Corsair Explores Lynnfield and P55
Introduction: Intel's New P55 Chipset and Lynnfield CPUs
The Intel combination of the Core i7 Nehalem based Bloomfield processors and the X58 chipset has been quite a success. Intel has decided to build upon that success with a new offering of processors and a new chipset.
Intel has just introduced the new Lynnfield class of CPUs which at this time includes the Core i7 870 and 860 CPUs and the Core i5 750 CPU. These CPUs share the same core architecture as the 9** series Core i7 CPUs but, they are coupled with a dual channel integrated memory controller, or IMC as opposed to the triple channel controller on the 9** series. These CPUs have a different socket design with 1156 contacts as opposed to the 1366 contacts on the 9** series. They are designed to operate with the Intel P55 Express chipset.
Intel Lynnfield Diagram
This means that Intel users can now harness the power of Core i7 in a more cost effective manner while not sacrificing performance. The new Lynnfield and P55 based systems are proving to be very powerful and feature rich based upon our testing. The system featured here proved itself to be an excellent system for all tasks put before it at the stock settings. And, the performance gets better as the system is also a very solid overclocking unit. With a minimum of tweaking we took our stock 2.8GHZ system to almost 4GHZ and saw some performance increases approaching 50%.
Corsair has introduced several new memory kits designed specifically to work with the new platform. We are going to take a look at the Lynnfield 860 CPU, and ASUS P7P55D Deluxe motherboard, and our new 8GB Lynnfield memory kit, the Dominator CMD8GX3M4A1600C8 kit.
Lynnfield and P55 Will Put a Smile on Your Face
The Processor, Motherboard, Memory, and Video Card
We are taking a look at a performance oriented build using the Core i7 860 CPU. The 860 runs at a stock speed of 2.8GHZ. According to Intel specifications using available turbo modes, the CPU is potentially capable of up to 3.46GHZ. The picture below shows the 860 spreader and also the underside of the 870 with the coin providing scale. From the top these 2 show only Intel's ES markings and are thus labeled for our benefit using the official Corsair Labs Sharpie.
ES Sample of the Core i7 860
Asus has a very nice looking P55 based board, the P7P55D Deluxe. It will be exciting to see how this new board performs.
The Asus P7P55D Deluxe
We'll be using a 4 x 2GB module kit of the
Dominator CMD8GX3M4A1600C8
. The blue spreaders and Dominator Airflow fan should look great with the blue themed motherboard.
The Dominator CMD8GX3M4A1600C8
Most enthusiast users have a single video card, or graphics processing unit (aka GPU) so we went with a single HD4890. The Sapphire unit with the black and blue accents should also go very well with the Dominator spreaders and the ASUS color scheme.
The Sapphire HD4890
Power, CPU Cooling, and the Case
The Corsair Professional Series HX class modular PSUs
offer phenomenal performance and great flexibility for case wiring and routing. We went with an HX850 for this build. An HX750 would be more than enough power but, we also wanted to leave the future Crossfire or dual core GPU options open and have some power overhead if needed.
The Corsair HX850
Corsair recently introduced the
Hydro Series H50 high performance CPU cooler
. The H50 performs on par with the best air coolers available.
The Corsair Hydro Series H50 CPU Cooler
Corsair has also just released the new
Obsidian 800D case
. This case is receiving rave reviews and is an extraordinary enthusiast friendly case.
The Corsair Obsidian 800D
The Drives, an SSD and an Optical Drive
We've decided to for-go a floppy drive in this build and utilize more modern technologies. Solid state drives, or SSDs, are yet another new product for Corsair.
The X Series SSDs
are built using the Indilinx Barefoot drive controller and offer outstanding performance.
The Corsair X64 SSD
The Pioneer DVR-S18MBK is a SATA multi format CD / DVD writer. The black finish will blend very well with the front panel of the Obsidian 800D.
The Pioneer DVR-S18MBK
Preparing the Obsidian 800D Case
After unpacking, there are a few things that need to be done with the Obsidian 800D before installing any of the components. The case ships with a protective film over the case window and along the edges. You can see the film attached with the green tape. There is also a quick start guide with a parts list that you may want to keep handy. We suggest leaving these protective films on during the build process.
Obsidian 800D Unpacked
Remove the windowed side panel by pressing the round button at back of the case.
Remove the Windowed Side Panel
Once the side panel is off, you'll see 3 items of note in the process; the 140mm rear exhaust fan, the parts box, and the panel cover for the SATA back plane.
