Intel enters “superchilled test rig” in render challenge

Intel surprises by entering a custom super cooled PC based on the Core i7-980X CPU into a PC Pro render challenge.

PC Pro magazine journalist David Fearon set a render challenge based on an implementation of "path rendering", a more computationally intensive version of the more familiar ray tracing technique. All the software needed to perform the benchmark was provided and over 50 readers, some with extremely powerful multi-core PCs, provided benchmark figures.

However it was none other than Intel that stole the show by entering a custom "superchilled test rig" based on an six-core Intel Core i7-980X CPU cooled to an astonishing -40C and clocked at a blistering 5GHz. Intel’s machine completed the benchmark in 50 seconds. 

By way of comparison, PC Pro reader "jujhar" used a "Dell Precision m6500 running a Quad Core Intel Core i7 820QM @ 1.73Ghz" and managed 190 seconds.

Image credit: PC Pro / Intel