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In short: these are the same Skylake chips, but with higher frequencies and an advanced hardware video processing engine. Still, some models are quite interesting. In addition, there is an unshakable rule: it is better to build a computer from scratch on the most modern hardware possible.

Intel Core i3-7320

Briefly about the product: 2 cores but 4 threads, 4.1 GHz, 4 MB L3 cache, 51 W TDP
Peculiarities: very high default frequency - 4.1 GHz
Price: US$149
Budget for a gaming computer with this processor: 35-40,000 rubles

Initially, this place in the selection was given to the Core i3-7350K. He is unique. As the song of the Kino group says: our hearts demand change! Indeed, since 2011 Intel has had two overclockable processors. One Core i5 and one Core i7 (there was also an anniversary Pentium G3258, but this is the exception that proves the rule). Such patterns are easy to recognize. They are the fastest, they are the most expensive, they have the letter “K” in their name. The wind of change blew in 2017, precisely with the release of the Core i3-7350K. It's been a long time since Intel released overclocking budget processors. Naturally, you will have to pay extra for overclocking capabilities. The chip costs $168, but it is nevertheless cheaper than the slowest Kaby Lake quad-core Core i5-7400 ($182).

Core i3-7350K is fast without any overclocking. Operates at a frequency of 4.2 GHz. It is quite possible to overclock it up to 4.8-5.0 GHz. Naturally, for this you will need to have a high-quality cooler in your arsenal. In general, overclocking requires a more expensive motherboard based on the Z170/Z270 Express chipset. Read about which devices are required for the seventh generation Core in this material. So saving is a moot point. As well as the possibility of overclocking. But 4.2 GHz out of the box is already serious. And the Core i3-7320 runs at 4.1 GHz. It's only 100 MHz less, but we save $19 right away.

Intel Core i3-7320

Intel Core i5-7400

Briefly about the product: 4 cores, 3.0 (3.5) GHz, 6 MB L3 cache, 65 W TDP
Peculiarities: cheapest quad-core Kaby Lake
Price:$182
Gaming computer budget: 50-55,000 rubles

And Core i5 processors, as you know, have four full cores. And modern games love multithreading more and more. Perhaps the most obvious example is Battlefield 1. In it, any Core i5 is loaded at 100%. But such a chip is still enough to build a gaming computer with a powerful video card, including Radeon RX 480 and GeForce GTX 1060.

Let's not forget about one tempting feature of the new Kaby Lake. The chips have not very fast integrated graphics HD 630, but it has an advanced media block. As a result, all the power of the processor can be “thrown” into ensuring the operation of the video card, and the hardware units of the integrated GPU, for example, will ensure the operation of the OBS streaming program.

Intel Core i5-7400

Intel Core i7-7700

Briefly about the product: 4 cores but 8 threads, 3.6 (4.2) GHz, 8 MB L3 cache, 65 W TDP
Peculiarities: fastest processor with 65W TDP
Price:$303
Gaming computer budget: 60-75,000 rubles

The capabilities of the Core i7-7700 are studied in detail in the review. The tricky part is that with a fairly low TDP for desktop processors (only 65 W), all four cores of the chip operate at 4 GHz under load. We get two things. Firstly, eight streams are useful, including in games. Secondly, high frequency. It will help both in work and in entertainment. The Core i7-7700 will make great friends with a video card of the GeForce GTX 1070 level. And the low level of typical heat generation will allow you to assemble a gaming computer of any complexity. Yes, even the size of a game console!

Intel Core i7-7700

Intel Core i7-7700K

Briefly about the product: 4 cores but 8 threads, 4.2 (4.5) GHz, 8 MB L3 cache, 91 W TDP
Peculiarities: accelerates to 5 GHz. If you're lucky.
Price: $339
Gaming computer budget: 100,000 rubles

The mainstream Intel platform, and LGA1151 is what it is, supports a maximum of quad-core Core i7 processors. Therefore, the Core i7-7700K differs from the Core i7-7700 only in frequency, the presence of an unlocked multiplier and, as a result, an increased TDP level. Overclocker model. With proper luck, it accelerates to 5 GHz using a good cooling system. The last time Sandy Bridge chips, released back in 2011, boasted such overclocking agility. It is clear that any modern video card can be used with the Core i7-7700K. Or even two.

On January 3, the birthday of the company's founding father, Gordon Moore (he was born on January 3, 1929), Intel announced a family of new 7th generation Intel Core processors and new Intel 200 series chipsets. We had the opportunity to test Intel Core i7-7700 and Core i7-7700K processors and compare them with previous generation processors.

7th generation Intel Core processors

The new family of 7th generation Intel Core processors is known by the code name Kaby Lake, and these processors are a bit of a stretch. They, like the 6th generation Core processors, are manufactured using a 14-nanometer process technology and are based on the same processor microarchitecture.

Let us recall that earlier, before the release of Kaby Lake, Intel released its processors in accordance with the “Tick-Tock” algorithm: the processor microarchitecture changed every two years and the production process changed every two years. But the change in microarchitecture and technical process were shifted relative to each other by a year, so that once a year the technical process changed, then, a year later, the microarchitecture changed, then, again a year later, the technical process changed, etc. However, it would take a long time for the company to maintain such a fast pace I couldn’t and eventually abandoned this algorithm, replacing it with a three-year cycle. The first year is the introduction of a new technical process, the second year is the introduction of a new microarchitecture based on the existing technical process, and the third year is optimization. Thus, another year of optimization was added to Tick-Tock.

The 5th generation Intel Core processors, codenamed Broadwell, marked the transition to the 14-nanometer process ("Tick"). These were processors with Haswell microarchitecture (with minor improvements), but produced using the new 14-nanometer process technology. The 6th generation Intel Core processors, codenamed Skylake (“Tock”), were manufactured on the same 14nm process as Broadwell, but had a new microarchitecture. And the 7th generation Intel Core processors, codenamed Kaby Lake, are manufactured on the same 14nm process (albeit now designated "14+") and are based on the same Skylake microarchitecture, but it's all optimized and improved. What exactly optimization and What exactly improved - for now it is a mystery, shrouded in darkness. This review was written before the official announcement of the new processors, and Intel was unable to provide us with any official information, so there is still very little information about the new processors.

In general, it was not by chance that we remembered the birthday of Gordon Moore, who in 1968 together with Robert Noyce founded the Intel company, at the very beginning of the article. Over the years, many things have been attributed to this legendary man that he never said. At first, his prediction was elevated to the rank of a law (“Moore’s Law”), then this law became the fundamental plan for the development of microelectronics (a kind of analogue of the five-year plan for the development of the national economy of the USSR). However, Moore's law had to be rewritten and adjusted several times, since reality, unfortunately, cannot always be planned. Now we need to either rewrite Moore’s law once again, which, in general, is already ridiculous, or simply forget about this so-called law. Actually, that’s what Intel did: since it no longer works, they decided to slowly consign it to oblivion.

However, let's return to our new processors. It is officially known that the Kaby Lake processor family will include four separate series: S, H, U and Y. In addition, there will be an Intel Xeon series for workstations. Kaby Lake-Y processors aimed at tablets and thin laptops, as well as some models of Kaby Lake-U series processors for laptops, have already been announced earlier. And in early January, Intel introduced only some models of H- and S-series processors. The S-series processors, which have an LGA design and which we will talk about in this review, are aimed at desktop systems. Kaby Lake-S has an LGA1151 socket and is compatible with motherboards based on Intel 100 series chipsets and the new Intel 200 series chipsets. We do not know the release plan for Kaby Lake-S processors, but there is information that a total of 16 new models for desktop PCs are planned, which will traditionally comprise three families (Core i7/i5/i3). All Kaby Lake-S desktop processors will only use Intel HD Graphics 630 (codenamed Kaby Lake-GT2).

