8 core intel core processor. The whole truth about multi-core processors. Marketing benefits

The first computer processors with multiple cores appeared on the consumer market in the mid-2000s, but many users still do not quite understand what multi-core processors are and how to figure out their characteristics.

Video format of the article "The Whole Truth About Multicore Processors"

Simple explanation of the question "what is a processor"

The microprocessor is one of the main devices in the computer. This dry official name is often abbreviated to simply "processor"). Processor - a microcircuit, comparable in area to a matchbox... If you like, a processor is like a motor in a car. The most important part, but not the only one. The car also has wheels, a body, and a turntable with headlights. But it is the processor (like the motor of the car) that determines the power of the "car".

Many people call a processor a system unit - a "box" inside which all the components of a PC are located, but this is fundamentally wrong. The system unit is a computer case along with all its constituent parts - hard drive, RAM and many other details.

Processor function - computing... It is not so important which ones. The fact is that all the work of a computer is tied exclusively to arithmetic calculations. Addition, multiplication, subtraction and other algebra - all this is done by a microcircuit called a "processor". And the results of such calculations are displayed on the screen in the form of a game, a Word file, or just a desktop.

The main part of the computer that deals with calculations - here, what is processor.

What is a processor core and multicore

From time immemorial processor "ages" these microcircuits were single-core. The kernel is, in fact, the processor itself. Its main and main part. Processors also have other parts - say, "legs" - contacts, microscopic "wiring" - but the very block that is responsible for calculations is called processor core... When the processors became quite small, the engineers decided to combine several cores at once inside one processor "case".

If we imagine a processor as an apartment, then the core is a large room in such an apartment. A one-room apartment is one processor core (a large room-hall), a kitchen, a bathroom, a corridor ... Two-roomed flat- it's like two processor cores along with other rooms. There are three, four, and even 12-room apartments. Also in the case of processors: inside one crystal-"apartment" there can be several cores-"rooms".

Multicore Is the division of one processor into several identical functional blocks. The number of blocks is the number of cores within one processor.

Varieties of multi-core processors

There is a misconception: "the more cores a processor has, the better." This is how marketers who are paid to create these kinds of delusions try to present the case. Their task is to sell cheap processors, moreover, at a higher price and in huge quantities. But in fact, the number of cores is far from the main characteristic of processors.

Let's go back to the analogy between processors and apartments. A two-room apartment is more expensive, more convenient and more prestigious than a one-room apartment. But only if these apartments are in the same area, they are equipped in the same way, and they have similar repairs. There are weak quad-core (or even 6-core) processors that are much weaker than dual-core ones. But it's hard to believe it: still, the magic of large numbers 4 or 6 against "some" two. However, this is exactly what happens very, very often. It seems like the same four-room apartment, but in a dead state, without renovation, in a completely remote area - and even at the price of a luxurious "kopeck piece" in the very center.

How many cores are there inside a processor?

For personal computers and laptops, single-core processors have not really been produced for several years, and it is very rare to find them on sale. The number of cores starts with two. Four cores - as a rule, these are more expensive processors, but there is a return on them. There are also 6-core processors, which are incredibly expensive and much less practical. Few tasks are capable of gaining performance on these monstrous crystals.

There was an experiment by AMD to create 3-core processors, but this is already in the past. It turned out pretty well, but their time has passed.

By the way, AMD also produces multi-core processors, but, as a rule, they are significantly weaker than competitors from Intel. True, their price is much lower. You just need to know that 4 cores from AMD will almost always be noticeably weaker than the same 4 cores from Intel.

Now you know that processors have 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12 cores. Single and 12-core processors are rare. Tri-core processors are a thing of the past. Six-core processors are either very expensive (Intel) or not so strong (AMD) to overpay for the number. 2 and 4 cores are the most common and practical devices, from the weakest to the most powerful.

Multi-core processor frequency

One of the characteristics of computer processors is their frequency. Those same megahertz (and more often - gigahertz). Frequency is an important characteristic, but far from the only one.... Yes, perhaps not the most important one yet. For example, a 2GHz dual-core processor is a more powerful offering than its 3GHz single-core counterpart.

It is completely wrong to assume that the frequency of a processor is equal to the frequency of its cores multiplied by the number of cores. To put it simply, a 2-core processor with a core frequency of 2 GHz has a total frequency of 4 gigahertz by no means! Even the concept of "common frequency" does not exist. In this case, CPU frequency is exactly 2 GHz. No multiplications, additions, or other operations.

And again, let's "turn" the processors into apartments. If the height of the ceilings in each room is 3 meters, then total height the apartment will remain the same - all the same three meters, and not a centimeter higher. No matter how many rooms there are in such an apartment, the height of these rooms does not change. Also clock frequency of processor cores... It does not add up or multiply.

