ddferrari - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - link
Someone is trying way too hard to sound smart and condescending...