The Intel Core i7 family will consist of three processors: 7700K, 7700 and 7700T. All models in this family have 4 cores, support simultaneous processing of up to 8 threads (Hyper-Threading technology) and have an 8 MB L3 cache. The difference between them is power consumption and clock speed. In addition, the top model Core i7-7700K has an unlocked multiplier. Brief specifications for the 7th generation Intel Core i7 family processors are given below.

The Intel Core i5 family will consist of seven processors: 7600K, 7600, 7500, 7400, 7600T, 7500T and 7400T. All models in this family have 4 cores, but do not support Hyper-Threading technology. Their L3 cache size is 6 MB. The top model Core i5-7600K has an unlocked multiplier and a TDP of 91 W. The "T" models have a 35W TDP, while the regular models have a 65W TDP. Brief specifications for the 7th generation Intel Core i5 family of processors are given below.

The Intel Core i3 family will consist of six processors: 7350K, 7320, 7300, 7100, 7300T and 7100T. All models in this family have 2 cores and support Hyper-Threading technology. The letter “T” in the model name indicates that its TDP is 35 W. Now in the Intel Core i3 family there is also a model (Core i3-7350K) with an unlocked multiplier, the TDP of which is 60 W. Brief specifications for the 7th generation Intel Core i3 family processors are given below.

Intel 200 series chipsets

Along with the Kaby Lake-S processors, Intel also announced new Intel 200 series chipsets. More precisely, so far only the top-end Intel Z270 chipset has been presented, and the rest will be announced a little later. In total, the Intel 200 series chipset family will include five options (Q270, Q250, B250, H270, Z270) for desktop processors and three solutions (CM238, HM175, QM175) for mobile processors.

If we compare the family of new chipsets with the family of 100-series chipsets, then everything is obvious: Z270 is a new version of Z170, H270 replaces H170, Q270 replaces Q170, and Q250 and B250 chipsets replace Q150 and B150, respectively. The only chipset that has not been replaced is the H110. The 200 series does not have the H210 chipset or its equivalent. The positioning of the 200 series chipsets is exactly the same as the 100 series chipsets: the Q270 and Q250 are aimed at the enterprise market, the Z270 and H270 are aimed at consumer PCs, and the B250 is aimed at the SMB sector of the market. However, this positioning is very arbitrary, and motherboard manufacturers often have their own vision of chipset positioning.

So, what's new in the Intel 200 series chipsets and how are they better than the Intel 100 series chipsets? This is not an idle question, because Kaby Lake-S processors are also compatible with Intel 100 series chipsets. So is it worth buying a board based on the Intel Z270 if the board, for example, based on the Intel Z170 chipset turns out to be cheaper (all other things being equal)? Alas, there is no need to say that Intel 200 series chipsets have serious advantages. Almost the only difference between the new chipsets and the old ones is a slightly increased number of HSIO ports (high-speed input/output ports) due to the addition of several PCIe 3.0 ports.

Next, we will look in detail at what and how much is added to each chipset, but for now we will briefly consider the features of the Intel 200 series chipsets as a whole, focusing on the top options, in which everything is implemented to the maximum.

Let's start with the fact that, like Intel 100-series chipsets, the new chipsets allow you to combine 16 PCIe 3.0 processor ports (PEG ports) to implement different PCIe slot options. For example, the Intel Z270 and Q270 chipsets (as well as their Intel Z170 and Q170 counterparts) allow you to combine 16 PEG processor ports in the following combinations: x16, x8/x8 or x8/x4/x4. The remaining chipsets (H270, B250 and Q250) allow only one possible combination of PEG port allocation: x16. Intel 200 series chipsets also support dual-channel DDR4 or DDR3L memory. In addition, Intel 200 series chipsets support the ability to simultaneously connect up to three monitors to the processor graphics core (just like the 100 series chipsets).

As for the SATA and USB ports, nothing has changed here. The integrated SATA controller provides up to six SATA 6 Gb/s ports. Naturally, Intel RST (Rapid Storage Technology) is supported, which allows you to configure a SATA controller in RAID controller mode (though not on all chipsets) with support for levels 0, 1, 5 and 10. Intel RST technology is supported not only for SATA -ports, but also for drives with a PCIe interface (x4/x2, M.2 and SATA Express connectors). Perhaps, speaking about Intel RST technology, it makes sense to mention the new technology for creating Intel Optane drives, but in practice there is nothing to talk about here yet; there are no ready-made solutions yet. The top models of Intel 200 series chipsets support up to 14 USB ports, of which up to 10 ports can be USB 3.0, and the rest can be USB 2.0.

Like the Intel 100 series chipsets, the Intel 200 series chipsets support Flexible I/O technology, which allows you to configure high-speed input/output (HSIO) ports - PCIe, SATA and USB 3.0. Flexible I/O technology allows you to configure some HSIO ports as PCIe or USB 3.0 ports, and some HSIO ports as PCIe or SATA ports. Intel 200 series chipsets can provide a total of 30 high-speed I/O ports (Intel 100 series chipsets had 26 HSIO ports).

The first six high-speed ports (Port #1 - Port #6) are strictly fixed: these are USB 3.0 ports. The next four high-speed ports on the chipset (Port #7 - Port #10) can be configured as either USB 3.0 or PCIe ports. Port #10 can also be used as a GbE network port, that is, a MAC controller for a gigabit network interface is built into the chipset itself, and a PHY controller (MAC controller in conjunction with a PHY controller form a full-fledged network controller) can only be connected to certain high-speed ports of the chipset. In particular, these can be Port #10, Port #11, Port #15, Port #18 and Port #19. Another 12 HSIO ports (Port #11 - Port #14, Port #17, Port #18, Port #25 - Port #30) are assigned to PCIe ports. Four more ports (Port #21 - Port #24) are configured as either PCIe ports or SATA 6 Gb/s ports. Port #15, Port #16 and Port #19, Port #20 have a special feature. They can be configured as either PCIe ports or SATA 6 Gb/s ports. The peculiarity is that one SATA 6 Gb/s port can be configured on either Port #15 or Port #19 (that is, it is the same SATA #0 port, which can be output to either Port #15 , or on Port #19). Likewise, another SATA 6 Gb/s port (SATA #1) is routed to either Port #16 or Port #20.

As a result, we get that in total the chipset can implement up to 10 USB 3.0 ports, up to 24 PCIe ports and up to 6 SATA 6 Gb/s ports. However, there is one more circumstance worth noting here. A maximum of 16 PCIe devices can be connected to these 20 PCIe ports at the same time. In this case, devices refer to controllers, connectors and slots. Connecting one PCIe device may require one, two, or four PCIe ports. For example, if we are talking about a PCI Express 3.0 x4 slot, then this is one PCIe device that requires 4 PCIe 3.0 ports to connect.

The distribution diagram of high-speed I/O ports for Intel 200 series chipsets is shown in the figure.

If we compare it with what was in the Intel 100-series chipsets, there are very few changes: four strictly fixed PCIe ports have been added (chipset HSIO ports Port #27 - Port #30), which can be used to combine Intel RST for PCIe Storage . Everything else, including the numbering of HSIO ports, remains unchanged. The distribution diagram of high-speed I/O ports for Intel 100 series chipsets is shown in the figure.