Virtual multicore, or Hyper-Threading

There are also virtual processor cores... Intel's Hyper-Threading Technology makes the computer “think” that there are actually 4 cores inside a dual-core processor. Much like a single hard drive is divided into several logical- local drives C, D, E and so on.

Hyper-Threading is a very useful technology in a number of tasks.... Sometimes it so happens that the processor core is only half involved, and the rest of the transistors in its composition toss about idle. The engineers figured out a way to make these idlers work, too, by dividing each physical processor core into two “virtual” parts. As if a large enough room was divided into two by a partition.

Does it make any practical sense v-cores trick? Most often - yes, although it all depends on the specific tasks. It seems that there are more rooms (and most importantly, they are used more rationally), but the area of the room has not changed. In offices, such partitions are incredibly useful, in some residential apartments too. In other cases, there is no sense at all in blocking the room (dividing the processor core into two virtual ones).

Note that the most expensive and productive class processorsCorei7 without fail equipped withHyper-Threading... They have 4 physical cores and 8 virtual ones. It turns out that 8 computational threads work simultaneously on one processor. Less expensive but also powerful Intel class processors Corei5 consist of four cores, but Hyper Threading does not work there. It turns out that Core i5s work with 4 threads of computing.

Processors Corei3- typical "middle peasants", both in price and in performance. They have two cores and no hint of Hyper-Threading. In total, it turns out that Corei3 only two computational threads. The same applies to frankly budget crystals. Pentium andCeleron... Two cores, no hyper-threading = two threads.

Does a computer need a lot of cores? How many cores does a processor need?

All modern processors are powerful enough for common tasks... Internet browsing, correspondence in social networks and software e-mail, office tasks Word-PowerPoint-Excel: weak Atom, budget Celeron and Pentium are also suitable for this work, not to mention the more powerful Core i3. Two cores are more than enough for normal operation. A processor with a large number of cores will not bring a significant increase in speed.

For games, you should pay attention to processorsCorei3 ori5... Rather, gaming performance will not depend on the processor, but on the video card. Rarely does a game require the full power of a Core i7. Therefore, it is believed that games require no more than four processor cores, and more often two cores will do.

For serious work like special engineering programs, video encoding and other resource-intensive tasks really productive equipment is required... Often not only physical, but also virtual processor cores are involved here. The more computational threads, the better. And no matter how much such a processor costs: for professionals, the price is not so important.

Are there any benefits of multi-core processors?

Of course, yes. The computer is engaged in several tasks at the same time - at least Windows work(by the way, these are hundreds of different tasks) and, at the same time, playing the movie. Playing music and browsing the Internet. Text editor and music included. Two processor cores - which are, in fact, two processors, will cope with different tasks faster than one. Two cores will do this somewhat faster. Four is even faster than two.

In the early years of the existence of multicore technology, not all programs were able to work even with two processor cores. By 2014, the vast majority of applications are well aware and able to take advantage of multiple cores. The processing speed of tasks on a dual-core processor rarely doubles, but there is almost always a performance gain.

Therefore, the ingrained myth that, supposedly, programs cannot use multiple cores is outdated information. Once upon a time it was really so, today the situation has improved dramatically. The benefits of multiple cores are undeniable, this is a fact.

When a processor has fewer cores, it's better

You shouldn't buy a processor with the wrong "the more cores, the better" formula. This is not true. First, 4, 6 and 8-core processors are significantly more expensive than their dual-core counterparts. A significant increase in price is not always justified in terms of performance. For example, if an 8-core is only 10% faster than a CPU with fewer cores, but will be 2 times more expensive, then such a purchase is difficult to justify.

Secondly, the more cores a processor has, the more power-hungry it is. It makes no sense to buy a much more expensive laptop with a 4-core (8-thread) Core i7 if this laptop will only process text files, browse the Internet, and so on. There will be no difference with the dual-core (4 threads) Core i5, and the classic Core i3 with only two computational threads will not yield to its more eminent "colleague". And on battery power such a powerful laptop will work much less than the economical and undemanding Core i3.

Multi-core processors in mobile phones and tablets

The fashion for several computing cores within one processor also applies to mobile devices. Smartphones, along with tablets with a large number of cores, almost never use the full capabilities of their microprocessors. Dual-core mobile computers sometimes really work a little faster, but 4, and even more so 8 cores is an outright overkill. The battery is consumed completely godlessly, and powerful computing devices are simply idle. The bottom line is that multi-core processors in phones, smartphones and tablets are just a marketing tribute, not an absolute must. Computers are more demanding devices than phones. They really need two processor cores. Four won't hurt. 6 and 8 are overkill in common tasks and even in games.