Side Panel Off
Since we are using the H50 CPU cooler, we'll need to remove the 140mm fan as the H50 uses its own 120mm fan.
Remove the 140mm Rear Exhaust Fan
This is also a good time to install the I/O panel for the motherboard, although this can be done at a later stage if desired.
Install I/O Panel
Next, remove the solid side panel from the other side of the case to expose the case wiring and the CPU back panel cover. This panel releases in the same manner as the windowed panel, by pushing the release button on this side of the case.
Remove the Solid Side Panel
Now, the CPU back panel cover can be removed.
Remove the CPU Back Panel Cover
You now have access to the back side of the motherboard panel for cable routing.
Back Side of the Motherboard Panel
Look in your parts box and find the SATA signal cables and the SATA back plane power cable. They are detailed in your parts list if you do not recognize them.
800D Case Parts
First, install the SATA back plane power cable by plugging it into the SATA back plane as shown below.
SATA Back Plane Power Cable Installation
Once the power cable is in place, attach the SATA data cables to the back plane connectors.
Connect the SATA Data Cables
The final step here is to determine how many standoffs your motherboard requires and to make sure the correct holes in the case have a standoff installed. The 800D ships with standoffs installed in the standard ATX sized motherboard standoff positions. However, the ASUS P7P55D Deluxe only uses 9 of these. We don't want a short from an improperly placed standoff so be sure to remove any unnecessary standoffs.
Remove This Standoff
CPU, Motherboard, and PSU Installation and Internal Case Wiring
The CPU is easily installed with the motherboard outside the case. The CPU is keyed so it is correctly oriented.
Insert the CPU Into the Motherboard Socket
Once the CPU is installed, fold the locking lever down into the locked position.
Lock the CPU Locking Lever
The motherboard installation in this case is extremely easy as there is plenty of room to work inside the 800D case. As noted, the the P7P55D Deluxe requires 9 motherboard screws.
Install 9 Motherboard Screws
The PSU can be installed at this time. The internal case wiring is more easily done prior to CPU cooler and GPU installation.
Install the PSU Screws
Once the PSU is mounted, the ATX cable, the two hardwired PCI-e cables, and the EPS12v cable all easily go out the grommets in the back of the PSU bay.
PSU Cable Routing
Here from the back side view, you can see how the cables exit the grommets. All of the cabling can be conveniently routed through the grommets in this same fashion making for very clean and quick cable management.
PSU Cables from the Back
Cable routing will vary subtly from board to board. Using the appropriate grommets makes the job easier and the routing much cleaner.
Cables Routed and Installed
Here's a look at each of the cable sections up close.
EPS 12v Routing
ATX Cable Routing
Front Panel Sound and Firewire Cable Routing
PCI-e, SATA, Case Fan, and System Panel Connectors
CPU Cooler, GPU, and Memory Installation
The Corsair H50 CPU cooler is very simple to install. The radiator, tubing, pump, and cooling block are pre assembled.
The H50 CPU Cooler
The cooling block and pump are combined in the same housing. The surface of the cooling block ships with thermal interface material, or TIM, applied. There is a plastic cover to protect the surface of the block.
Block and Pump With Protective Cover
Find the 120mm fan gasket provided with the case parts. Get the 4 screws and washers ready which were provided with the H50.
Gasket and Screws for H50 Mounting
Mount the fan gasket on the 120mm H50 fan. Note that the gasket goes on the side of the fan away from the fan hub and also note the airflow directional arrows. The H50 is designed to pull cool air into the case for the radiator for best cooling performance.
Mount the Fan Gasket
Insert the 4 screws from the back of the case, through the 120mm holes, and through the fan.
4 H50 Mounting Screws
These 4 screws thread into the 4 corresponding holes on the radiator. You can start with any of the 4 screws and we've found the bottom screw closest to the inside to be the easiest screw to begin with.
Start the First H50 Screw Into the Radiator
Make sure that the 4 screws are snug but do not overtighten them.
H50 Radiator Mounted
The gasket and locking ring assembly shown here is a prototype unit being tested with the new socket 1156 motherboards. It works similar to the stock unit shipped with the H50
H50 Prototype Locking Ring and Back Plate
The motherboard is already mounted and we need access to the back side of the board to attach the back plate. This is where the back access panel is very handy.
Back Plate and Access Panel
Here's a close up shot of the cooling block surface with the TIM installed.