Until now, we have considered the functionality of new chipsets in general, without reference to specific models. Next, in the summary table, we provide brief characteristics of each Intel 200 series chipset.

And for comparison, here are brief characteristics of Intel 100 series chipsets.

The distribution diagram of high-speed I/O ports for five Intel 200 series chipsets is shown in the figure.

And for comparison, a similar diagram for five Intel 100 series chipsets:

And the last thing worth noting when talking about Intel 200 series chipsets: only the Intel Z270 chipset supports overclocking the processor and memory.

Now, after our express review of the new Kaby Lake-S processors and Intel 200 series chipsets, let's move on directly to testing the new products.

Performance Research

We were able to test two new products: the top-end Intel Core i7-7700K processor with an unlocked multiplier and the Intel Core i7-7700 processor. For testing we used a stand with the following configuration:

In addition, in order to be able to evaluate the performance of the new processors in relation to the performance of processors of previous generations, we also tested the Intel Core i7-6700K processor on the described bench.

Brief specifications of the tested processors are given in the table.

To evaluate performance, we used our new methodology using the iXBT Application Benchmark 2017 test package. The Intel Core i7-7700K processor was tested twice: with default settings and overclocked to 5 GHz. Overclocking was done by changing the multiplication factor.

The results are calculated from five runs of each test with a confidence level of 95%. Please note that the integral results in this case are normalized relative to the reference system, which also uses an Intel Core i7-6700K processor. However, the configuration of the reference system differs from the configuration of the test bench: the reference system uses an Asus Z170-WS motherboard based on the Intel Z170 chipset.

The test results are presented in the table and diagram.

If we compare the results of testing processors obtained at the same stand, then everything is very predictable. The Core i7-7700K processor at default settings (without overclocking) is slightly faster (7%) than the Core i7-7700, which is explained by the difference in their clock speed. Overclocking the Core i7-7700K processor to 5 GHz allows you to achieve a performance gain of up to 10% compared to the performance of this processor without overclocking. The Core i7-6700K processor (without overclocking) is slightly more powerful (by 4%) compared to the Core i7-7700 processor, which is also explained by the difference in their clock speed. At the same time, the Core i7-7700K model is 2.5% more productive than the previous generation Core i7-6700K model.

As you can see, the new 7th generation Intel Core processors do not provide any performance boost. Essentially, these are the same 6th generation Intel Core processors, but with slightly higher clock speeds. The only advantage of the new processors is that they race better (we are, of course, talking about K-series processors with an unlocked multiplier). In particular, our copy of the Core i7-7700K processor, which we did not specifically select, overclocked to 5.0 GHz without any problems and worked absolutely stably when using air cooling. It was possible to run this processor at a frequency of 5.1 GHz, but the system froze in processor stress testing mode. Of course, it is incorrect to draw conclusions based on one processor instance, but information from our colleagues confirms that most Kaby Lake K-series processors race better than Skylake processors. Note that our sample Core i7-6700K processor was overclocked at best to 4.9 GHz, but only worked stably at 4.5 GHz.

Now let's look at the power consumption of processors. Let us remind you that we connect the measuring unit to the power supply circuit between the power supply and the motherboard - to the 24-pin (ATX) and 8-pin (EPS12V) connectors of the power supply. Our measurement unit is capable of measuring voltage and current on the 12V, 5V and 3.3V rails of the ATX connector, as well as supply voltage and current on the 12V rail of the EPS12V connector.

The total power consumption during the test refers to the power transmitted through the 12 V, 5 V and 3.3 V buses of the ATX connector and the 12 V bus of the EPS12V connector. The power consumed by the processor during the test refers to the power transmitted through the 12 V bus of the EPS12V connector (this connector is used only to power the processor). However, you need to keep in mind that in this case we are talking about the power consumption of the processor together with its supply voltage converter on the board. Naturally, the processor supply voltage regulator has a certain efficiency (definitely below 100%), so that part of the electrical energy is consumed by the regulator itself, and the real power consumed by the processor is slightly lower than the values ​​we measure.

The measurement results for the total power consumption in all tests, with the exception of drive performance tests, are presented below:

Similar results for measuring processor power consumption are as follows:

Of interest, first of all, is a comparison of the power consumption of the Core i7-6700K and Core i7-7700K processors in operating mode without overclocking. The Core i7-6700K processor has lower power consumption, that is, the Core i7-7700K processor is slightly more powerful, but it also has higher power consumption. Moreover, if the integrated performance of the Core i7-7700K processor is 2.5% higher in comparison with the performance of the Core i7-6700K, then the average power consumption of the Core i7-7700K processor is as much as 17% higher!

And if we introduce such an indicator as energy efficiency, determined by the ratio of the integral performance indicator to the average power consumption (in fact, performance per watt of energy consumed), then for the Core i7-7700K processor this indicator will be 1.67 W -1, and for the processor Core i7-6700K - 1.91 W -1.

However, such results are obtained only if we compare the power consumption on the 12 V bus of the EPS12V connector. But if we consider the full power (which is more logical from the user’s point of view), then the situation is somewhat different. Then the energy efficiency of a system with a Core i7-7700K processor will be 1.28 W -1 , and with a Core i7-6700K processor - 1.24 W -1 . Thus, the energy efficiency of the systems is almost the same.

conclusions

We have no disappointments with the new processors. Nobody promised, so to speak. Let us remind you once again that we are not talking about a new microarchitecture or a new technical process, but only about optimizing the microarchitecture and technological process, that is, about optimizing Skylake processors. Of course, one should not expect that such optimization can provide a significant increase in performance. The only observable result of the optimization is that it was possible to slightly increase the clock speeds. In addition, K-series processors from the Kaby Lake family overclock better than their Skylake family counterparts.

If we talk about the new generation of Intel 200 series chipsets, the only thing that distinguishes them from the Intel 100 series chipsets is the addition of four PCIe 3.0 ports. What does this mean for the user? And it means absolutely nothing. There is no need to expect an increase in the number of connectors and ports on motherboards, since there are already too many of them. As a result, the functionality of the boards will not change, except that it will be possible to simplify them a little when designing: there will be less need to come up with ingenious separation schemes to ensure the operation of all connectors, slots and controllers in conditions of a shortage of PCIe 3.0 lines/ports. It would be logical to assume that this will lead to a reduction in the cost of motherboards based on 200 series chipsets, but this is hard to believe.

And in conclusion, a few words about whether it makes sense to exchange an awl for soap. There is no point in replacing a computer based on a Skylake processor and a board with a 100-series chipset for a new system with a Kaby Lake processor and a board with a 200-series chipset. This is simply throwing money away. But if the time has come to change your computer due to obsolescence of the hardware, then, of course, it makes sense to pay attention to Kaby Lake and a board with a 200-series chipset, and you need to look first of all at the prices. If a system based on Kaby Lake turns out to be comparable (with equal functionality) in cost to a system based on Skylake (and a board with an Intel 100-series chipset), then it makes sense. If such a system turns out to be more expensive, then there is no point in it.

If the 22-nm Intel Haswell Refresh processors appeared somewhat spontaneously, as a reaction to unforeseen delays in the commissioning of the 14-nm process technology, then the 14-nm Intel Kaby Lake processors became a completely planned phenomenon. The release of the first Kaby Lake models - their official announcement took place yesterday afternoon - marked the introduction of Intel's new three-stage concept into practice. Instead of a two-phase “tick-tock” strategy, when a new technical process and new cores appeared step by step over two years, a three-phase “tick-tock-tock+” strategy was launched. The third phase is the release of slightly improved processors on a more or less debugged architecture. In general, if you have been waiting for Intel Skylake processors, but have been postponing the purchase until now, you can safely buy Skylake Refresh processors. Sorry, Kaby Lake processors.

