09-05-2011, 04:14 PM
[attachment=13487]
Processor thermal solution & LGA1366 Socket stack
LGA1366 socket with pick and place cover removed
ATX heat sink
CHIPSET
A chipset is a group of integrated circuits, or chips, that are designed to work together, and are usually marketed as a single product.
In personal computers based on Intel Pentium-class microprocessors, the term often refers to a specific pair of chips on the motherboard: the northbridge and the southbridge.
The northbridge links the CPU to very high-speed devices, especially main memory and graphics controllers, and the southbridge connects to lower-speed peripheral buses (such as PCI or ISA).
In many modern chipsets, the southbridge actually contains some on-chip integrated peripherals, such as Ethernet, USB, and audio devices. A chipset is usually designed to work with a specific family of microprocessors. Because it controls communications between the processor and external devices, the chipset plays a crucial role in determining system performance.
INTEL X58
The Intel X58 (codenamed Tylersburg) is an Intel chip designed to connect Intel processors with Intel QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) interface to peripheral devices. Supported processors implement the Nehalem micro architecture and therefore have an integrated memory controller (IMC), so the X58 does not have a memory interface.
Except for the lack of a memory interface, the X58 is similar to the traditional Northbridge.
Communicates with the processor via the high speed QPI, it communicates with the Southbridge via DMI, and it communicates with high speed peripherals via PCI-E.
The X58 is not a memory controller hub (MCH).
X58 QuickPath Interconnect port has 20 lanes.
Unlike the FSB, QPI is a point-to-point interface and supports not only processor-chipset interface, but also processor-to-processor connection and chip-to-chip connection.
The X58 has two QPIs and can directly connect to two processors on a multi-socket motherboard or form a ring-like connection :
(1st processor - x58 - x58 - 2nd processor - 1st processor)
I/O Controller Hub (ICH), also known as Intel 82801, is an Intel microchip used as southbridge on motherboards with Intel chipsets (Intel Hub Architecture). As with any other southbridge, the ICH is used to connect and control peripheral devices.
Asus Rampage II
High end motherboard intended mainly for the gamers with the best features of graphics and overclocking.
Provides ultra-realistic graphics and high-impact, professional gaming performance.
The Asus Rampage II Extreme
CONCLUSION
In a test performed on a leaked hardware, the core i7 outperformed the currently fastest core2 extreme processor.
It has got the advantages of high performance, highly overclockable, quite cooling and power efficient.
Some of the disadvantages include the requirement of newer motherboards, sensitive to higher voltage.
The technology keeps on improving as the need for faster and high end applications increases. The 8 core version is about to be released soon.
