Intel: We 'Forgot' to Mention 28-Core, 5-GHz CPU Demo Was Overclocked

[PaulAlcorn]

We met with Intel and asked a few pointed questions about its now-infamous 28-core CPU demo.

Intel: We 'Forgot' to Mention 28-Core, 5-GHz CPU Demo Was Overclocked : Read more

 

[bit_user]

We met with Intel and asked a few pointed questions about its now-infamous 28-core CPU demo.

Paul, thanks for this.

I wish the original coverage had been worded a bit more skeptically, but I realize you guys are stretched pretty thin to keep up with everything at the Computex show.

 

[GR1M_ZA]

HAHAHAHA...."forgot". Yes lets say we forgot so everybody will forget we <mod edit> up. Intel is tripping over its own feet due to AMD's news products. They were the market leader for so long that they did not have to do anything new to stay there. They are still market leader but good on AMD for throwing them off balance and making them scurry.

 

[derekullo]

To be fair anyone who would care that the processor was using an "elaborate" cooling system already knew this.

My estimate was 710 watts extrapolating from other Intel models.

 

[GR1M_ZA]

Anyone with a brain knew it was overclocked. AMD fanboys are exaggerating the issue when Zen itself is terrible for overclocking.

Intel fan boy much? Nowhere in the article is it mentioned about AMD and Ryzen OC.

 

[giovanni86]

This is a win for AMD. Intel lying out there teeth. Just like last years fiasco. They know there digging there grave with this. Its ok Intel we get you. You still have the speed, but not much of it. There credibility is swaying. I've been rocking Intel for a decade now and even im displeased with there efforts to make even a slight good effort for the industry and community as a whole. Looks like more Market share for AMD being honest and forth coming with there efforts.

 

[philipemaciel]

Intel did nothing wrong. In fact, my 48 core, 6GHz processor* uses the same cooler

* I forgot to mention it does not exist

 

[ubercake]

Spectre, Meltdown, "forgetting"... Really makes you question the integrity of a company. Who cares if the 28 cores ran slower? You have to question the leadership of that company. That's top-down BS.

 

[aswindamara]

But it's still insane tho? 5Ghz All Core Like the First Image? I can't imagine how much Voltage that they used, and With Crazy Cooling, Is that Nitrogen Cooler?

 

[Keuric]

So..

Why not call this like it is? Intel lied. They lied to journalists, so you'd deceive readers and report bad information. "Forgot" in quotes suggests you know they lied. Do you like being a sock puppet for suppliers, and then having to walk it back?

"Intel Knowingly Lied to Everyone at Computex About Their So-Called 5GHz 28-Core Processor." There, I've given you the headline.

Intel wanted to steal some thunder from AMD. It's that simple.

 

[JimmiG]

Hardly surprising. This wasn't a new product, it was a rebadged 28-core Skylake X Xeon. Those don't do 5 GHz with any kind of normal cooling.

 

[krueger.industrial]

>>"Intel Knowingly Lied to Everyone at Computex About Their So-Called 5GHz 28-Core Processor." There, I've given you the headline."

Exactly. All companies -- not just Intel -- need to be called out when they pull this sort of nonsense. All of the so-called "reporters" out there need to stop looking the other way and stop being willing participants in deceptive reporting.

 

[Allen Millington]

Anyone into CPUs knows this was overclocked. Even so, it was still an incredible feat to manage without frying the chip. Remember the 7800X that occasionally burnt itself?

 

[gggplaya]

These "GLUED" AMD processors sure are giving intel a run for their money. This demonstration smacks of desperation.

 

[Patrick_1966]

I am surprised. This looks like something #LinusSebastian would hack together. Maybe we all should just start routing our cooling loops through our home AC units and the heating system for winter?

 

[Patrick_1966]

This looks like something #LinusSebastian would do. Maybe we all should start looping our gmaing PCs into our home HVAC systems? Great way to heat and cool the house!

 

[urbanman2004]

Intel is turning out to be the 'Ubisoft' of computer hardware. AMD has them that spooked ??????

 

[King_V]

This is the sort of thing that's referred to as a "lie of omission"

You don't "forget" all that huge, power-hungry, specialized cooling equipment, or that the chip had to be overclocked.


The question, of course, is why did they bother hiding it? Did they have any serious expectation that it wasn't going to be found out?

 

[10tacle]

Intel: "What’s amazing is that trade-off, this actually being a 5GHz in single-threaded performance frequency and not...having to sacrifice that for this kind of multi-threaded performance, so you've got kind of the best of both worlds. So, you guys want to see us productize that thing? Tell you what, we'll bring that product to market in Q4 this year, and you'll be able to get it."