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The first models with the new cores were three processors, Kaby Lake-Y and Kaby Lake-U. The first are for tablets and convertible laptops, the second are for what used to be called an ultrabook. Processor models for regular laptops and desktop Kaby Lake processors will appear early next year. New items cannot be fully called SoC. The south bridge is made on a separate chip and placed on the same substrate as the processor. It should also be noted that the Kaby Lake-Y models have been upgraded in status. Of the three presented models, two belong to high society in the form of the Core i5 and i7 lines. Only the youngest comes in the Core m3 line.

Some time ago, in the pre-New Year bustle, we received an engineering sample from the seventh generation of Intel processors. Today we will take a closer look at it, conduct testing and compare it with the well-known version of the previous generation in the context of a specific user “case”.

The new microarchitecture, codenamed Intel Kaby Lake, represents the next stage in the development of the 14-nm technological process and is a modified variation of Skylake; however, it does not introduce such obvious changes as when moving from the same generation of Broadwell. But let's talk about everything in order.

For the seventh generation of Intel Core processors, the manufacturer sets completely different tasks, but now more attention is paid to “immersion in the Internet.” To do this, it is proposed to use both the usual high-definition 4K UHD panels and less common virtual reality technologies, as well as shooting and viewing 360° video.

To solve these problems, Intel engineers are focusing on the development of the integrated graphics subsystem. Intel Iris Plus Graphics will be available in select processor models that are aimed at use in systems without discrete graphics.

The seventh generation based on Intel Kaby Lake architecture represents a diverse set of processors for use in various types of systems. For example, Y-series processors, aimed at 2-in-1 systems, have a thermal package of 4.5W. Such indicators should have a great impact on the level of energy efficiency and thermal conditions of devices.

Kaby Lake is the manufacturer's third architecture at 14nm standards. The new product is based on the Skylake architecture. Speed ​​Shift processor frequency control technology has been optimized and now allows you to adjust the operating mode by the processor itself without the participation of the operating system with even lower latency. Using hardware acceleration for 10-bit HVEC and VP9 allows you to reduce the load on the central processor when watching 4K, which allows you to increase runtime and leave resources for other processes.

The line of S-series processors remains very familiar in terms of the set of processors, but we see an increase in clock frequencies in receiver models. For desktop options, there are the familiar i7, i5 and i3 with locked and unlocked multipliers. At the same time, a variation of the i3-7350 with the abbreviation “K” appeared exactly this time.

Along with the updated line of processors, Intel 200 series chipsets were introduced. The flagship Intel Z270, unlike its predecessor Z170, boasts an increase in PCI-e 3.0 lanes from 20 to 24. The number of SATA and USB remains unchanged. Support for sixth generation processors is certainly present.

Getting to know the Intel Core i7-7700

The Intel Core i7-7700 processor, although it arrived to us “under the cover of darkness,” was packed in a small cardboard box with seals, serial numbers and other technical information. The design of the regular BOX variants of the seventh series will not be visually very different from its predecessors.

The supplied cooler did not make any impression on me. A small aluminum heatsink with plastic clips, pre-applied thermal paste and a PWM-controlled fan. Perhaps the design of the radiator will be familiar to almost every user who has at least once assembled a system with a BOX processor from Intel.

Our copy was marked INTEL CONFIDENTIAL, without a footnote to the exact processor model. However, there are notes about the frequency at 3.6GHz and the Batch number of the L633F729 processor.

From the contact pad side, the new i7-7700 is almost indistinguishable from our bench i5-6600K, which is true, because the same LGA1151 is used. Interestingly, there are changes in the strapping elements, but you need to look for them.

(Left - Intel Core i5-6600K, right - Intel Core i7-7700)

The heat distribution cover has also changed slightly. On the sides of the central area we see small protrusions. And yes, it’s immediately clear which of this pair is an experienced bench sample, having undergone scalping and tests of a couple of dozen different cooling systems.

Introducing the ASUS ROG STRIX Z270F motherboard

To test the new Intel Core i7-7700 we will use the ASUS ROG STRIX Z270F motherboard. It is based on the updated Intel Z270 system logic set. In the ASUS Z170 family of boards, we are accustomed to the classic division into lines: Prime, ROG, Pro Gaming and TUF. Looks like the Pro Gaming lineup is now joining the division RepublicofGamers with code marking Strix. This is not the first year that the manufacturer has been introducing the name Strix into its product lines, logically reaching motherboards. ASUS ROG STRIX Z270F arrived in a cardboard box with a photo of the motherboard, a clearly readable name, and a list of characteristics and technologies used.

The delivery set is good. It contained:

• User guide;
• Disk with drivers and utilities;
• A set of STRIX stickers and a round cup holder(?);
• Four SATA cables;
• SLI bridge;
• Plug for housing;
• Frame for installing the processor and bolts for M.2 drives;
• Cables for connecting LED strips.

ASUS ROG STRIX Z270F is made in a standard ATX form factor, so its dimensions fit into the familiar 305 x 244 millimeters. The general layout of the elements has not undergone obvious changes; in general, everything is in its usual place. In the visual component, black remained the main color, but red disappeared. The radiators are painted in a solid metallic and even black shade, and white lines with a broken pattern have appeared on the PCB itself.

The LGA1151 processor socket remains the same. No visual changes were detected. The clamping frame remained unpainted, previously painted on the same Maximus VIII Ranger. A ten-phase system with a phase formula of 8+2 is responsible for powering the processor. All phases are controlled by a PWM controller labeled DIGI+ EPU ASP1400BT. To supply additional power to the processor, one 8-Pin connector is used.

As before, four DDR4 DIMM slots are available for installing RAM. With their help, you can install up to 64GB of RAM in the system with a maximum clock frequency of 3866 MHZ in OC mode.

A pair of separate aluminum alloy radiators are responsible for cooling the elements of the processor power system. They are attached to the board using bolts; backplates are not provided; thermal pads are used for contact. Unlike versions of previous generations, the radiators have become a little thinner at the base, but have acquired a larger area of ​​dissipating fins.

The radiator of the system logic set is covered with a conventional “bar” radiator. They have worked on its appearance, the black surface has little depth, and when changing the lighting angles it turns out very interesting.

We have already seen a set of expansion slots on ATX form factor boards from ASUS.

• PCI Express 3.0 x1;
• PCI Express 3.0 x16 (maximum x16 lanes);
• PCI Express 3.0 x1;
• PCI Express 3.0 x1;
• PCI Express 3.0 x16 (maximum x8 lanes);
• PCI Express 3.0 x1;
• PCI Express 3.0 x16 (maximum x4 lanes).

The M.2 connector is coming to the masses. Now there are two of them on the board. One is located under the system logic set and supports 42, 60, 80 and 110 mm strips, and the second is located in the plane of the first PCI Express 3.0 x1 and supports 42, 60 and 80 mm strips. Each connector supports operation in PCIe mode; it seems that the number of PCIe lanes in the chipset has been increased for this purpose. To connect drives via SATA 6Gb/s, six connectors from the system logic set are provided.

