Intel NUC mini computers have always been popular, small in size and powerful in performance, and have been evolving constantly, keeping up with the latest platforms. Intel NUC i7 is the most powerful mini pc in the same series.
With the popularity of E-sports in recent years, the hardware of computers has become more and more diversified, resulting in the increasing volume of desktop chassis. For small houses, it takes up a lot of space to install a large chassis. Equipped with a strong and large chassis with belief light, if placed on the desktop, in addition to the weight of bending the desktop, it still takes up a lot of area. Some people say that if you don’t indulge in computer games, just watch videos. The performance requirements of the computer are not so high. It’s good to have a clean desktop, so a mini computer is suitable. However, as a processor manufacturer, Intel is not willing to do just this. It wants to make the processor stronger, make the configuration stronger, and make more users use it, so Intel NUC i7 was born. The processor of Intel NUC i7 is very powerful, and its configuration is also very strong, which has been highly praised by many users.
Technical advantages of Intel NUC i7 series processors:
- Intel NUC i7 is based on Nehalem microarchitecture.
- Intel NUC i7 has 1-2 cores.
- Intel NUC i7 owns built-in three channel DDR2 Memory Controller (Nehalem only)
- Intel NUC i7’s each core has an exclusive 8KB L2 cache
- Intel NUC i7 has 1-4mb shared L3 cache
- Intel NUC i7 has SSE 4.2 instruction set (seven new instructions)
- Intel NUC i7 has hyper threading technology.
- Intel NUC i7 has Turbo mode (automatic overclocking)
- Microarchitecture optimization of Intel NUC i7 – support macro fusion in 64 bit mode, improve the performance of ring data flow monitor, six data transmission ports, etc.
- Intel NUC i7 improves the performance of the prediction unit and increases the second group of branch alignment cache
- Intel NUC i7has the second group of 512 way TLBs.
- For non integer SSE instructions, the Intel NUC i7’s performance of virtual machines has been improved (according to Intel’s official data, Nehalem has a 60% increase in two-way virtual latency compared with 65nm core 2, and a 20% increase compared with 45nm core 2 products). So Intel NUC i7 is strong.
- Intel NUC i7 has a new QPI bus.
- New energy management module.
- Intel NUC i7 possesses 45nm process, 32nm process products will be launched later, code Westmere.
- Intel NUC i7 is new 1366 pin interfaces.
Intel NUC i7 evaluation
According to some experimental test reports, the performance of Intel NUC i7 has been significantly improved
Intel’s NUC mini computer equipped with Intel NUC i7’s core processor may not have the highest performance among similar devices, but Intel NUC i7’s support for the second hard disk and three-year warranty are indeed very attractive. Intel sent Intel NUC i7 to various media for further testing.
All of Intel’s Broad well NUCs use the same motherboard, so users still need to buy their own hard drives and memory modules. Intel’s motherboard provides three DDR3 memory slots and one m-keyed m.2 slot (compatible with SATA or PCI Express solid state drives), four USB 3.0 interfaces (one of which can charge mobile devices when turned off), one mini DisplayPort interface, one mini HDMI interface, Gigabit Ethernet interface, and a welded 867mbps 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.0 combined adapter.
NUC of core I3 and i5 provides two different chassis options: high and low. The higher model provides space for an additional 2.5-inch hard disk. Intel NUC i7 has only one choice of High-size chassis, which provides SATA data / power cable for connecting the second hard disk. If M SATA hard disk is connected in slot 2, so you can form a RAID array with two hard disks. For users who want to build a file server or HTPC, the ability to add a second hard disk is very valuable.
In addition, all Broad well NUCs also support the replacement of the top cover, and users can choose according to the appearance and function, such as NFC, wireless charging board, and even TV tuner. However, because these caps are not currently on the market, they cannot be tested. These covers are connected to the motherboard through a USB 2.0 interface, so theoretically, anything that can work through USB 2.0 can become a part of the cover. If you have a 3D printer, you can also use the model files provided by Intel to make a personalized top cover.
Intel’s high-end broad well-u chip can support 1866mhz DDR3 memory. Therefore, this Intel NUC i7 enjoys the benefits of high-speed memory, and the biggest benefit is graphics performance. Independent graphics cards have their own fast memory, but integrated graphics cards can only share slower memory with other components.
It can be seen from the test that Intel’s latest integrated graphics card is particularly sensitive to changes in memory bandwidth. In the comparative test of Intel NUC i5 (1600MHZ memory) and Intel NUC i7 (1866mhz memory), the difference between the two is very obvious. Both HD 6000 and iris 61001866mhz memory versions have achieved 5-10% higher graphics performance than 1600MHZ memory versions, while geek bench’s memory performance test shows a more obvious improvement, close to 20-25%.
In addition to the difference in memory bandwidth, the Intel NUC i7-5557u chip equipped with this NUC is the Broad well processor with the highest performance on the market at present. The power consumption of this processor is a rare 28w, which is somewhat different from most broad well-u (15W). The larger heat range also gives it more room to play. In addition, the basic clock speed of the processor is 3.1ghz (increased from 1.6GHz of i5-5250u), and the Rui frequency speed is 3.4GHz (increased from 2.6GHz). Among these two parameters, Rui frequency speed is the most noteworthy, because it represents the performance of the two models in daily use.
