Intel Core I5-3317-U @ 1.7GHz - Intel Insider
Intel has been very busy this year with
their marketing efforts to push the new 3rd Generation Core series, codenamed
Ivy Bridge. Notebooks of all sizes, including Ultrabooks, and desktop PCs now
come fully equipped these new generation CPUs and the entailing peripherals
that help boost the overall performance of the processors. Has it really lived
up to the hype? PC.com took the opportunity to make an Intel Core i5-3317-U @
1.7GHz run the gauntlet and find out if it does deliver as promised. For
reference sake, the CPU belonged to the Sony Vaio T Ultrabook, one of the
better Ultrabooks that had graced PC.com’s Tested Labs.
Intel
Core I5-3317-U @ 1.7GHz
1. Runs cool and quiet
The Core i5 that the Sony Vaio T comes
equipped with is nothing short of amazing when it comes to power processing.
Not only does it execute heavy data crunching with ease, render HD graphics
marginally well, and boot up relatively fast, the Intel Core seems to be doing
on the quiet side. That’s a real plus for those who love silent running
notebooks as it basically means the CPU fan is not being overworked to keep the
temperature down. In that sense, Intel has managed to come up with a CPU design
that doesn’t run as hot or forces the cooling features to be heavily tasked.
2. Lowered specs
Just last year, the industry is all about
chasing higher processing speeds, more processors being squeezed onto one die,
and pushing the boundaries of memory and storage creation. That all changed
with the introduction of Ivy Bridge as Intel can finally reinforce its stance
that it is no longer pursuing higher processor speed ratings or larger core
stacks. What it is focusing on now is CPU innovation that improves on the
industrial design and manufacturing process of the Core. Hence why, the Core i5
in the Vaio T is somewhat “slow” in terms of processing capabilities. However,
it is anything but slow as the i5 managed to blow away our expectations and
reservations with its speedy performance. Yours truly is especially taken aback
with the almost instantaneous boot up times.
3. Power efficient
For something that is supposedly powerful,
you’d think the 3rd Generation Intel Core would make short work of the battery
power. Not so as Ultrabooks and notebooks that come loaded with the new Core do
not seem to finish up the battery as fast as those high-end notebooks. This is
great for those who are always on the move and do not have easy access to power
plugs.
Intel Core I5-3317-U @ 1.7GHz
·
Price: n/a
·
Processor: Intel
Core i5-3317-U
·
Clock Speed: 1.7GHz
·
Max Turbo Frequency: 2.6GHz
·
Number Of Cores: 2
·
Number Of Threads: 4
·
Bus/Core Ratio: 17
·
CPU Cache: 3MB
·
Max Memory Size: 32GB
(dependent on memory type)
·
Memory Type: DDR3/L/-RS
1333/1600
·
Memory Channels: 2
·
Max Memory Bandwidth: 25.6GB/s
·
Graphics Specifications: Intel HD Graphics 4000
V: 8/10
F: 9/10
P: 10/10
D: 9/10
U: 10/10
Verdict:
Power processing at its finest.
Total Score:
9.2/10
Sony Vaio T - Sony’s Slim T
Ultrabooks are now the talk of town and are
one of the few top-of-mind products among many consumers. Not only are they
curious to know what the hype over Ultrabooks are all about, there is also this
indirect need to find out which chassis design packs the most features and
still look good doing it. Enter the Sony Vaio T, the first of many Ultrabooks
that Sony has in store for the adoring public.
Sony
Vaio T
1. Sleek and Slim
The Sony Vaio T feels like a device that
should not, if at all possible, leave my hands at any time. Even taking a quick
glance at it evokes a sense of wonderment. Such feelings can be derived from
the following factors: being exceptionally light, using a non-standard chassis
build that is uniquely Sony, and, last but not least, utilising industrial
materials and a design concept that the Sony is famous for. Combining all three
creates the basis for the Vaio T and its hyper slick form factor. Using a
fullmetal body for the top-lid alloy for the bottom half gives the Sony
Ultrabook that cool yet hardy look. With flushed USB and connectivity ports as
well as a SD card reader, the entire chassis exudes a minimalistic finish.
2. Over-Performer
In terms of performance, the Vaio T upholds
the belief that Ultrabooks are super speedy and are able to power crunch
numbers with ease. That holds true for the Vaio T since it encountered no
issues with editing RAW photos with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop opened at the
same time, while interacting with multiple browser tabs and having non-stop
conversations in a couple of instant messaging apps. Take note that all of
these activities are done concurrently in the hopes of causing the Sony
Ultrabook to lag somehow. Nothing stopped it, not even raw 1080p HD videos.
This is all thanks to the 3rd Generation Intel Core i5 3317-V 4GB DDR3 RAM, the
hybrid storage it uses (mixed SATA and SSD hard drives), and Intel’s integrated
4000 graphics card.