Returning to the visual aspects, the area of ​​the I/O panel connectors is covered with a small plastic casing with a transparent RGB backlight element. It illuminates the radiator area perfectly and is clearly visible even with massive air coolers. To configure the backlight operating mode, you can use ASUS Aura Sync, common for the entire circuit. Previously, ASUS had already presented variants of blocks for printing elements of “armor” on a 3D printer, now they have made a group of clamps for them, all that remains is to find a printer :).

The test subject's list of I/O panel slots is as follows:

• One PS/2 for mouse or keyboard;
• One RJ-45 LAN connector (Intel I219-V);
• Four USB 3.0;
• Two USB 3.1 (Type-C and Type-A);
• One DVI-I, HDMI 1.4 and DisplayPort 1.2;
• One optical S/PDIF;
• Five miniJack audio connectors (S1220A HD CODEC).

The set turned out to be very classic; there were no additional keys for resetting or restoring the BIOS. At the same time, there is a full set of video outputs, perhaps a couple more USBs would not be superfluous, and there is a place for them.

Platform launch, Testing, Summary

Let's launch

Our permanent test bench was used for testing, but the configuration was slightly changed:

• Motherboard: ASUS ROG STRIX Z270F;
• Processors:

Since the LGA1151 has not changed, the installation of the Noctua NH-D15S went smoothly. Likewise, the i5-6600K started on the ASUS ROG STRIX Z270F board the first time and did not require any manipulations. Its overclocking potential remained at the same level and was limited only by the type of cooling and the success of the specimen.

The CPU-Z utility recognized the Intel Core i7-7700 without any problems. Like other i7 representatives, Hyper Threading technology implements processing of eight threads. Thanks to Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 (Speed ​​Shift) technology, in multi-threaded applications the processor operates at a frequency of 4000 MHz with a voltage of 1.232 V. During normal operation, the frequency sometimes jumps to 4200 MHz; the frequency change occurs really quickly.

In normal mode, running the Burn test using the LinX 0.6.5 utility led to an increase in temperature to 87°C, while the temperature delta between the cores was 13°C. The Noctua NH-D15S fan operated at speeds around 1000 prm. Well, comrades, to overclock with increased voltage you need to prepare for scalping procedures. Because of the New Year celebrations, it was decided to experiment with overclocking on the “bus” and replace the thermal paste later, you need a steady hand, so to speak :).

Below we present the results of testing in the group of 2D applications. Turbo Boost technology was active to account for its operating factors. Based on the test results, I wanted to find answers to several very simple questions: how far ahead will the new product be due to the increased frequencies, how much will overclocking the sixth generation i5 processor help in the pursuit of the locked i7.

Let's summarize

Intel's Kaby Lake architecture, in my opinion, brings a new clock to the tick-tock strategy. Although with the abbreviation plus, the 14-nm technological process has been used by the companies for the third time. This situation can lead to several thoughts. First, mastering the next step becomes increasingly difficult. Secondly, they are trying to reduce the time interval between announcements of new processors and make maximum use of existing developments. And the symbiosis of these thoughts leads to conclusions about the position of the seventh generation of Intel Core processors.

Improvements to the architecture made it possible to initially operate at a higher frequency and thereby, in nominal modes, go ahead of the representative of the sixth generation. If we conducted “academic” testing at equal frequencies and compared processors in predecessor-successor mode, I’m almost sure that we would not get a large percentage of the difference between the Skylake and Kaby Lake architectures. But this would be an artificial comparison; in this batch, Intel decided to speed up the performance by increasing the frequency. (By the way, news about frequency records has arrived)

However, frequency is not the only factor. We see improvements to solve specific problems: increasing the power of the built-in graphics core, adding hardware acceleration of certain codecs, as well as releasing processors for certain classes of devices. And in the context of the same compact laptops, these factors will create a significant increase. That is why in this material we did not test the built-in video core; this needs to be done on laptops without installing discrete video.

Regarding one of our questions regarding Hyper Threading and the results with disabling this technology and overclocking the i5. As we can see, in applications that actively use each thread, even an unoverclocked processor with HT demonstrates a lead. If you use these types of applications most of the time. Then, taking into account small differences in architectures and possible price issues in our market, sometimes you can safely take a closer look at i7 processors from the previous generation over the new/unlocked i5.

As for the motherboard, here we can say the following: a good solution for updated processors. The manufacturer creates the necessary hardware for the platform, taking into account existing developments and at the same time does not forget about adding personal chips to the motherboard section. I’m also glad that work is being done on the names of the lines and their ordering, because ultimately this should help when selecting a new system.

2017, which began a few days ago, is a year of big processor announcements. So, this year AMD should introduce processors based on the new Zen architecture, and Intel is going to introduce a new platform for enthusiasts, LGA2066. But all this will come later. In the very first days of the new year, other processors come to the fore - Intel Kaby Lake, which are followers of Skylake aimed at mass systems, where the LGA1151 platform is currently used.

And to be honest, this is the most uninteresting announcement of the entire set of new products that is expected in the near future. A lot has been known about Kaby Lake for a long time, and all this information does not give much optimism. It is well known that the new processor is a slightly tweaked Skylake, which means it does not bring any special surprises. The fact is that Kaby Lake, in fact, is a forced patch on the canvas of Intel’s processor plans, and it was made in a relatively simple way and in a hurry.

Such an insignificant processor announcement has already happened once in the history of Intel - in 2014, the company missed the release date of Broadwell and was forced to update its product range at the expense of Haswell Refresh and Devil’s Canyon. Today's situation is largely similar: problems with the implementation of the next 10nm process technology are forcing Intel to come up with additional intermediate steps in the processor update relay.

However, Kaby Lake is still not such a pass-through model. In it, the microprocessor giant was able to introduce some improvements in the graphics core, but most importantly, the production of Kaby Lake now uses the second generation 14nm process technology. What all this can give to ordinary users and enthusiasts, we will analyze in this article.

⇡#New old technical process, or What is “14-nm+”

Intel’s key principle of developing new processors, well known by the code name “tick-tock,” when the introduction of new microarchitectures alternated with the transition to more advanced technological processes, stalled. Initially, each stage in this pipeline took 12-15 months, but the commissioning of new production technologies with reduced standards gradually began to require more and more time. And in the end, the 14nm process finally broke the entire measured rhythm of progress. With the release of Broadwell generation processors, such critical delays arose that it became clear that regular and methodical “tick-tock” no longer works.

Thus, mobile representatives of the Broadwell family hit the market almost a year later than originally planned. Older desktop processors appeared with a delay of almost a year and a half. And mid-level solutions based on this design have not reached the stage of mass products at all. Moreover, the introduction of the Broadwell microarchitecture into complex multi-core processors was so slow that when it finally reached older server products in the middle of last year, the mobile segment was almost two generations ahead - and this is also clearly an abnormal situation. Even for companies the size of Intel, keeping multiple processor designs and multiple manufacturing technologies up to date is a fairly serious task.

The upcoming transition to the next production technology promises no less problems, so the first processors released using the 10nm process technology can be expected no earlier than the second half of 2017. But if we remember that Intel began to use 14 nm technology in the third quarter of 2014, and Skylake processors appeared in mid-2015, it turns out that between Skylake and their 10 nm successors there is a too long, two-year pause that can have a negative impact both on the company's image and on sales. Therefore, in the end, Intel, in order to get rid of the constant lag behind the original plans and, if possible, unify its products, decided to radically change the development cycle and add an additional clock cycle to it. As a result, instead of the “tick-tock” principle, a new three-stage principle “process - architecture - optimization” will now be used, which implies longer operation of technical processes and the release of not two, but at least three processor designs according to the same standards.