How to choose a multi-core processor and not be mistaken?

The practical part of today's article is relevant for 2014. It is unlikely that in the coming years, something will change seriously. We will only talk about Intel processors. Yes, AMD offers good solutions, but they are less popular and more difficult to figure out.

Note that the table is based on processors from 2012-2014. Older designs have different characteristics. We also did not mention rare CPU variants, for example, a single-core Celeron (there are some even today, but this is an atypical variant that is almost not represented on the market). You should not choose processors solely by the number of cores inside them - there are other, more important characteristics. The table will only facilitate the choice of a multi-core processor, but a specific model (and there are dozens of them in each class) should be bought only after thorough acquaintance with their parameters: frequency, heat dissipation, generation, cache size and other characteristics.

CPU	Number of Cores	Computing streams	Typical area of application
Atom	1-2	1-4	Low-power computers and netbooks. Atom processors are designed to keep power consumption as low as possible. Their performance is minimal.
Celeron	2	2	The cheapest processors for desktops and laptops. The performance is sufficient for office tasks, but these are not gaming CPUs at all.
Pentium	2	2	As inexpensive and low-performance Intel processors as Celeron. An excellent choice for office computers. Pentiums are equipped with a slightly larger cache, and, sometimes, slightly higher performance compared to Celeron
Core i3	2	4	Two powerful enough cores, each of which is divided into two virtual "processors" (Hyper-Threading). These are already quite powerful CPUs at not too high prices. A good choice for a home or a powerful office computer without special demands on performance.
Core i5	4	4	Full 4-core Core i5 processors are quite expensive processors. Their performance is lacking only in the most demanding tasks.
Core i7	4-6	8-12	The most powerful but especially expensive Intel processors. As a rule, they rarely turn out to be faster than the Core i5, and only in some programs. There are simply no alternatives to them.

A short summary of the article "The Whole Truth About Multi-Core Processors." Instead of a synopsis

Processor core- its constituent part. In fact, a standalone processor inside the case. Dual core processor - two processors inside one.
Multicore comparable to the number of rooms inside an apartment. Two-room apartments are better than one-room apartments, but only with other things being equal (location of the apartment, condition, area, ceiling height).
The statement that the more cores a processor has, the better it is Is a marketing gimmick, a completely wrong rule. After all, an apartment is chosen not only by the number of rooms, but also by its location, repair and other parameters. The same goes for multiple cores inside a processor.
Exists "Virtual" multicore- Hyper-Threading technology. Thanks to this technology, each "physical" core is divided into two "virtual" ones. It turns out that a 2-core processor with Hyper-Threading has only two real cores, but these processors simultaneously process 4 computational threads. This is a really useful feature, but a 4-thread processor cannot be considered a four-core one.
For Intel desktop processors: Celeron - 2 cores and 2 threads. Pentium - 2 cores, 2 threads. Core i3 - 2 cores, 4 threads. Core i5 - 4 cores, 4 threads. Core i7 - 4 cores, 8 threads. Intel laptop (mobile) CPUs have a different number of cores / threads.
For mobile computers, energy efficiency (in practice, battery life) is often more important than the number of cores.

“The more cores a processor has, the better and more powerful it is” is a persistent myth spread by marketers and mobile sellers. However, it has nothing to do with reality.

For example, the performance leader in 2016 iPhone 7 runs on a 4-core Apple A10 processor, the top-end chips from Snapdragon - 820 and 825, also have 4 cores, while among MediaTek processors, the gaming performance of which is traditionally not the best, already 10-core solutions have appeared (Helio X30) and 12-core chips will soon appear.

Who's Who in the Processor Market?

The vast majority of smartphones are manufactured on processors from Qualcomm and MediaTek. The giants of the industry - Apple, Samsung and Huawei, develop and use their own chips, but they can be found exclusively in the smartphones of these companies. Also, in ultra-budget gadgets, Spreadtrum processors are sometimes used, but, for obvious reasons, they cannot compete with chips from leading manufacturers.

If we compare the chips Qualcomm and MediaTek, the latter are inferior in terms of their characteristics. The weak point of MTK has always been mediocre graphics performance due to the use of Mali video accelerators. So, even smartphones with top-end chips like Helio P20 often pull 3D toys worse (drawing graphics, micro-freezes and FPS sagging) than devices running on mid-range Snapdragon 625 and 652.

However, the key advantage of MediaTek products is the lower cost. It is to MTK chips that we owe the fact that even budget smartphones have now turned into bugless devices that can be comfortably used. MKT processors are not gaming, but in terms of the smoothness and speed of a smartphone, power consumption, multimedia and wireless functions, they are no worse. And if you do not play heavy 3D toys on your phone, then most likely you will not notice the difference between Snapdragon and MediaTek processors.