H50 Close Up
There are several different techniques for getting the retention ring and cooling block into place. In this illustration, we are attaching the 2 top screws and inserting them about 1/3 of the way into the back plate which leaves the retention ring loose.
Retention Ring Top Screws
Next, insert the cooling block into the retention ring and twist the cooling block slightly to align it. Be sure that the retention ring is attached to the tabs on the cooling block. Once these tabs are aligned, insert and tighten the 2 bottom screws approximately 1/3 of the way into the back plate. We recommend tightening these 4 screws alternately in an "X" pattern.
H50 Retention Ring 2 Bottom Screws
It is essential that both the pump and the fan are connected to power sources. The P7P55D Deluxe has 2 fan headers very conveniently located just below the cooling block and pump assembly and in front of the radiator.
Pump and Fan Plugged Into the Motherboard
Now, we can mount the GPU, or graphics processing unit. The Sapphire 4890 uses a 2-slot cooling solution so we'll need to remove the 2 corresponding slot blanks from the PCI slot bracket.
Remove These 2 Slot Blanks
Insert the GPU into the top blue PCI-e slot. Once the card is in the slot, use the 2 mounting screws to secure it.
2 Screws in the GPU Bracket
Once the card is secure, insert the 2 secondary PCI-e power plugs into the 6 pin and 6+2 pin slots. In this case we've used the hard wired plugs from the HX850 and no additional modular plugs are needed.
Insert the PCI-e Power Plugs
The P7P55D Deluxe has 4 memory slots, which of course are keyed to allow only DDR3 modules to be installed and in the correct orientation.
DDR3 Memory Slot and Dominator Module
Press the memory module firmly until you hear 2 clicks. These clicks are the locking tabs clicking into the slots on the memory module. If the tabs don't fully close and lock, fold them down manually. Repeat the process for all 4 modules.
Close the Memory Locking Tab
Once all 4 modules are in place, install the Dominator Airflow fan.
Dominator Airflow Fan
This system does not require a large number of power connections due to the configuration, the hard wired connectors on the PSU, and the SATA back plane. We added a modular 4 pin connector cable and a SATA connector cable and routed them through a grommet out the back of the PSU compartment.
Modular SATA and 4 Pin Cables
The SATA back plane connector is a SATA female connector. Connect it to 1 of the male SATA power headers on the SATA power cable.
SATA Back Plane Power Connector
Route the remaining SATA power cable up to the top motherboard grommet that adjoins the back of the 5.25" bay. This power connector will be used for the optical drive.
Route the SATA Cable to the 5.25" Bay
The motherboard has 1 fewer fan headers than we need. So, we connected the hard drive bay fan to the power supply using a 3 pin to 4 pin fan adapter.
3 Pin to 4 Pin Fan Adapter
The remaining work inside the motheboard compartment on the back side of the motherboard and PSU compartments is all cable management. However, we're going to move on to drive installation and some testing before finalize the wiring and close the case up.
Installing the Optical Drive and SSD Drive
The front case bezel must be removed to remove the 5.25" bay covers. The bezel comes off easily with a bit of pressure with a flat bladed screw driver.
Remove the Front Bezel
Once the front bezel is off, select which 5.25" bay covers you need to remove.
Back Side View of Front Bezel and 5.25" Bay Covers
Remove the 5.25" Bay Cover to the Rear
Reinstall the front bezel and then check the 5.25" bay locking lever for the bay you intend to use. Be sure the lever is slid towards the rear, in the unlocked position.
5.25" Locking Lever Unlocked
Insert the optical drive from the front and slide it towards the rear.
Insert the Optical Drive
Slide the optical drive back and use the dimples in the slot under the locking lever to align the optical drive mounting holes as indicated below. The optical drive faceplate should also be flush with the front bezel. Once this is aligned, slide the locking lever forward to the locked position.
Align the Optical Drive
The SSD will be mounted in the hot swap bay which is accessed from the door in the front bezel. Remove the shipping wrap for access.
Remove the Shipping Wrap
Select the hot swap tray you wish to use, unlock the locking lever, and remove the tray from the bay. In our example, all 4 hot swap bays are connected to the motherboard so any can be selected.
Remove the Hot Swap Tray
You'll need 2 of the smaller fine threaded screws to attach the SSD using the 2 holes circled on the hot swap tray.
SSD Screws and Hot Swap Tray
Attach the SSD using the 2 screws. Be sure to have the SATA connectors pointed to the rear of the tray.
Attach the SSD to the Hot Swap Tray
Insert the hot swap tray back into the hot swap bay and slide it fully to the rear.