The overall speed of Intel NUC i7 is 25-30% faster than that of Intel NUC i5, but its performance in multi-threaded testing is still inferior to Gigabyte Brix Pro equipped with quad-core Haswell processor. Considering that the latter is the most powerful Mini PC on the market, this is also expected. Under continuous operating load, the clock speed of Intel NUC i7 will stay between 3.1-3.2ghz (it is impossible to maintain the Rui frequency speed for a long time), while the i5 version is 2.4GHz.
Due to the same radiator and fan, the fan noise of Intel NUC i5 and Intel NUC i7 NUC is basically the same. The latter is basically silent in idle or light use, while the sound of the fan is more obvious under high load. In addition, the fan of i7 seems to rotate faster.
Differences between Intel NUC i3 and Intel NUC i5 and Intel NUC i7 processors
Intel has been leading the trend of computer processors since it introduced the first microprocessor in 1971. By 2006, core dual core processors were launched. Now the mainstream Intel NUC i3, Intel NUC i5 and Intel NUC i7 processors in the market have become high-end mainstream products. According to the latest report released by IHS, a technology research company, in 2011, led by these three processors, Intel processors accounted for more than 80% of the market share, and also showed a strong growth trend. How about the performance of these three processors? What are the differences between Intel NUC i3, Intel NUC i5 and Intel NUC i7 processors? Let’s take a look at their differences.
The biggest difference between them is that Intel NUC i5 supports REMAX, while Intel NUC i3 does not; Intel NUC i3 has only dual cores, while Intel NUC i5 has dual cores and 4 cores. As for which of core i3 and i5 is better, I know from the above that Intel NUC i5 is definitely better than Intel NUC i3. So the Intel NUC i7 is.
The CPU of the first generation Intel NUC i3, Intel NUC i5 and Intel NUC i7 is the new core i3/i5/i7 processor based on 32nm launched by Intel in early 2010. After that, the performance of personal computers has undergone a leap forward development – smaller size, better performance, smarter performance and lower power consumption. What are the characteristics of these three new core i3/i5/i7 processors, how do they feel about their different experiences? What kind of user is this suitable for? First of all, the editor suggests that you should distinguish whether the CPU is Intel NUC i3 and i5 CPU for mobile notebooks or i3 and i5 CPU for desktops. If the frequency is higher, Intel NUC i7 should be significantly higher.
Laptop mobile NUC i3 i5 and Intel NUC i7 differences:
Intel NUC i3 dual core analog four cores (i.e. four threads) without Rui frequency;
Intel NUC i5 dual core analog four cores (i.e. four threads) have the same technical specifications as I3 except for REMAX technology;
Intel NUC i7 four core analog eight cores (i.e. eight threads) have high consumption but super function. The performance gap between I3 and i5 is smaller than that between i5 and i7.
Intel NUC i7 native multi core new cache design
As we know, the core 2 Quad series Quad Processor actually encapsulates two core 2 Duo processors together, which is not the original quad core design of Nehalem architecture kernel photos. It communicates through the narrow front-end bus FSB. Such a disadvantage is that the problem of data delay is serious, and the performance is not satisfactory.
Intel NUC i7 adopts a native multicore design and uses an advanced QPI ( QuickPathInterconnect, which will be introduced below) bus for communication. The transmission speed is 5 times that of FSB. Intel NUC i7 also uses three levels.
Differences between Intel NUC i5 and Intel NUC i7
The price between Intel NUC i5 with core i5 and Intel NUC i7 with Core i7 is about $100. If you plan to use this device for mainstream work or in kiosks or Kanban, Intel NUC i5 model should provide sufficient performance and produce less fan noise than similar products. However, if you want to perform processor intensive tasks, such as editing large media files or using large spreadsheets, the additional performance of Intel NUC i7 is worth it.
- Value
If you buy a standard NUC with an OEM copy of 256gb SATA m.2 SSD, 8GB ram and windows, the actual price of Intel NUC i5 at $390 is about $670, while the Intel NUC i7 model is $100. Together with 4GB ram, 128GB SSD and free operating system, the total price of core i5 and Intel NUC i7 of Core i7 systems decreased to $490 and $590 respectively. - Bottom line
You will choose a small and attractive design, but you will choose powerful performance. Those who don’t want to go through the trouble of installing their own ram, storage and operating system may prefer larger and more expensive mini computers, such as Mac mini or Think Center M83. Serious players will want larger desktops or laptops with discrete graphics. However, if you are willing to make a little effort and need a small desktop for your main computer or home theater, Intel’s Broad well powered NUC is a way to go.
Our Intel NUC i5 and Intel NUC i7 test units are equipped with 8GB ram and high-speed Samsung xp941 SSD, which scored 5611 points and 7420 points respectively on geek bench 3. Geek bench 3 is a comprehensive test to measure the overall performance. Both NUCs show that they can handle serious office work. Intel NUC i5 model only takes 5 minutes and 2 seconds to complete spreadsheet performance test (matching 20000 names and addresses in Open Office).
Intel NUC i5 and Intel NUC i7 completed our file transfer test using their ultra-fast PCIE X4 SSD, including copying 4.97 gb files at 308.8 Mbps and 363.5 Mbps in 16 seconds and 14 seconds, respectively. These are the two fastest speeds we can see on any computer, several miles higher than the average integrated speed (58 Mbps) and the average ultraportable laptop speed (120.5 Mbps).
Summary
The Intel NUC i7 pair is faster than the i5 version. If you are already considering buying these models of High-size chassis and attach great importance to games or CPU performance, Intel NUC i7 is obviously a more worthy choice.
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