How Intel Will Lock Overclocking on LGA1160 (Mainstream Nehalem) - Fud

[Face]

No easy work around

As we told you some time ago, Intel has put in what can only be called an overclocking lock in the upcoming LGA1160 processors which are currently going under the codenames of Lynnfield and Havendale.

Until now we didn't know how this had been implemented, but we've learned some more about it and it looks like there is no easy work around. As these processors have the memory controller and a few more bits integrated into the CPU itself, Intel suddenly has a lot more control than it has had with past designs that utilized a separate chipset which contains the memory controller.

As Intel seems to want to push the much more expensive Bloomfield platform to overclockers,
the company implemented a lock that prevents these new processors from being overclocked by adding two PLL clock generators, one inside the CPU itself and one in the PCH.

This might not sound like it's a big problem in itself, but what Intel has done is that these two will clock generators will reference eachother and this means that just changing the bus speed won't have any effect if you're trying to overclock the CPU as it will dissregard the information from the PCH if it's not a correct value.

There might still be options for overclocking these CPU's, but our understanding is that this isn't easily done and Intel doesn't want it to be and as such Intel is unlikely to give out this information to third party motherboard manufacturers.

The sum of all this is that Intel might loose out a few enthusiast users that don't have deep enough pockets to get a Bloomfield system to AMD, which might not be a bad thing for AMD in the end.

Source:
http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?op...7255&Itemid=35

Old thread:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=185374

Does it really makes sense? and would they seriously do that? I really hope it ain't so.

[LuckyNV]

I really do hope this is all just a big load of BS, that or Bloomfield better be one kickass platform that OCs to hell and back.

The sum of all this is that Intel might loose out a few enthusiast users that don't have deep enough pockets to get a Bloomfield system to AMD, which might not be a bad thing for AMD in the end.

Assuming AMD has anything worthwhile by then.

[Brother Esau]

The Old Bait & Tackle maneuver with C2D..........

[Zytek_Fan]

I'm calling BS because Intel isn't going to ditch the enthusiasts once they finally got their grasp with enthusiasts.

[lowfat]

Bloomfield is a Skulltrail replacement correct?

[K404]

If these dont overclock, any performance gains to be had from the architecture will be neutralised by the overclocking we can do on C2D.

Heres hoping its either wrong, or poorly implemented. Why bother going to such effort to annoy 2% of the market?

[Xope_Poquar]

Why would they do this? I thought the people that overclock are such a small percent of the market that it's not worth doing anything about? What's the $ motive behind this? Do they think we'll go for the more expensive models instead of overclocking the cheap ones?

[ubuntu83]

Damn Nation no donation no salvation.

[Face]

Hey Blauhung, is there any chance you could throw us a word on the subject? confirm? negate?

Much appreciated

[Xel'Naga]

This news comes from Fudzilla.....nuff said
Second, it would be a very stupid decision
Third, pinmods ffs. There is no way they can lock that, except if ALL procs have the same FSB, which I doubt.

[Blauhung]

First off this is not the position of the company, only my personal feelings, but....

there isn't really any bus on the Lynnfield or Havendale chipsets, only the interface to the southbridge. Everything is on the package and that is all locked to where it's set at. The reason for the in package PLL is most likely because the clock generation and splitting can now all be done on die which makes for far more control over the process and less part compatibilities to worry about. The second PLL probably just sets speeds for the SB and all the other IC's on the board that need clock generation. This is not a change that is there to lock out overclocking, that is a side effect of the new platform structure.

Second, Intel is not ditching enthusiasts, they have devoted a platform specifically for them.

[Asgard_thor]

they will make us all have dell motherboards :o

[largon]

Well, screw Intel if they do that. I'm so NOT buying overpriced Bloomfield NOR a Lynnfield platform that doens't overclock.
Any takers for the $$$ that I wrote "FOR UPGRADE ONLY"?

I think I'm seeing GREEN.

[Blauhung]

Bloomfield is a Skulltrail replacement correct?

Not really, Bloomfield is single socket so its more of the replacement for the X38/X48 platform. I have no clue if there's a dual socket enthusiast board in the works, but with the loss of the FBDIMMM requirement and the new 3 channel memory controler, Personally I'm going to be holding out for news of that.

HEHE, 3 dedictated memory channels for each processor with enthusiast grade unbuffered DDR3. And each CPU running 8 threads

If these dont overclock, any performance gains to be had from the architecture will be neutralised by the overclocking we can do on C2D.

Heres hoping its either wrong, or poorly implemented. Why bother going to such effort to annoy 2% of the market?

we still don't know if overclocked Yorkfield's will come out on top of stock Lynnfield yet. Remember the boost to memory bandwidth/latency will be large, and with the revamped implementation of SMT this will be an effective 8 threaded chip as opposed to 4. Turbo mode, dynamic single core frequency changes for single threaded apps, will also most likely come in to play just like it has been implemented on the new penryn based mobile platform.

[JumpingJack]

Who knows ... FUDzilla, both fuad and his minions, is not known a bastion of technical knowledge and understanding... what he describes makes no sense at all as the PLLs are kinda stupid ... they do not know the clock period (hence the reason they phase lock), if they understood the clock period there would be no need to lock on the phase.

That does not mean that there isn't something different going on, but what he describes is just technical jibberish.

[Mad1723]

Well if they do that, you can guess that AMD will take that little hole to get some market shares for sure!

[s0lid]

Well i and we can vote in this just not buing nehalems systems if that happens!
Join to my idea and soon we'll see overclockable nehalems!

But yeah i think this is just BS

[Blauhung]

Well if they do that, you can guess that AMD will take that little hole to get some market shares for sure!

basically yes. Intel is catering to the average home/business users where they make most of their money. This might result in the segment here that does low cost overclocking not seeing anything from Intel that they can use. The problem is, the AMD platforms might go the same way. System on a chip concepts are big right now and that will most likely be the momentum of the mainstream segment of the computer industry for a while.

[MajkY]

Now you can see how it would be If INTEL were a monopol, thx god for AMD

[Frodin]

I am more than happy to give my money to AMD instead if this is true. I am not buying a multi- socket setup for overclocking and playing games and whatever else I do not use my macbook for.

[Nanometer]

We will find a way, there's no stopping overclocking.

[Blauhung]

I am more than happy to give my money to AMD instead if this is true. I am not buying a multi- socket setup for overclocking and playing games and whatever else I do not use my macbook for.

Bloomfield is not multi-socket, it is single socket.

[Blauhung]

Another point. There will most likely be bloomfield CPU's available around the $400 pricepoint. And due to the fact that the ammount of IC's required on the motherboard, prices there will probably drop a bit too compared to X38/48 boards. Having to buy 3 sticks of DDR3 to use the new memory controller to the fullest will be a bit more expensive, but it'll work just fine with 2 sticks. I see no reason why Bloomfield + 2 sticks of ddr3 wont outperform X48 with the same setup due to the lower latency of getting data to the CPU.

The Cost of entry really won't be all that bad.

[ChaosMinionX]

We will find a way, there's no stopping overclocking.

amen

[Pinacolada]

I'm calling BS because Intel isn't going to ditch the enthusiasts once they finally got their grasp with enthusiasts.

The won't ditch you they will MILK you. IMO it makes perfect sense - what for buy overpriced Bloomfield when you can buy cheaper and yet overclockable Lynnfield ? But if they will lock overclocking you have no choice - pay us or stay with stock Mhz,till now overclocking was free but it seems Intel wants to enforce some kind of 'overclocking tax'.

If they do - I'm going AMD.