Insert the SSD and Hot Swap Tray
Return the Locking Lever to the Locked Position
From the rear of the 5.25" bay, attach the SATA power and data cables to the optical drive.
SATA Power Cable
SATA Data Cable
Once you have completed these steps you are ready for the first boot. As predicted, the overall blue theme inside the case looks great, especially in low light.
First Boot
Basic BIOS Set Up, Memtest, and Operating System Installation
After our initial boot we needed to enter the BIOS and make some basic BIOS adjustments. The first thing we did was to enter the AI Tweaker section of the BIOS. We then set the memory timings and voltages both manually and by using the XMP profile. We then ran Memtest for a minimum of 10 passes at each setting to verify basic stability.
Setting Memory Timings
When setting the memory timings manually, you must also set the integrated memory controller voltage, or IMC Voltage, manually along with the DRAM Voltage. In the example below the IMC voltage is set manually to 1.15v and the DRAM voltage is set manualy to 1.65v. Due to the load of a 4 module kit, we found that 1.15v is required on the IMC for stability.
Set the Voltages Manually
Both manual settings and the XMP profile settings were 100% stable for 10+ passes of Memtest. Memtest v2.11 is the most recent version of Memtest. However, it does not report the chipset or memory timings correctly.
Memtest v2.11
We decided to use the advanced host controller interface mode, or AHCI mode, for the SATA controller to exploit the AHCI functions with our X64 SSD drive.
Select the Storage Configuration Option
Select ACHI Mode
Next, we used the Boot Menu to set the BIOS up to boot from a Corsair USB flash drive. In this case, we were using a Corsair USB flash drive to install Windows 7 because the OS installs extremely fast using this method. There are quite a few tutorials online detailing how to do this installation.
Boot From Corsair UFD
Once the system boots from the flash drive, the installation will initiate several reboots. After this first reboot, you will need to change the boot order to boot from the selected drive and not the USB flash drive or, simply remove the USB drive as you do not need it any more after the first reboot occurs.
Windows 7 Installing
Windows 7 provided a network interface driver so once the installation finished, we were immediately online and installed all available Windows 7 updates. Once Windows 7 completed the updates, we moved on to driver installation. The Asus support DVD comes with an useful feature called InstALL. You can automate the complete driver installation procedure using this tool. We used the manual configuration to install all the needed drivers and selected the manual option to exclude Asus Express Gate.
Asus InstALL
After this step, we were finally ready to install some games and benchmarks and test the new system.
The System Configuration and Benchmark Utilities
Here is our basic system setup.
Intel Lynnfield Core i7 860 CPU ES
Asus P7P55D Deluxe Motherboard, BIOS ver 0504
Corsair Dominator CMD8GX3M4A1600C8 with XMP Profiles
Dominator Airflow Fan
Corsair H50 CPU Cooler
Sapphire HD4890 GPU with driver ver 9.8 for Win_7_64
Corsair X64 SSD
Corsair Obsidian Case
Corsair HX850 PSU
Logitech MX-518 Mouse
Merc Stealth Keyboard
Sceptre 24" Monitor
We also used the following Operating System, Programs, and Utilities
Windows 7 RC-1 with all available updates
Super PI Extreme Systems Mod ver 1.5
Auto Gordian Knot
WinRAR ver 3.90
CPU-Z 1.52
Crysis Warhead with patch 1.0
FBWH Crysis Warhead Benchmark Tool
3DMark Vantage
PC Mark Vantage
All benchmarks were run 3 times each with the high and low results excluded.
The Intel P55 packs a very complete package as an alternative to the X58 chipset. Lynnfield CPU users won't have to compromise on features.
Intel P55 Chipset
Testing the System, CPU-Z and Everest Results
The Intel Bloomfield CPUs have set a precedent for excellent overclocking and the new Lynnfield CPUs also do not dissappoint. We used the AUTO setting for the CPU core voltage which allowed for 1.21v under load. We needed only 1.3v manually set to attain our overclocked speed of 3.89GHZ, a 1.1GHZ overclock. We used both manual and XMP settings for the stock testing which provided 1.15v on the IMC voltage, or Integrated Memory Controller voltage. We needed only 1.2v on the IMC voltage to attain DDR1856 at slightly relaxed memory latency timings as compared to the stock latencies. In both cases, the DRAM voltage was manually set to the Intel recommended 1.65v.