3. True Wireless
Ultrabooks are known for their power
efficiency but the Vaio T pushed the envelope further as its battery managed to
last almost the entire working day, specifically 8 hours more or less. This is,
of course, with basic workflows, playing random video clips, and doing general
web-browsing throughout the day. Even when the power usage is set to “High
Performance”, the battery still lasted around 6 hours.
Sony Vaio T (SVT11113FGS)
·
Price: From
RM2,899
·
Dimensions: (H X
W X D) 323mm x 18mm x 226.06mm
·
Weight: 1.6kg
·
Processor: Intel
Core i5-3317-U @ 1.7GHz
·
Memory: 4GB DDR3
1333MHz RAM
·
Storage: 500GB
(5400rpm) + 32GB MLC hybrid hard drive
·
Display: 13.3”
LED backlit display (optional 11”), Built-in 1.3MP HD web camera powered by
Exmor® for PC and microphone
·
Graphics: Intel
HD Graphics 4000
·
Connectivity:
802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth (4.0 + HS)
·
Ports: 1x USB
3.0, 1x USB 2.0, HDMI, VGA, Gigabit Ethernet, headphones, flashcard reader
V: 8/10
F: 8/10
P: 9/10
D: 9/10
U: 9/10
Verdict: One
of the true examples of an Ultrabook.
Total Score:
8.6/10
ASUS Radeon HD7870 Directcu II Top - ASUS’ Idea Of A Pitcairn Retreat
Graphics cards are a dime a dozen where
homo-sapiens are concerned and in light of its trending progression of the past
few years, they are about to get a whole lot cheaper, namely-er and
powerful-er. In the latest instalment of the ASUS’ Southern Island Graphics
Processors line-up based on AMD’s new Graphics Core Next (CGN), the ASUS Radeon
HD 7870 DirectCU II Top made its debut early this year spotlighting the 28nm
GPU codenamed Pitcairn XT (a downscaled Tahiti) in all its wondrous glory.
ASUS
Radeon HD7870 Directcu II Top Graphics Card
1. Seriously Packed
Packing some serious levels, ASUS’ Radeon
HD 7870 DirectCU II Top is not one to be taken lightly. Rollin’ at 2GB GDDR5
that operates on a 256-bits GDDR5 memory bus, the card sports Core and Memory
Clocks that run at 1100MHz and 5000MHz respectively. In addition, other
interesting values include a Raster Operating (ROP) rating of 32 and power
Texture Mapping Units (TMU) of 80 with 1,280 Stream Processors. For a graphics
card with 2.8 billion transistor count, PCIe v3.0 x16 and CrossFireX support,
this is not too shabby indeed.
2. Overclocking dream
So, with all that info laid on the table,
is that all that makes the ASUS HD 7870 DirectCU II Top shine? Nyet! For that
is merely the preamble of ASUS’ latest graphical arsenal. Factory Overclocking,
to start, allows noobs entry level graphics enthusiasts to experience the card
in its optimum performance thereby allowing some justice to the TOP label.
Under the DirectCU banner, improved cooling via dual gargantuan 100mm fans with
direct-contact copper heatpipes to dispels heat and noise by 20 percent and
10dB quieter than the reference card while tempting hinting some leg room for
more overclocking! And the bundled ASUS GPU Tweak facilitates just that by
facilitating management of clock, voltage, and fan speed at your fingertips.
Finally, the AMD Eyefinity technology together with DirectX 11 support brings
forth the brilliance of a multi-screen environment.
3. Ratings, ratings, ratings
Tested with an ASUS Sabertooth X79
motherboard, 16GB of Corsair Dominator GTX8 memory and an Intel 300GB 320
Series SSD with Windows 7 Pro Ultimate preloaded, the HD 7870 DirectCU II
underwent synthetic benchmark tests with the usual suspects, 3DMark 11 and
3DMark Vantage. After several tests, the card scored an average GPU score of
6,892 points with 3DMark Vantage and an average Performance score of 27,113
points with 3DMark11. Power consumption and temperature tests reveals average
power levels of 368W at 90°C while on a full load that caused a furious loud
fan noise. I guess the only question left is: are all these worth that hefty
price tag?
ASUS Radeon HD7870 Directcu II Top
Graphics Card
·
Price: RM1,200
·
Dimensions (L X W X H): 264mm x 114mm x 43mm
·
Chipset Amd:
Radeon HD7870
·
Memory Size: 2GB
GDDR5
·
Core Clock:
1100MHz
·
Memory Clock:
5000MHz GDDR5
·
Expansion: 1x
DVI, 1x HDMI, 2x DisplayPort
V: 7/10
F: 9/10
P: 9/10
D: 9/10
U: 10/10
Test results:
3DMark vantage - GPU score: 6.892 Points
3DMark 11 - performance score: 27,113
Points
Verdict:
Would appeal better with improved Zounds and Zaps!! We like everything about it
but the price point.
Total Score:
8.8/10