8-core smartphones with Snapdragon processors

All 8-core processors presented in the rating are created according to the 28 nm process technology and have the ARMv8 architecture, these are mid-range chips used in respective smartphones. There are no flagship devices in this collection, top-end devices work on 820 and 821 dragons.

Snapdragon 430 - Xiaomi Redmi 3S and Nokia 6

Redmi 3S Is one of the best-selling smartphones of the last year. This is an excellent state employee who will not lose its relevance in the near future, although it was replaced by the 4th generation of Redmi. The gadget is equipped with 16/2 GB of expandable memory, a high-quality 5-inch screen and a capacious 4100 mAh battery, from which the smartphone can live for 2-3 days without any problems. In Antutu Benchmark 3S is gaining 42 thousand parrots. Price - from 8000 rubles.

Nokia 6- the first smartphone of the once cult manufacturer on the Android platform. It was the use of a 430 dragon in a device for $ 250 that many did not like, but Nokia 6 takes others: it has a flagship design and a very high-quality assembly, a cool main camera and a good amount of memory - 64/4 GB + a microSD slot. The result in Antutu is 44 thousand parrots. Nokia 6 is not supplied to Russia and you can buy a smartphone only in Chinese online stores.

Snapdragon 617 - Moto G4 and Alcatel Idol 4

Moto g4- mid-range with a large high-quality screen (IPS 5.5 '' FHD), 16/2 GB of expandable memory, 13/5 MP cameras and a 3000 mAh battery. The specs are nothing outstanding, but Motorola's attention to detail does its job and the G4 can be called one of the most enjoyable smartphones in its price range. The result in the Benchmark is 45 thousand parrots. Price - from 15 thousand rubles.

Alcatel Idol 4- a flagship at an adequate price, in which the main emphasis is not on performance (16/3 GB of memory + Micro-SD), but on multimedia capabilities. Idol 4 boasts an excellent 5.2 '' FHD IPS screen (the older version of the 4S comes with a virtual reality helmet), high-quality stereo speakers with an amplifier and a dedicated audio chip, which ensures high-quality music playback through headphones. The weak point of the smartphone is the battery, which is only 2610 mAh. The result in the Benchmark is 46 thousand parrots. Price - from 14. thousand rubles.

Snapdragon 625 - Huawei Nova and Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime

Huawei Nova Is one of the few Huawei smartphones running on a Snapdragon chip, and not on a proprietary HiSilicon Kirin processor. This is a compact model with a 5 '' FHD IPS screen and 32/3 GB of memory, the main features of which are a cool design and a good 13 MP camera, one of the best in its price category. The result in the Benchmark is 64 thousand parrots. Cost - from 20 thousand rubles.

Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime- the successor to the popular Redmi 3S came out immediately in 3 modifications, the most interesting of which is the Prime version with a 625-dragon, 32/3 GB of memory and a 5 '' FHD screen. This is one of the best in terms of ratio / price quality of the middle peasants with good gaming performance (benchmark - 65 thousand) and impressive autonomy (confident 2-3 days from a single charge). Cost - from 10 thousand rubles.

Snapdragon 652 - Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra, LG G5 SE

Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra- the flagship tablet phone for those who are not chasing record-breaking performance. Powered by a fresh 652 dragon, the ZF3 Ultra has a lot of memory - 64/3 or 128/4 GB with expandable cards up to 1 TB, a cool 23 MP camera with optical stabilization and laser autofocus, as well as a thick 4600 mAh battery. However, the main advantage of the smartphone is a huge 6.8 '' FHD IPS screen, ideal for consuming any media content. The result in the benchmark is 78 thousand parrots. Price - from 37 thousand rubles.

LG G5 SE- the younger version of the flagship from LG, which differs from the G5 exclusively in the use of the 652 dragon instead of the 820. This is an unusual modular smartphone with the ability to connect additional accessories, including a dedicated DAC, a photo module with optical zoom and an additional battery. The G5 SE is also interesting in terms of characteristics - a 2K 5.3 '' IPS screen, 32/3 GB of memory + flash drives up to 2 TB, a dual camera 18 + 8 MP and an 8 MP front module, a removable 2800 mAh battery. Benchmark - 79 thousand parrots. Price - from 24 thousand rubles.

Snapdragon 810 - Nexus 6P and Moto X Force

Nexus 6P- the last of the released Nexuses, after which the corporation concentrated on developing its Google Pixel. The device is notable for its pure Android, stereo speakers, long time autonomous work and excellent hardware - a 5.7 '' FHD AMOLED screen, 34/64/128 GB of memory and 3 GB of RAM, a 3540 mAh battery, 12 and 8 MP cameras. The result in the benchmark is 85 thousand parrots. Price - from 30 thousand rubles.