CPU-Z Screen Shots Stock vs Overclocked
We used the Everest Cache and Memory benchmark tool from Everest Ultimate Edition, version 5.02.1750. The overclock yielded performance increases ranging from 16% on the Latency score to 39% on the Write score.
Everest Cache and Memory Benchmark Stock vs Overclocked
WINRAR and Auto Gordian Knot Testing
We used several applications that would represent real world usage. WINRAR has a built in benchmark tool to assess how well a system can use WINRAR for file compressions and conversions. The utility is multi threaded and uses multiple CPU cores well. The overclocked system improved the WINRAR speed by an impressive 41.5%.
WINRAR Benchmark Stock vs Overclocked
Auto Gordian Knot version 2.55 is a DivX and XviD conversion utility that makes excellent use of multi core CPUs. We used the utility to archive the movie YELLOWBEARD to an .avi file for storage on a media server. The overclocked system reduced the compression time by 9.25 minutes, an improvement of 28% over the stock score.
Auto Gordian Knot ver 2.55 Stock vs Overclocked
Futuremark Testing with PCMark Vantage and 3DMark Vantage
Futuremark's PCMark Vantage is an excellent tool for measuring overall system performance. According to the Futuremark website; " A PCMark score is a measure of your computer’s performance across a variety of common tasks such as viewing and editing photos, video, music and other media, gaming, communications, productivity and security. " Our overclocked settings performed well with PC Mark Vantage providing a 22% increase to 16484 from the stock score of 13504.
PCMark Vantage Stock vs Overclocked
Futuremark's 3DMark Vantage is a tool specifically designed to test 3D performance and DirectX 10 performance.
3DMark Vantage Tests the Power of Lynnfield
The overclocked result showed a 635 point increase to 12127 points, up from the stock score of 11492. This is an increase of 5.52% solely attributable to the CPU and memory performance increase as the GPU was at stock settings in both tests.
3DMark Vantage Stock vs Overclocked
SuperPI 32M and Futuremark Crysis Warhead Benchmark Testing
SuperPI 32M is a an excellent test of system speed that is also sensitive to memory bandwidth and latencies. Our stock system posted a time of 13min 18.940 seconds while the overclocked system lowered the time to an impressive 9min 40.798 seconds.
SuperPI 32M Stock vs Overclocked
Our final test was run using the Framebuffer Crysis Warhead benchmark tool version .33 developed by Mr. John. Crysis Warhead is one of the most graphically demanding game titles available and puts a tremendous load on a system to run it properly at even average graphics settings.
Crysis and Sgt. Michael "Psycho" Sykes Place Heavy Demands on the System
The MIN, MAX, and AVG frame rates increased 34.7%, 5.4%, and 28.6% respectively. As with 3DMark Vantage, these increases are solely attributable to the improvement of the CPU and memory performance as the GPU remained at the stock settings for both tests.
Crysis Warhead Benchmark Stock vs Overclocked
Conclusion: Intel's P55 and Lynnfield Combo
Based on the results of the testing, it seems that Intel has brought a very strong contender to the enthusiast computing category. In both synthetic and real world testing the system posts very strong results even at the stock settings. Of course these results improve noticeably when the system is overclocked 1.1GHZ above the stock settings. We fully anticipate a 1.4GHZ, or 50% overclock with a bit more tweaking and BIOS improvements.
Intel's Lynnfield + P55 Chipset Makes a Dramatic Entry
For users that will employ their Lynnfield systems doing real work, the WINRAR and Auto Gordian Knot results are very impressive. 41.5 % in WINRAR performance and 9.25 minutes saved on AGK are great indicators of what to expect from a system with Lynnfield and the P55 chipset. Casual and serious gamers alike can build on this platform and have a great performing machine as the Crysis results show with the 34.7% improvement in the all important minimum frame rate. We were thoroughly impressed with the results in every benchmark we ran.
The Lynnfield and P55 combination is an excellent alternative for users considering a more cost effective solution than the Bloomfield and X58 offerings. Lynnfield specific memory kits, CPUs, and P55 based motherboards should hit lower price points than their counterparts for Bloomfield/X58 while still maintaining excellent performance and bang per buck value. 8GB of memory is more affordable than ever and the new Corsair dual channel Lynnfield kits are the perfect compliments to Lynnfield and P55 systems.
Corsair also recommends these resources for additional information.
Application Note AN902: 8GB or More of System Memory
AN811: Gaming Performance Analysis - 6GB vs. 3GB
Corsair Memory Home Page