Intel Core i5-750 - Core i5 Lynnfield Quad-Core 2.66 GHz LGA 1156 95W Processor - BX80605I5750

Pros: Super efficient/cool, fast at stock speeds, even faster when overclocked (and it overclocks like MAD), turbo mode (makes it better than most pre-lynnfield i7s in single-thread performance) - which improves performance of single threaded apps by disabling inactive cores & clocking the active core by TDP of the cpu. That means at stock settings (2.66ghz (133x20)) with turbo enabled, you can have single thread performance from a ~3.2ghz core (133x20) - google "Intel Turbo" if you want to learn more (it's a very nice feature). I can't get over how wickedly efficient this thing is!

You're not likely to have any trouble getting any Lynnfield cpu above 3.6ghz - providing you've got an aftermarket cooler for it.

Cons: No HT (this is basically the only area which really matters where it loses to the i7 920 in performance). The manual multiplier is locked at (or below) stock 20x (up to 24x with turbo mode but that's only with 1 core, or 22x with 2 cores, or 21x with 3 cores (I believe..)). Neither of these should stop you from getting this CPU, unless the i7 870 drops in price or another (better) cpu has been released for a similar price.

Stock cooler is kind of mediocre, just buy an aftermarket one (which brings up another point, why did intel have to make the mounting holes a couple mm further (or was it closer) apart/together than the lga755 coolers? Most of those are rated for higher TDP and would work very well as a heatsink for this).

Overall Review: I'm blown away with how substantial this cpu is. My s939 motherboard died the night before these launched and I almost got an i7 920 setup (which would've cost >$200 more) - I'm glad I didn't. This (and the 1156 mobos) are much more efficient & cheaper to boot - it also bests the i7 920 at quite a few things.

Overclocking: I've got mine at 3.8ghz (181x21 - my P55-GD65 motherboard has a 'bug' or something that enables 21x multiplier on all cores) w/ turbo enabled (4.35ghz on a single core (181x24)). It can go higher, but I prefer to keep my voltage below 1.4 (at 3.8ghz I've got it on 1.36v). At these speeds, my super pi time is slightly under 9.8 seconds. My old 939 x2 4200+ was lucky to get under 35s. I also have a Cooler Master 212 Plus which is phenomenal, running prime95 on a maximum heat generation mode, my fan doesn't have to kick above "idle" (which is at 1000rpm / practically inaudible) to keep it below 45c.

BUY IT!

Pros: Great Newegg service. This processor plays well with my Gigabyte GA-P55-UD5 I bought at the same time. Everything worked out of the box. It is faster than the Pentium 4 2.0Ghz I had previously.

Cons: Runs hot all the time but out of control heat when running Prime 95 or otherwise stressing the chip. The stock heatsink is totally inadequate. I have reseated the heatsink multiple times using different brands of thermal compound and still is much hotter than it should be. I blame the strange retention mechanism on the heatsink not pressing hard enough on the processor causing a lack of surface contact. I think that the heatsink should be spring loaded to the motherboard rather that just "riveted" on like this one is.

Overall Review: I actually had to underclock to keep the temperature anywhere under 70 degrees C. You should immediately buy a better heatsink and throw the factory one away, which is what I will be doing as soon as I find a suitable replacement. I would like to eventually overclock but maybe this chip is not up to the task?