This means that, in accordance with the new concept, Broadwell and Skylake should now be followed not by a transition to 10 nm standards, but by the release of another processor design using the old 14 nm standards. It was this additional design, developed as part of additional “optimization”, that received the code name Kaby Lake. We are already familiar with its first media, aimed at use in ultra-mobile devices - they came out at the end of last summer. Now the company is expanding Kaby Lake's reach to other markets, including traditional personal computers.

Due to the fact that Kaby Lake is a kind of impromptu, which was forcedly designed by the microprocessor giant amid problems with the transition to a 10-nm process technology, the optimizations embedded in this processor relate not to microarchitecture, but primarily to production technology. The manufacturer even says that Kaby Lake is produced using the second generation of 14-nm process technology – 14-nm+ or 14FF+. In short, this means that quite significant changes have been made to the semiconductor structure of processor chips, but the resolution of the lithographic process still remains the same. More specifically, Intel's proprietary three-dimensional transistors (3D Tri-gate) in Kaby Lake received , On the one side, higher silicon channel ribs, and on the other hand, increased gaps between the gates of transistors, which actually means a lower density of semiconductor devices on the chip.

Unfortunately, Intel refuses to provide any specific information about how much its 14nm process technology has changed with the release of Kaby Lake. And most likely, this is due to the fact that these changes can be considered some kind of step back. When the company launched its 14nm manufacturing technology and announced its Broadwell generation of processors, it eagerly shared details and claimed that its FinFET process was superior to similar technologies used by other semiconductor manufacturers: TSMC, Samsung and GlobalFoundries. Now that the dimensions and profile of transistors have changed again as part of the 14nm+ process, their characteristics apparently no longer look as advantageous as before.

However, the absolute dimensions of transistors are interesting only for theoretical discussions about which of the semiconductor manufacturers owns the most advanced technology. A qualitative description of the changes is enough for us. Increasing the height of the edges of three-dimensional transistors, which are their channel, opens up the possibility of reducing signal voltages and, accordingly, minimizing leakage currents. Widening the gaps between gates, on the contrary, requires increasing voltages, but it reduces the density of the semiconductor crystal and simplifies the production process.

These two changes, carried out simultaneously, partly compensate for each other - and therefore Kaby Lake crystals operate at the same voltages as Skylake. But Intel wins on another front: the improved technical process gives a better yield of usable crystals. Moreover, the resulting rarefaction in the arrangement of transistors makes it possible to reduce their mutual thermal and electromagnetic influence, and this entails an increase in the frequency potential. As a result, Intel managed to do without degrading the energy efficiency characteristics of the new design, but at the same time get a higher frequency or even overclocking reincarnation of Skylake.

Of course, this raises certain questions that relate to the cost of semiconductor crystals grown using the 14-nm+ process. Intel says the average transistor density in Kaby Lake has not changed compared to Skylake, but this is likely due to a redesign and better use of previously unused areas of the chip. However, Intel apparently still needed to change some equipment at the factories where Kaby Lake was launched. This, in particular, is indirectly indicated by the extended time of the announcement of Kaby Lake. Obviously, the company was unable to launch mass production of both ultramobile dual-core and powerful quad-core crystals precisely because of the need to reconfigure or re-equip production lines.

But the main thing is that the new technical process, which can be called Intel's third 3D tri-gate process, really allowed the company to start producing chips with a higher clock frequency. For example, the base frequency of the older Kaby Lake desktop reached 4.2 GHz, while the flagship Skylake had a 200 MHz lower frequency. Of course, in the absence of improvements in the microarchitecture, all this evokes some associations with Devil’s Canyon, but Kaby Lake is not just an overclocked Skylake. It turned out thanks to deep tuning, which affected the semiconductor base of the processor.

⇡#Changes in microarchitecture that do not exist

Despite significant changes in manufacturing technology, no improvements have been made at the microarchitectural level in Kaby Lake, and this processor has exactly the same IPC (instructions executed per clock) characteristic as its predecessor, Skylake. In other words, the entire advantage of the new product lies in the ability to work at increased clock speeds and in certain changes in the built-in media engine regarding support for hardware encoding and decoding of 4K video.

However, for mobile processors, even seemingly insignificant innovations can have a noticeable effect. Ultimately, process improvements translate into improved energy efficiency, meaning the next generation of ultramobile devices will be able to offer longer battery life. In processors for desktop computers, we can get an additional increase of 200-400 MHz in clock frequencies, achieved within the previously installed thermal packages, but nothing more.

At the same time, at the same clock speeds, Skylake and Kaby Lake will produce completely identical performance. The microarchitecture in both cases is the same, so even the usual performance increase of 3-5 percent simply cannot come from anywhere. This is easy to confirm with practical data.

Usually, to illustrate the advantages of new microarchitectures, we use simple synthetic tests that are sensitive to changes in certain processor units. This time we used the benchmarks included in the AIDA64 5.80 test utility. The following graphs show the performance of older quad-core processors from the Haswell, Broadwell, Skylake and Kaby Lake generations running at the same constant frequency of 4.0 GHz.

All three groups of tests: integer, FPU and ray tracing rendering agree that at the same frequency Skylake and Kaby Lake produce completely identical performance. This confirms the absence of any microarchitectural differences. Therefore, it is right to treat Kaby Lake as Skylake Refresh: new processors bring an increase in performance only due to increased frequencies.

But Kaby Lake’s clock speeds don’t make much of an impression either. For example, when Intel released Devil's Canyon, the increase in nominal frequency reached 13 percent. Today, the increase in frequency of the older Kaby Lake model compared to the older Skylake is only about 7 percent.

And if we take into account that in the 14-nm Broadwell and Skylake processors the maximum frequencies were rolled back compared to their 22-nm predecessors, it turns out that the older Kaby Lake is only 100 MHz higher in frequency than Devil’s Canyon.

⇡#Kaby Lake line for desktop computers

Intel introduced the first processors of the Kaby Lake generation back in the summer. However, at that time these were only representatives of the energy-efficient Y and U series, aimed at tablets and ultra-mobile computers. All of them had only two cores and a GT2 class graphics core, that is, they were relatively simple chips. The bulk of Kaby Lake, including quad-core ones, are being released only now. Moreover, we are talking about updating the range of all classes of processors at once, including the 4.5-watt Core Y-series; 15- and 28-watt Core U-series with HD Graphics and Iris Plus; 45-watt mobile Core, including their versions with a free multiplier; 45-watt mobile Xeon; as well as a set of S-series processors for desktop computers with thermal packages of 35, 65 and 95 W.

Today's announcement covers a total of 36 different processor models, of which only 16 are desktop. But we will talk about them in detail today.

Previously, when updating the lineup of desktop processors, Intel preferred to stagger the release of quad-core and dual-core chips. But this time the plan is slightly different. The company still did not immediately dump the entire range of updated LGA1151 processors onto the market, but the first batch of Kaby Lake desktop processors turned out to be more widespread than usual: it includes not only quad-core Core i7 and Core i5, but also dual-core Core i3. That is, during the second stage of the update, which will approximately take place in the spring, only processors from the budget Pentium and Celeron families will be presented.

The seventh generation Core i7 desktop processor family (which includes the Kaby Lake design) includes three models:

The Core i7 family still includes quad-core processors with support for Hyper-Threading technology and 8 MB of L3 cache. But compared to Skylake, the frequencies of the new Core i7 have increased by 200-300 MHz, and in addition, the processors now have official support for DDR4-2400. Otherwise, the new items are similar to their predecessors. Recommended prices also remained at the usual level: Kaby Lake will replace representatives of the Skylake family in the old price categories.

