Intel 32nm Clarkdale Core i5 661 Dual Core CPU + GPU Evaluation

Typical Intel: New CPU - New Chipset
One thing that Clarkdale brings that may hurt it is the need for a new chipset and motherboard to use this. While the Core i5 661 is still a Socket 1156 CPU you will only be able to use it with an H55, H57 or Q57 chipset. As each manufacturer will have their own implementations of this chipset so it is pointless to go into too much detail here but we will cover the basics of what each of these has to offer.

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The H55 is the entry level chipset for the Clarkdale CPUs. It brings along the Intel Flexible Display Interface [with HDMI, DVI, VGA, and DisplayPort], dual channel DDR3 memory support, HD Audio, and roughly the same features that a P55 chipset would offer. There is one notable exception; this is the lack of RAID support. Although there is nothing to prevent an OEM from dropping in RAID support, it will not be integrated into the chipset from Intel.

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The H57 is a little step up and brings an option for Intel Rapid Storage Technology [RAID] to the table. The Q57 is another step and in addition to RAID it offers an option for Intel Active Management technology.

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Overclocking
Overclocking a CPU is fun for the most part but each new design brings new challenges and Clarkdale is no exception. While we have a smaller process and it uses much less power we have another item thrown in that can put a monkey wrench into any overclocking plans. This new headache is the inclusion of the GPU on the CPU packaging. How will this inclusion affect the Core i5 6xx’s ability to overclock is a question that will concern many.  The problem has to do with the way that GPU component interacts with the CPU [and the heat the CPU generates] As you push the CPU the GPU sitting right next to it could potentially become power starved while it also absorbs more heat from the overclocked CPU.  While I have a feeling the GPU will be able to handle the heat, I do think that you will need to drop extra power into the GPU to maintain stable performance at high BCLCKs.  This means that if a manufacturer does not provide proper support for adding extra power to the GPU your overclocking could be very limited.

Fortunately for us we used the ASRock H55M Pro for our Clarkdale testing and good air cooling [not the box cooler]. This board offers up to a +200mv increase to the GPU and allowed us to reach 4.3GHz [24x172] using the IGP and 4.5GHz using an add-in board. This is not a bad overclock at all for what is really meant as an entry level/mainstream platform.

Overclocking with the Intel GMA HD

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Overclocking with an Add-in board (AMD Radeon HD 5870)
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Remember that the overclocking results shown here are not a definitive measure of how well a retail Clarkdale CPU will perform, and individual results will vary based on components you use. Still we can see the potential performance gains to be had with the 32nm Core i5 611 and the H55 chipset.