Moto x force- a unique smartphone, the screen of which (according to the manufacturer's statement) cannot be broken. Able to survive any falls and merciless exploitation, the X Force does not pump up even on hardware - a 2K 5.4 '' AMOLED screen, 32/3 GB of memory, a 21 MP camera and a 3760 mAh battery. This is a balanced device, slightly inferior in characteristics to the current flagships, which is considered one of the best smartphones released by the MOTO brand for recent times... Benchmark - 75 thousand parrots. Price - from 37 thousand rubles.

8-core smartphones with MediaTek processors

It was MediaTek that in 2013 launched the first 8-core processor for smartphones - MT6592. Today, the most popular eights are MT6753, MT6750 and Helio P10, made using 28 nm process technology. Consider the most successful smartphones with 8 core MediTek processors.

MediaTek MT6753 - Lenovo Vibe X3 Lite and Ulefone Power

Vibe X3 Lite- the younger version of the flagship X3 from Lenovo, characterized by balanced characteristics and an affordable price. On board the gadget is 32/2 GB of memory + a slot for Micro-SD, 5.5 '' FHD IPS screen, 13/8 MP cameras and 3300 mAh battery. The device is notable primarily for its powerful stereo speakers, but its gaming performance is not the best, in the X3 Lite Benchmark it is gaining only 37 thousand parrots. Price - from 11 thousand rubles.

Ulefone power- Chinese with a huge 6050 mAh battery, 5.5 '' FHD IPS screen, 16/3 GB of memory and 13/5 MP cameras. At first glance, nothing outstanding, but from one charge this gadget can work for 3-4 days, which makes it an excellent choice for those who do not want to depend on an outlet. Benchmark - 32 thousand parrots. Price - 9 thousand rubles on AliExpress.

MediaTek MT6750 - Meizu M3s and Bluboo Maya MAX

Meizu M3s is a popular budget employee with traditional Meizu ideal build quality and good for its price (7 thousand rubles) characteristics: 5 '' HD IPS screen, 16/2 GB of memory, 13/5 MP cameras, 3020 mAh battery. The smartphone is made in a metal case, it is compact, sits comfortably in the hand and pleases with fast operation due to the well-optimized Flyme shell. Benchmark - 37 thousand parrots.

Bluboo maya max- the older version of the popular ultra-budget phone from Bluboo, notable for its metal body, the presence of a fingerprint scanner and very good hardware. On board the smartphone is a 6-inch HD IPS screen, 32/3 GB of memory, 13/8 MP cameras and a 4200 mAh battery. Nice touches include USB-C support and IP63 waterproof rating. Benchmark - 41 thousand parrots. Price - from 9 thousand rubles on AliExpress.

MediaTek Helio P10 - Meizu M5 Note and SONY Xperia XA

Meizu M5 Note- one of the most attractive in terms of price / quality ratio smartphones from Meizu. For a little over 10 thousand rubles, you get a device with a 5.5 '' FHD IPS screen, 16/32 + 3 GB of memory and a slot for a flash drive, a cool camera and a 4000 mAh battery. In the Benchmark, the gadget is gaining 47 thousand parrots, you can play even the most demanding 3D toys on medium graphics settings.

SONY Xperia XA- a smart-looking smartphone with a frameless screen that you can love at first sight. Specifications - 5 '' HD IPS screen, 16/2 GB memory + Micro-SD, 16/8 MP cameras and a 2300 mAh battery. The advantages are the presence of an NFC module and good photo quality. Disadvantages - lack of oleophobic coating on the screen and ridiculous battery capacity. Benchmark - 47 thousand parrots. Price - from 16 thousand rubles.

8-core smartphones with Exynos processors

The latest generation of Samsung's Exynos chipsets can be considered the most technologically advanced 8-core processors on the market. The Korean company makes its chips using the 14 nm technology and uses them only in the production of its own devices. The exception is Meizu Pro 6 Plus, which came out with a processor similar to that used in the Galaxy S7.

Exynos 7880 - Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 (2017)

Smartphones of the Galaxy A line of 2017 are externally as close as possible to the flagship Galaxy S7. These are beautiful devices in a ceramic case with waterproof IP68 standard. Smartphones run on the same chipsets but differ in some characteristics.

Galaxy A5 has a 5.2 '' FHD Super AMOLED screen, 32/3 GB of memory with support for flash drives up to 256 GB, cameras with a resolution of 16 MP (both main and front), and a 3000 mAh battery. The older version of Galaxy A7 has a larger screen diagonal - 5.7 '' and a thicker battery - 3600 mAh. Both devices have an NFC chip and full support for Samsung Pay.

