• Intel Core i5 655K

    Intel Core i5 655K

    Jayesh Limaye, Dec 06, 2010 1242 hrs IST

    Overclocks straight from 3.2 GHz to 4.64 GHz on air-cooling

    Highly overclockable out of the box, unlocked multiplier, good performance, power efficient

    Pricing could have been a bit more aggressive

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No matter how fast processors have become today, the quest to push them even further does not stop. No wonder there are so many overclocking contests and events all around the world, with the winners not just winning awards, but more importantly, bragging rights. Sadly, there aren't many processors released in the market, which we can call as really overclockable, and the few that are overclockable, are too expensive for most to buy.

AMD came forward and launched the first budget overclockable processors labeled Black Edition, with unlocked multipliers for overclockers to play around. Intel had their Extreme Edition processors, but at a thousand dollars, they were simply beyond most people's means.

Just before Computex 2010, we saw that Intel seemed to have taken a cue from AMD and launched their own version of unlocked processors for the mainstream segment, dubbed the K-series processors. The two processors are the socket LGA-1156 Core i5 655K (3.2 GHz, 2-cores/4-threads) and the Core i7 875K (2.93 GHz, 4-cores/8-threads). While the Core i5 655K is similar in all aspects to the Core i5 650, the Core i7 875K is similar to the Core i7 870. The difference being that the K-series processors have unlocked multiplier, allowing enthusiasts to overclock them to be able to get the last drop of juice out of these processors. We have the Intel Core i5 655K with us and are going to overclock it to as much as it allows us on air-cooling. Read on.



About the Intel Core i5 655K

The Intel Core i5 655K runs at 3.2 GHz, and has two Hyper-Threaded cores with four threads running simultaneously. This Nehalem derivative Clarkdale-based processor is manufactured using 32nm fabrication process. It has 4MB L3 cache also made using 32nm fabrication technology. The processor has a TDP of 73W.



The 655K includes an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) and a memory controller on the die. Rather than using 32nm technology, the IGP is produced at 45nm technology, to reduce cost. You can use the IGP when you mount this processor on a H55 or H57 chipset based motherboard, and the processor works as any other socket LGA-1156 processor on a P55 motherboard. The memory controller supports up to 16GB of dual channel DDR3 memory at up to 1333 MHz. Cache memory consists of 32KB L1 Data cache, 32KB Instruction cache, 256KB L2 cache per core and 4MB L3 cache shared between the two cores. There is also 4MB Intel Smart Cache. The 655K supports Intel Turbo Boost technology, which boosts the speed of one or both the cores up to 3.46GHz depending on CPU loading. Enlisted below are all the processors in the Clarkdale series, along with the 655K.



Now it is time to get to the performance.

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Tag keywords
Intel Core i5 655K K-series processor overclocking Core i7 875K Core i5 650



Discussion Board
(3) Comments
somnath.k
,mumbai, on May 02, 2011 05:17 PM
Hi, at wht price it is avialable in india. any website to purchse Intel Core i5 655K online?
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Karthik
,Chennai, on Dec 06, 2010 01:40 PM
The i-5 760 also OC well and would a i-5 760 Oced to 3.8Ghz beat this dual core while costing Rs.3,500k lesser? It would have ideal if u could have added the i-5 760 to the review charts. And Rs.13,500 is way too high for a dual core when the Thuban 1090T BE is available for Rs.11,000(Its also has unlocked multi and OCes stably till 4GHz on air). The 875K is now $320 in newegg and costs Rs.17,500 from smcinternational, delhi(Check their website as a proof) If someone needs 4.5GHz and a Intel processor with unlocked multi then the 875K makes more sense than this dual core
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Sundar
,Chennai, on Dec 07, 2010 11:03 AM
+1^ //The fact still remains that the Core i5 655K is a processor for the enthusiast, who cannot afford to buy the Core i7 875K// how come an enthusiast chose this heavily priced dual core crap over a much better vfm quad core i5 760??? (exception of k & igpu), its well priced and simply sit between i5 655K & i7 875K performance wise. If not then for 700/- extra Core i7 870 (with turbo boost) is the best option.
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