Approximately the same picture emerges with Kaby Lake processors belonging to the Core i5 class. Except that the range here is much wider.

The Core i5 line of quad-core processors lacks Hyper-Treading technology, has a 6 MB L3 cache and offers slightly lower clock speeds compared to the Core i7. But, as in the case of the Core i7, Kaby Lake generation Core i5 processors are 200-300 MHz faster than their predecessors. Otherwise, they inherited the characteristics from Skylake without any significant changes.

But important changes have occurred in the Core i3 series. When the Kaby Lake design was introduced into this family, an overclocking processor with an unlocked multiplier was added to it, which, according to established tradition, received the letter K in the model number.

The Core i3 series combines dual-core processors with support for Hyper-Threading technology, equipped with 3 or 4 MB of L3 cache. The characteristics of the new Kaby Lake generation products again repeat the specifications of the corresponding Skylake with the only difference being the clock frequencies, which have become 200 MHz higher.

However, in addition to updated versions of the usual dual-core processors, the Core i3 series now has a fundamentally new model - the Core i3-7350K processor, characterized by its overclocking capabilities. Previously, Intel had never had such offers among dual-core processors (the experiment in the form of the Pentium Anniversary Edition does not count), but now the company seems to have decided to officially lower the barrier to entry into the world of overclocking. And the Core i3-7350K seems to be a very interesting option for budget-conscious enthusiasts, because its price is as much as 30 percent lower than the cost of the overclocker Core i5. Moreover, it is very likely that due to the reduced core area with low heat dissipation, this processor will also be able to please with high overclocking potential, which we will try to test in practice at the first opportunity.

A few words should be said about the graphics core of the new products. All desktop processors of the Kaby Lake generation received the same integrated GT2-level graphics, which includes 24 actuators - exactly the same number as the GT2 core of Skylake processors. And since the core GPU architecture hasn't changed in the new processor design, Kaby Lake's 3D performance remains the same. The appearance of a higher numerical index 630 in the HD Graphics name is entirely due to the new capabilities of the hardware media engine, to which tools for fast encoding/decoding of video in VP9 and H.265 formats were added, as well as full support for materials in 4K resolution.

⇡#New features of Intel QuickSync

From the point of view of traditional processor capabilities, Kaby Lake does not look like a serious step forward compared to Skylake. This feeling is created due to the fact that the new processor does not have any microarchitectural improvements. Nevertheless, Intel called the new processor with its own code name - Kaby Lake, which is trying to convey the idea that this is not just Skylake with increased operating frequencies. And this is partly true. Some fundamental improvements that may be noticeable to end users are in the graphics core of the new CPUs. Despite the fact that the GPU architecture of Kaby Lake processors belongs to the ninth generation (like Skylake), its multimedia capabilities have expanded significantly. In other words, the basic design of the graphics core (including the number of execution units) in Kaby Lake remains the same, but the units responsible for encoding and decoding video content have undergone significant improvements in both functionality and performance.

Most importantly, the Kaby Lake media engine can now fully hardware accelerate encoding and decoding of 4K HEVC video with the Main10 profile. In Skylake, we recall, HEVC Main10 decoding was also announced, but there it was implemented using a hybrid scheme, and the load was distributed between the media engine, shaders of the built-in GPU and the computing resources of the processor itself. Because of this, high-quality playback was achieved only in the case of 4Kp30 video; more complex formats could not be played efficiently and without frame drops even on older CPU models. With Kaby Lake, such problems should not arise: the new processors decode HEVC video relying only on the media engine, and this allows them to digest complex profiles and high resolutions without loading the processing cores: with high efficiency, without frame drops and with low power consumption . Intel promises that specialized blocks of the Kaby Lake media engine can be strong enough not only to play 4K video at 60 and even 120 frames per second, but also to simultaneously decode up to eight standard 4Kp30 AVC or HVEC streams.

In addition, the Kaby Lake media engine received hardware support for the VP9 codec developed by Google. Hardware video decoding is possible with 8- and 10-bit color depth, and encoding with 8-bit. In Skylake, work with VP9 video, just as in the case of HEVC, was carried out using a hybrid hardware-software scheme. As a result, Kaby Lake may be very useful for those who like to watch 4K videos on YouTube, since the VP9 codec is being actively implemented in this service.

In general, the situation with hardware support for various video formats in Kaby Lake is as follows:

The block diagram of the Kaby Lake graphics part is shown in the illustration below. There are almost no structural differences from Skylake, but they are present at a lower level. Thus, hardware support for HEVC Main10 and VP9 has been introduced into the MFX (Multi-Format Codec) block. As a result, this particular unit was able to independently decode video in VP9 and HEVC formats with 10-bit color depth, as well as encode HEVC with 10-bit color and VP9 with 8-bit color.

In addition to MFX, the VQE (Video Quality Engine) block, which is responsible for the operation of the hardware encoder, has also been updated. Innovations are aimed at improving quality and performance when working with AVC video. Thus, Intel wants to gradually introduce the ability to work with HDR content and is systematically expanding the supported color at different stages of the pipeline. However, keep in mind that all encoding functions currently only support 4:2:0 chroma subsampling. This is not a problem for amateur video work, but professional applications require more accurate 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 encoding, which is not yet available within Intel QuickSync.

It must be said that usually users of Intel desktop processors do not pay too much attention to the capabilities of media engines. After all, they are part of the graphics core, which in conventional high-performance systems is disabled in favor of a discrete video card. However, in fact, in modern Intel platforms, the media engine can be used even if you have a discrete video card. To do this, you just need not to disable the integrated graphics, but activate it through the motherboard BIOS as a secondary video adapter. In this case, two graphics adapters will be detected in the operating system at once, and after installing the Intel HD Graphics driver, the Intel QuickSync processor media engine will become available for use.

Here are some simple examples of the practical benefits of such a configuration.

Here, for example, is how things stand with playing complex media content on the Core i7-7700K - 4Kp60 HEVC Main10 video with a bitrate of about 52 Mbit/s. Decoding is performed using Intel Quick Sync.

There are no frame drops, processor load is at minimum values. The integrated graphics of the Core i7-6700K, and even more so of processors with earlier designs, could not play this video without dropping frames. Therefore, to play such videos, previously it was necessary to rely on software decoding, which only works on high-performance platforms, and even then not always.

Another example is video transcoding. As part of our introduction to Kaby Lake, we looked at the performance of transcoding a source 1080p video using various software and hardware encoders. For testing purposes, we used the popular HandBrake 1.0.1 utility, which allows you to perform transcoding both through Intel QuickSync and programmatically using x264 and x265 encoders.

The tests used the standard Fast 1080p30 quality profile.

The performance benefits that can be achieved when transcoding using the hardware capabilities of a media engine are more than significant. Despite the fact that in both cases the result was approximately the same in quality with a bitrate of about 3.7 Mbit/s, the Intel QuickSync engine can offer many times higher transcoding speed, which also occurs with minimal load on the computing processor cores. True, the speed of hardware transcoding in Kaby Lake has hardly increased compared to Skylake.

Another example is streaming. Since Intel QuickSync allows you to encode video without loading the processing cores of the processor, streamers for their broadcasts can easily get by with one system with a Kaby Lake processor. For example, the popular program for online broadcasts OBS Studio supports H.264 encoding using the Intel media engine and is able to work in parallel with gaming applications running on a discrete video card without reducing their performance.