Smartphones have an attractive design, cool cameras, good battery life, but they do not impress with gaming performance. In the benchmark, both devices are gaining 60 thousand parrots. The price is 33 and 28 thousand rubles for the A7 and A5, respectively.

Exynos 8890 - Galasy S7 and S7 Edge, Meizu Pro 6 Plus

Galasy S7 and S7 Edge- the flagships of 2016 from Samsung are successful, no matter which side you look at, confirmation of this can be found in the huge demand for both models of smartphones. Specifications the regular and Edge versions are identical - 5.1 '' SuperAMOLED screen with 2K resolution, covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 4, 32/64 GB of built-in and 4 GB random access memory with support for flash drives up to 200 GB, 3000 mAh battery with fast charging, and 12 and 5 MP cameras, which are among the best on the market. The result in the benchmark is 131 thousand parrots. Price - from 44 thousand rubles for the S7 and from 54 thousand for the S7 Edge.

Meizu Pro 6 Plus- the only flagship of the Chinese company on the Exynos 8890 chip. The main advantages of the Pro 6 Plus are the gorgeous sound in headphones (there is a dedicated DAC and amplifier) and a cool camera that can compete with A-brands. The device is good in terms of hardware (2K Super AMOLED screen, 64/4 GB of memory, 3400 mAh battery), has an excellent build quality and excellent performance. The only disappointing feature is the lack of a memory card slot. The result in the benchmark is 113 thousand parrots. Price - from 35 thousand rubles.

8-core smartphones with HiSilicon Kirin processors

Kirin chipsets are developed by Huawei and are used exclusively in the company's smartphones.

Honor 8 with Kirin 950

Honor 8 is one of the most beautiful smartphones of 2016. The ceramic body of the device is visually impressive, but disappointing in practice due to the increased susceptibility to scratches. According to the characteristics, Honor 8 stands on a step between the middle peasants and the flagships - 5.2 '' FHD IPS screen, 32/64 GB of internal memory and 4 GB of expandable RAM, a dual camera with 12 MP and 5 MP front camera, a 3000 mAh battery, the presence of NFC ... Among the shortcomings, we note only mediocre autonomy and a quiet main speaker, in all other respects the Honor 8 is extremely good. The result in the benchmark is 95 thousand parrots. Price - from 27 thousand rubles.

Huawei Mate 9 with Kirin 960

The Mate 9 is Huawei's flagship, the company's most expensive and most powerful smartphone. The characteristics of the device speak for themselves - a reference 5.9 '' FHD IPS screen, a 20 + 12 MP dual camera with 2x optical zoom, optical stabilization and phase detection autofocus, 64 + 4 GB of memory with a slot for a flash drive and a 4000 mAh battery ... The result in the benchmark is 128 thousand parrots. Price - from 47 thousand rubles.

For those interested in luxury 8 nuclear smartphones , we recommend paying attention to the Huawei Mate 9 Porshe Desing. This gadget costs 1400 euros, for this money you get a device in a unique design with a 2K AMOLED screen, 256 GB of main and 6 GB of RAM and cameras developed by Leica. There are simply no alternatives to this model in the assortment of other A-brands.

Get discounts in online stores Aliexpress, M.Video, Svyaznoy and others using the cashback service Letyshops.ru. Extension for Chrome.

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Intel Core i7-4770k - how it was.

The history of the appearance in my hands of the processor Intel Core i7-4770k pretty simple, I won it in the Intel competition on this site.

Having received the processor in my hands, I thought for a long time whether it was worth using it in my system. My old Intel Core i7-3770k processor was fine with everyone, but the voices of the "wise Internet connoisseurs" and Intel marketers inside me told me "you have to constantly update your i7, update your i7, update the i7 ..."
And for this reason, I decided to update the platform. The motherboard and processor on LGA1155 were successfully sold, and with the proceeds I bought a new motherboard on the 1150 socket. They are not looking for good things, and completely agreeing with this warning, I again made my choice in favor of a Gigabyte motherboard. I liked the full-size ATX board Gigabyte GA-Z87X - D3H with a variety of connectors and BIOS settings. Let's go directly to the processor itself.

Intel Core i7-4770k - what's new?! ..

