Intel Core i7 920 review

This entry level Core i7 shows the world what Intel can do with their 45nm trickery

Reviews
By
published
Intel Core i7 920
Only bettered by its bigger brother, this Core i7 920 is a 45nm monster

TechRadar Verdict

This is one of the fastest processors available but its a massive shame the mobos to support it cost about the same, if not more

Pros

  • +

    Extremely fast

  • +

    Best CPU architecture on the market

Cons

  • -

    Needs almost a whole new PC

  • -

    Pricey with all things considered

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

When Intel announced its awesome new Core i7 quad-core processor, we were sure it would be priced out of reach of mere mortals.

After all, in raw performance terms this CPU architecture has no equals. Surely Intel can name its price?

It came as a pleasant surprise when we discovered the 2.66GHz 920 model would retail at under £250. OK, that's a lot of cash, but given that this chip outperforms the £1,000 Core 2 Extreme QX9770 in most benchmarks and beats AMD's Phenom II hands down, you could almost call it a bargain.

The catch? You'll need a new mobo and probably some DDR3 memory costing a grand total of £400. An awesome performer and deeply desirable. Just don't be fooled by the superficially attractive price…

Tech staff

The TechRadar hive mind. The Megazord. The Voltron. When our powers combine, we become 'TECHRADAR TEAM'. You'll usually see this author name when the entire team has collaborated on a project or an article, whether that's a run-down ranking of our favorite Marvel films, or a round-up of all the coolest things we've collectively seen at annual tech shows like CES and MWC. We are one.