I think claiming that's a flat out "lie" is a little overreacting. Did that imply that this chip can run at 5GHz reference stock speed on a single core? Yes it does because they did not mention it was supercooled overclocked. However, he did say "this chip" and not "this 5GHz single core speed" chip. Let's also keep in mind here this chip is not even released yet. If they make that claim on the box and in ads at release time and it is not true, then it is a flat out lie to the consumer. Besides, who would buy this and run it on a single core anyway? Those days died out long ago.

In any event, I think the correct word here is "misleading" or "deceptive" and not a flat out lie because as stated you can't buy it yet. And as this article mentions, all companies do that in future promises (then they change the specs at release time). It's up to you, the consumer, to do your complete homework in whatever product or service you buy. Most people never even read the fine print on their auto insurance or credit card documents.

Anyway the parsing of words here is really not the most important issue for Intel on something we can't even buy one way or the other. I'm most disappointed in Intel's more recent fails at thermal management designs and going cheap on adhesive/paste applications. Especially as Tom's proved here with their excellent i9 de-lidding and overclocking article. The fact that's a near-$1,000 chip and it has to be de-lidded to get better overclocking performance is just pathetic. Especially when looking back at Intel's history of being excellent overclockers. No matter what however, history will show that AMD put Intel in a scramble when they released Ryzen and severely caught them off guard.

 

[Arbie]

Those saying "we all should have known it was overclocked" are missing the point. Intel's GENERAL MANAGER of THIS PRODUCT LINE (1) did not highlight this crucial point AND (2) said this is a real 5GHz product due out in Q4!! That's the same as stating that these are stock clocks on an early production unit - which would be worthy of the big announcement.

This is an almost unbelievable screw-up by Intel. It highlights the disarray of their programs and management, and the sheer lack of ethics of too many in high places. A smaller company with the same issues would be headed for crash & burn.

I am so thankful that AMD somehow came from behind and pushed the industry forward. I don't care if Intel has a little better IPC or pushes more FPS in some game. I'll be buying 'AMD Instead' for a long time. We REALLY need them to stay in the game.

 

[ingtar33]

I'll do some more work for THG. What intel demo'ed was simply a rebranded Intel Xeon Platinum 8176. It even used the exact same motherboard as the Xeon Platinum 8176. All they did was unlock the multiplier on the chip, probably did some wizardry on the bios for the motherboard and attached an industrial water cooler to the setup.

This is not a "new" product, this was a tech demo using an existing product to create the impression of a new product.

 

[ubercake]

Those saying "we all should have known it was overclocked" are missing the point. Intel's GENERAL MANAGER of THIS PRODUCT LINE (1) did not highlight this crucial point AND (2) said this is a real 5GHz product due out in Q4!! That's the same as stating that these are stock clocks on an early production unit - which would be worthy of the big announcement.

This is an almost unbelievable screw-up by Intel. It highlights the disarray of their programs and management, and the sheer lack of ethics of too many in high places. A smaller company with the same issues would be headed for crash & burn.

I am so thankful that AMD somehow came from behind and pushed the industry forward. I don't care if Intel has a little better IPC or pushes more FPS in some game. I'll be buying 'AMD Instead' for a long time. We REALLY need them to stay in the game.

I agree. There's no reason to leave out details. I'd accept the truth any day.
It is quite possible for a CPU producer to come out with something at a show that showcases future retail products we haven't seen yet and wow us all. 28-cores in a desktop processor? Great! Is there anything wrong with that or bad in itself?
To imply having the "best of both worlds" (or whatever) on a product is not to imply you have to bring it out of spec to get there.

Disclaimer... I am not a fan boy either way and my current main rig is equipped with an 8700k because I thought it was the best choice for me. Also, I do not believe companies should be practicing deception when making product announcements.

 

[TJ Hooker]

And Threadripper 2 is not an old product? Lol.

How is it an old product? It's fabbed on a new process, features tweaks to the microarchitecture to improve memory latency, and now offers up to twice as many cores by including 4 working chips in the MCM package.

 

[theboeingman]

Using an industrial grade chiller and intentionally hiding it out of sight under the table is not "forgetting" to mention its use. Intel lied by omission, not rocket science to figure that out.

Shame on all news outlets, bloggers and intel fanboys for not even suspecting that 28 cores all running on 5ghz at normal temps is just not possible without a revolutionary breakthrough in architecture OR using a large chiller and hiding its use.

I do not blame intel for lying, rather it is the fault of people who decided not to use their critical thinking to figure out that out.

 

[theboeingman]

Using an industrial grade chiller and intentionally hiding it out of sight under the table is not "forgetting" to mention its use. Intel lied by omission, not rocket science to figure that out.

Shame on all news outlets, bloggers and intel fanboys for not even suspecting that 28 cores all running on 5ghz at normal temps is just not possible without a revolutionary breakthrough in architecture OR using a large chiller and hiding its use.

I do not blame intel for lying, rather it is the fault of people who decided not to use their critical thinking to figure out that out