Indeed, there were no revolutionary changes in the processors of the 4th generation Core architecture. Yes, we added several new AVX2 / FMA3 instructions that affect performance, made processors with a lower TDP level, and implemented a more powerful graphics component on the GT2 architecture. Of course, compared to HD4000 Graphics, the new built-in HD4600 Graphics core looks much stronger in games. But for those who keep discrete gaming-grade video cards in their computers, this new video core is like a dead poultice. Therefore, it should be admitted that the release of the 4th generation of Intel processors is more of a cosmetic change, but not revolutionary at all.
Oh yes, the most important thing that has changed with the release of the 4th generation of Intel processors is the socket, and, accordingly, the chipsets and the motherboards themselves. And although a whole army of ill-wishers will rush again to accuse the company of changing sockets like gloves, I have to admit that the replacement of the socket for the new generation of processors was not done in vain. The fact is that in the 4th generation processors, part of the power conversion was transferred to the CPU itself, which in turn made it possible to slightly unload the organization of the necessary voltages on the motherboard and allow the processor to partially control the voltages on its own.
But as for the motherboards themselves, or rather the chipsets, there is only profit for ordinary users. If the Intel Z77 chipset supported up to 4 USB3.0 ports and 2 SATA-3 ports, then the new Intel Z87 supports them in the amount of 6 USB3.0 and 6 SATA-3 ports, respectively. And a useful update! If USB3.0 flash drives have not become widespread, then external drives on USB3.0 and internal SATA-3 hard drives are already everywhere.

The Intel Core i7-4770k processor itself began selling in the summer of 2013, and, as always, the representatives of the country of the rising sun were the first in the world, starting retail sales a few days before the official announcement.

Processors of the 4th generation arrived in Russia quickly enough, there was only a small shortage of motherboards with the LGA1150 socket. However, as the market saturation, these misunderstandings went away by themselves and at the moment it is quite easy to buy a 4th generation Intel processor in almost any store, be it Core i7, Core i5 or even Core i3, which were announced a little later.

Intel Core i7-4770k - test assembly.

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770k 3900MHz
Mat.board: Gigabyte GA-Z87X - D3H
Memory: Hynix 4Gb * 4 DDR3-1333
Video card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 680 2048Mb
BP: Chieftec BPS-650C
SSD + HDD: SSD Silicon Power V70 256Gb + Seagate 1000Gb SATA-3
Cooler: Thermalright Macho Rev. A
Monitor: Envision 21.5 "PL2273

Intel Core i7-4770k - specifications.

Socket Socket H3 (LGA 1150)
Ruler Intel Core i7
CPU frequency 3500 MHz
Integrated graphics core there is
GPU model Intel HD Graphics 4600
Maximum graphics core frequency 1250 MHz
Built-in memory controller there is
Maximum memory bandwidth 25.6 GB / s
Core Haswell
Technical process 22 nm
Number of Cores 4
L1 cache size 64 Kb
L2 cache size 256 Kb
L3 cache size 8192 Kb
Hyper-Threading Support there is
SSE4 support there is
Virtualization Technology Support there is
Heat dissipation 84 watts

Intel Core i7-4770k - in practice.

Here I want to talk about the points concerning the new processor and the assembled system based on it. First, let's look at the data about the processor through special utilities.

The processor frequency is 3.5GHz, and can be increased to a maximum of 3.9GHz through TurboBoost technology.
The processor is physically 4-core and has Hyper-Threading technology. Thus, Intel Core i7-4770k can handle up to 8 threads simultaneously. Of course, this technology will not give the desired effect in all applications, but in general it is worth recognizing its presence as a rather useful addition, fat dividends from which can most of all be obtained in video encoding and 3D modeling operations, as well as in other similar professional packages. Hyper-Threading technology is also involved in games, but here everything is not as simple as in working applications. Somewhere after turning on Hyper-Threading, there is an increase in performance in some game, and in some there is a loss of performance or no effect on performance at all.

Cooling. Relax and breathe out here, because the new LGA1150 is fully compatible with all those coolers that supported the previous LGA1156 and LGA1155 platforms. Therefore, you do not have to pour wine over your grief and run to buy a new cooling system.

Heat distribution cover. Yes, it is the same as on other processors of previous platforms, so if there are those who want to get a perfectly flat surface, then you will need a fine abrasive and GOI paste in addition.

Thermal interface. To say that he is terrible is like saying nothing. If I still regretted the transition from Sandy Bridge i7-2700k to Ivy Bridge i7-3770k with regret and skepticism, then the transition to i7-4770k simply brought a new understanding of CPU heating.

When expensive coolers costing 2,000 rubles or more barely keep this processor in nominal within 90 degrees, then jokes about heating and exploding AMD processors involuntarily become a sweet fairy tale for children for the night. However, while the processor is new, and the native thermal interface has not dried up, and you are not overclocking the processor, then there is nothing to worry about. My Thermalright Macho Rev. A cooler with two fans performed very well under full CPU load with calculations in Prime95. The temperature of the hottest core was around 60 degrees.

By the way, with disabled Hyper-Threading technology, the processor heats up a little less.