In other words, even in a productive system equipped with an external graphics card, you can find a lot of applications for Intel QuickSync. And its increased functionality in Kaby Lake comes in handy. The hardware multimedia capabilities of this unit, which has become almost omnivorous, truly expand the scope of use of a typical personal computer.

Speaking about the graphics core built into Kaby Lake, we cannot fail to mention that, like in Skylake, it can support up to three 4K monitors simultaneously. However, despite expectations, native support for the HDMI 2.0 interface has not appeared in new generation desktop processors. This means that monitors connected via HDMI on most motherboards will only be able to provide a maximum resolution of 4096 × 2160 @ 24 Hz. Full 4K resolution, as before, will be available only when using a DisplayPort 1.2 connection. However, there is an alternative solution that allows system manufacturers to equip HDMI 2.0 outputs; it consists of using additional LSPCon (Level Shifter - Protocol Converter) converters installed in the DP path. However, this approach naturally requires additional costs.

However, Intel promises that systems based on Kaby Lake processors will be able to play premium 4K content protected by DRM (for example, from a premium Netflix account) without any special compatibility issues. If there is no HDMI 2.0 port, a system with DisplayPort connected to a 4K TV or monitor that supports HDCP2.2 will also work for this.

As a result, the Kaby Lake media engine provides an answer to the main complaint against Skylake - the lack of hardware acceleration of 4Kp60 HEVC Main10. Plus, some other useful features and improvements have been added, as a result of which the integrated Kaby Lake graphics are truly better suited to work with the increasingly popular 4K video and content streaming services. However, you need to keep in mind that hardware improvements alone are not enough to introduce new functions, and there is a lot of work ahead to update and adapt the software.

⇡#Chipsets for Kaby Lake: Intel Z270 and others

By tradition, along with new processors, Intel also brings to the market new sets of system logic. That is, despite the fact that the “tick-tock” principle was replaced by the “process - architecture - optimization” principle, everything remains the same with chipsets: they are updated at every turn of progress. However, this time the minor improvements in Kaby Lake compared to Skylake allowed us to maintain full compatibility with the old platform. Kaby Lake is not only installed in the already familiar LGA1151 processor socket, but also works great in motherboards with older 100th series chipsets.

The optimizations that occurred in the production technology of new processors did not require changes in the power supply. As in the case of Skylake, Kaby Lake should have it on the board, and not in the processor. At the same time, the requirements for voltages and currents remained the same as before. This means that there are no circuitry obstacles to installing Kaby Lake in old LGA1151 boards. The only thing that is required to support new CPUs with old boards is the presence of the appropriate microcode in the motherboard BIOS. And most boards based on Z170 and other chipsets of the previous generation received the necessary update in a timely manner.

New logic sets with model numbers from the 200 series were designed by Intel more out of habit and simply so that motherboard manufacturers have some reason to update platforms. Therefore, it is not surprising that in terms of capabilities, the differences from previous chipsets turned out to be minimal and, one might say, even cosmetic. No really useful additions in the form of support for USB 3.1 or Thunderbolt interfaces have appeared in the Intel Z270 and other chips in the series, and the main improvement that Intel is pushing for is support for promising Intel Optane drives.

Here's how the purely technical characteristics of older chipsets in the 100th and 200th series compare with each other:

Moreover, with regard to the main marketing argument in favor of the 200 series chipsets - Optane support, Intel is largely disingenuous. In fact, Optane drives will not require any special interfaces or connectors. To operate, they will need a regular M.2 slot with a PCI Express 3.0 x4 bus installed in it, and many older LGA1151 boards have such slots. In the case of new logic sets, we are simply talking about the fact that the number of PCI Express lanes in them is slightly increased, and this allows board manufacturers to easily add more than one M.2 slot to their platforms. The fact is that, as expected, the first versions of Intel Optane will not replace conventional SSDs. They will receive extremely small volumes and will be positioned as additional caching drives, so it is planned to allocate a separate independent slot for them, which is easier to implement in chipsets of the 200 series. In addition, a special Rapid Storage Technology driver will be made for the new chipsets, which will contain some operating algorithms optimized for Optane, essentially similar to a new version of Intel Smart Response technology.

Thus, the significant difference between the Z270 and the Z170 should be considered not the far-fetched Optane support, but the increased by four (to 24) maximum number of PCI Express 3.0 lanes supported by the chipset. Moreover, this change was reflected in the change in the I/O Port Flexibility scheme, within which the simultaneous implementation of 30 high-speed interfaces is now allowed. The number of SATA and USB ports has remained at the old level, but in the Z270, the USB 3.0 standard can accommodate not 8, but 10 ports.

Many new chipsets of the 200 series consist of more than just one Intel Z270. We decided to focus on it because it is the most equipped and the only one that supports overclocking the processor (both through changing the multipliers and the frequency of the base clock generator). However, in addition to it, the line of new logic sets includes a couple of simpler consumer chipsets - H270 and B250, as well as a couple of chipsets for the corporate environment - Q270 and Q250, which are distinguished by the presence of a set of Intel Standard Manageability functions for remote management and administration.

The most interesting for ordinary users, the H270 and B250, differ from the Z270 not only in the lack of overclocking capabilities. They have reduced the number of PCI Express 3.0 lanes and USB 3.0 ports, and also reduced the number of M.2 interfaces that can be connected to the Intel RST driver. In addition, low-end system logic sets do not allow dividing the PCI Express processor bus into several slots.

A complete picture of the correspondence of the characteristics of the 200 series logic sets can be obtained from the following table.

⇡#Test processor: Core i7-7700K

For testing, we were provided with the senior representative of the Kaby Lake desktop line, Core i7-7700K.

This quad-core processor with support for Hyper-Threading technology and an 8-MB L3 cache has a nominal clock speed of 4.2 GHz. However, the test showed that in practical conditions the frequency of the Core i7-7700K is 4.4 GHz with an all-core load and 4.5 GHz with a low-threaded load. Thus, in terms of frequencies, the older Kaby Lake managed to overtake not only the Core i7-6700K, but also the old Core i7-4790K, which until recently remained the highest-frequency Intel processor for desktop systems.

The operating voltage of our sample was 1.2 V: there are no significant differences from processors of previous generations.

When idle, the Kaby Lake frequency drops to 800 MHz, and, in addition to the usual Enhanced Intel SpeedStep technology, the processor also supports the newer Intel Speed ​​Shift technology. It transfers frequency control from the operating system to the processor itself. Due to this, a significant improvement in response time to a changing load is achieved: the processor comes out of energy-saving states faster and, if necessary, turns on turbo mode faster. But there is a limitation: Speed ​​Shift technology only works in Windows 10.

Left – Core i7-7700K (Kaby Lake), right – Core i7-6700K (Skylake)

Certain changes have also occurred with the appearance of the CPU. True, they are more of a cosmetic nature. For example, Intel did not abandon the use of thin PCB, which appeared in Skylake, in Kaby Lake. But the shape of the heat distribution cover has changed. It has additional tides that increase the contact area with the cooler sole. However, this will most likely have little effect on the efficiency of heat removal. After all, the main problem in the path of heat from the processor chip is the polymer thermal interface of poor quality, which is located under the processor cover. And in this regard, everything is as before: highly efficient solder remains the prerogative of flagship processors in LGA2011-v3 performance.

There are also changes on the processor side. However, Kaby Lake remains compatible with the LGA1151 socket, so there are very few differences compared to Skylake. The stabilizing circuit remained the same, so the set of hanging elements was preserved. A slight difference can only be noticed in their relative position.

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material from the site 3dnews.ru