It's time to evaluate the level of processor performance. On reflection, I decided to compare the Intel Core i7-4770k with itself, but with disabled Hyper-Threading technology. Because, if we neglect the small difference in the amount of L3 cache, then disabling Hyper-Threading can get a kind of Intel Core i5-4670k. Such a comparison will give some idea of how useful and necessary this technology is for the processor and whether the Intel Core i7-4770k processor is worth that overpayment compared to the Intel Core i5-4670k for ordinary users.
Both synthetic and game tests were used.
Consider the test results:

This test gives the results obtained in seconds, the less the better. Calculating the square roots of a large number of numbers is clearly easier with Hyper-Threading Technology enabled; enabling it reduces the operation time by about 1/3 of the time.

The Game of Chess benchmark supports parallelization of computational threads quite well, so the effect of enabling Hyper-Threading is visible to the naked eye.

Cinebench rendering also responds well to CPU virtual cores, yielding a dividend of around 24%.

Video work is also performed much better on a processor that has Hyper-Threading technology.

And archivers, which have always been distinguished by good multithreading support, confirm the opinion that Hyper-Threading technology is absolutely necessary for solving tasks such as compression and decompression.

For fans of benchmarks and conquering the ratings of HWbot.org, the Intel Core i7-4770k processor is simply necessary, since at equal frequencies without Hyper-Threading technology enabled, success cannot be achieved there.

Games, on the other hand, turn everything upside down, declaring in one voice that they do not need Hyper-Threading with 4 active cores. At least, if there is a difference with the enabled Hyper-Threading technology in games, then it can obviously be neglected, because it is minimal. Therefore, here it is worth making an explicit emphasis on the fact that if your goal is only games, then an Intel Core i5 processor of any model will be enough for you in full.

Intel Core i7-4770k - afterword.

Summing up the review of the Intel Core i7-4770k processor, I would like to finish it somehow non-standard and unusual, so there will be no conclusion or conclusion about how good this processor is and how necessary this or that person is. How many people, and so many opinions, so everyone will draw conclusions for himself. Instead of a conclusion, I want to try to answer a small drop of possibly frequently asked questions and dispel some user doubts.
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Q: What does the letter "K" mean in the name of the processor model?
A: The letter "K" indicates that in this model the multiplier is not locked up. In other words, the processor can be overclocked by a multiplier.

Q: I read on the Internet that all Haswells are terribly hot, and they must be scalped, there is no other life for this processor.
A: Banal exaggerations, exaggerated by some stratum of society. If the processor is new and the thermal interface between the heat-distributing cover and the crystal is not dry, and you do not overclock the processor with increasing power supply, then its temperature regime is quite within reasonable limits.

Q: Should I upgrade from Intel Core i7-3770k to Intel Core i7-4770k?
A: Definitely not, since the performance gain will be minimal.

Q: I am building a computer for games, do I need an Intel Core i7-4770k or should I install an Intel Core i5?
A: If your task is only games, then the Intel Core i7-4770k processor will not give you any advantage over the Intel Core i5 of the same generation. In the case of a gaming configuration, it is more advisable to limit yourself to Intel Core i5 and invest in a more powerful video card.

Q: I have an Intel Core i3 at home and all games fly to Ultra and nothing lags. Any Intel Core i7-4770k in the furnace.
A: It is quite possible that a 2-core processor with Hyper-Threading is really enough for some games, but as practice shows, recent recent game projects, especially large-scale network Online Games, Intel Core i5 is required to play them comfortably.

Q: Is it true that with an Intel Core i7-4770k processor, a system that runs on GPU mining is slightly faster than on weaker processors?
A: It is a misconception that any budget dual-core processor is enough to organize mining by rendering video cards.

Q: My old Intel Core i7 - **** K overclocked much better than this new Intel Core i7-4770k, what's the problem?
A: In heating, namely in the rapid rise in temperature after increasing voltage. Thanks to the thermal interface of the 4th generation processors.

Q: Have you seen the new Intel Core i7-4771 on sale, is it somehow different from the Intel Core i7-4770 or Intel Core i7-4770k?
A: This is the same Intel Core i7-4770, but with an operating frequency of 3.5GHz like the Intel Core i7-4770k.

Q: Which processor is better to buy, BOX or OEM?
A: It depends on the difference in price. If it is significant, then it is more expedient to buy an OEM, and with the saved money to buy a good cooler. If the difference is minimal, then you can opt for the BOX version, Intel gives it a 3-year warranty, while the OEM version is only 1 year.

Q: Why are Intel processors so expensive? Isn't it cheaper to buy AMD?
A: Good things have always been in price, and modern computers have long turned into entertainment or a means of earning money, so you have to pay for quality and speed.
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I want to thank the company Intel and company DNS for such a generous prize in the form of a processor Intel Core i7-4770k as well as express the bombastic merci in person Dmitry Volnevich and the administration of the Club of Experts for the competent development of the resource.