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Intel Core i5-661 Pro Reviews

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bjorn3d‘s review Edit Like Unlike

The Intel i5 661 CPU with integrated graphics is a CPU that we've waited on for a long time. While the Gfx portion of the i5 661 isn't going to thrill you in high end games Intel makes no bones about it's place in the graphics hierarchy. They list the integrated Gfx as suitable for casual gaming which they've defined as online gaming with games like Peggle, Bejeweled, the Sims and a few other less demanding games so it's not a all in one solution for gamers. However the fastest growing segment of the gaming market is online gaming with casual games.

9.5 Rated at:

Published on:
Jan 03, 2010

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expertreviews‘s review Edit Like Unlike

A decent dual-core processor with integrated graphics, but true quad-core models are available for less.

6.0 Rated at:

Published on:
Jan 04, 2010

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mbreview‘s review Edit Like Unlike

Bottom line, if you're looking for a powerful HTPC with more features than can be found on similar Atom setups, give this processor and chipset a good look. If you're a middle of the road user who typically plays older DX9 games (and some DX10) or perhaps Facebook style online games, the integrated graphics will allow for an acceptable gaming experience at the benefit of lower power consumption. If you're a heavy gamer, then don't bother with the Intel HD Graphics chips. Westmere provides an array of new features and we can only hope where this can go with the upcoming Gulftown six core processor. Then we'll see what these new features are really capable of.

n/a Not rated

Published on:
Jan 01, 2010

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ITreviews‘s review Edit Like Unlike

Core i3 and Core i5 CPUs with the new Clarkdale core take a significant step towards the mythical system-on-chip where the functions and features are delivered by a single chip, rather than the traditional CPU, chipset and GPU. As things stand you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between a Core i5 661 PC and a Core 2 or Core i7 PC, so the prospect of a small, cheap, powerful PC remains somewhere in the distance.

n/a Not rated

Published on:
Jan 20, 2010

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hardocp‘s review Edit Like Unlike

All things considered the Clarkdale looks to be a great product for the middle of the road computer person. Kudos to Intel for putting together a package that will very well serve the beige box and notebook crowd with great performance.

n/a Not rated

Published on:
Jan 03, 2010

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www.pcper.com‘s review Edit Like Unlike

In terms of pure processing performance, the new Clarkdale Core i5-661 didn't set any kind of records. But we didn't expect it to really - these are low cost parts for a segment even below those of the Core i5/i7 processors of the Lynnfield moniker. This will make a lot of sense for some HTPC goodies and OEM-based desktop computers but not for anyone building a system that they are sure is going to see a discrete graphics card as well.

n/a Not rated

Published on:
Jan 03, 2010

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HEXUS‘s review Edit Like Unlike

All in all, Intel's latest desktop and mobile chips use a leading architecture and package-level die integration to provide a compelling platform for mid-range desktop and notebook machines in 2010. The design's revolutionary but the performance, given the price, is just above average for the Core i5 661.

6.5 Rated at:

Published on:
Jan 04, 2010

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TechSpot‘s review Edit Like Unlike

The new Core i5 661 may just be a dual-core processor, but it's still incredibly fast at 3.33GHz, even when compared to high-performance quad-core parts. Accompanied with the rest of the Core i5 and Core i3 line-up, we finally have Intel moving completely away from its older Core 2 products. The Core i5 661 is making a relevant appearance sending older Core 2 products into oblivion, but it hasn't won us over in good part due to AMD's already enticing offerings at these price points.

n/a Not rated

Published on:
Jan 04, 2010

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HardwareZone‘s review Edit Like Unlike

From a pure performance point of view, the new Intel HD Graphics is a slight upgrade over the GMA X4500HD, even in its fastest (900MHz) incarnation on the Core i5-661. What it does significantly better is media playback, where it certainly manages to justify its HD tag. Our Blu-ray playback may not have been very impressive, but the beta nature of both the drivers and the CyberLink application means we won't be nitpicking in this area to pass a judgment this round.

8.0 Rated at:

Published on:
Jan 04, 2010

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Tom's Hardware‘s review Edit Like Unlike

The Core i5-661 we tested - which could easily be substituted for the i5-660 at the same price point - completely eclipses the Core 2 Duo E8500 and solidly rivals some of the fastest Core 2 Quads.

n/a Not rated

Published on:
Jan 04, 2010

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tweaktown‘s review Edit Like Unlike

The Core i5 661 is a great CPU, especially at the $200 price point. It performs very well for what it is and has great overclocking potential thanks to the 32nm process, lower power demands and some other nice improvements from Intel. I think that this CPU/GPU combo does have a place in the market and when paired with the right motherboard is capable of quite a lot.

9.0 Rated at:

Published on:
Jan 04, 2010

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hardwarecanucks‘s review Edit Like Unlike

CPU wise, Intel have a real gem on their hands. Throughout our benchmarking session, we had to remind ourselves that this was not in fact a quad-core processor, but a mere four-thread capable dual-core chip. The high core clocks speed, Turbo Boost, and Hyper-Threading really combine to create a processor that performs exceedingly well across the board. Only in the most multi-threaded workloads did our Core i5-661 begin to stumble against the native quad-core chips.

n/a Not rated

Published on:
Jan 03, 2010

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www.trustedreviews.com‘s review Edit Like Unlike

If you're looking for an entry-level Intel-based system, one of the Core i3 500 of Core i5 600 range is going to be a good start, especially if you're going to use the CPU's integrated graphics. However, if you don't plan to use the integrated graphics, the 600 range, and in particular the Core i5 661 we reviewed, seem a just a little overpriced.

7.0 Rated at:

Published on:
Feb 18, 2010

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computershopper‘s review Edit Like Unlike

The Core i5-661 can't match the similarly priced, quad-core Core i7-750 in speed, but its integrated graphics and simpler chipset make it a good base for inexpensive PCs with better performance than earlier dual-core chips.

8.5 Rated at:

Published on:
Jan, 2010

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bit-tech‘s review Edit Like Unlike

The faster Clarkdale CPUs face more competition from AMD - while i5-661 kept the AMD Phenom II 965 Black Edition at bay in most tests, the 965 BE shone in heavily multi-threaded applications - but it's Intel's own Lynnfield, particularly the i5-750, that really does the damage. Particularly when overclocked, the i5-750 is a monster in terms of performance at this budget. Despite, in all likelihood, being almost identically priced, in 2D benchmarks, a 4.15GHz Core i5-750 is around 30 per cent faster than a 4GHz i5-661 - a number which we think will make it very easy to make your buying decision.

7.0 Rated at:

Published on:
Jan 04, 2010

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benchmarkreviews‘s review Edit Like Unlike

Feature-wise, this processor has almost every technology option Intel offers: Turbo Boost, Hyper-Threading, AES New Instructions, and an integrated GPU. Only business-level features like Trusted Execution Technology and Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O aren't implemented, but these won't be missed by home users.

8.5 Rated at:

Published on:
Feb 16, 2010

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techPowerUp!‘s review Edit Like Unlike

As for desktop users, Core i5 661 can really pack some punch, in many benchmarks it provides performance similar to a Quad Core, which is amazing for a Dual Core processor. Although Core i5 661 performs well in games, running this processor in P55 boards with current price tag makes no sense as long as there is Core i750 for same price.

8.0 Rated at:

Published on:
Jan 19, 2010

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hardwaresecrets‘s review Edit Like Unlike

Its integrated video performs satisfactorily for a user looking for a computer with integrated video and that knows the limitations of this kind of system. We could run older games relatively well with image quality settings disabled, performing better than AMD 785G. But some newer games won’t even run, as it happened with Fallout 3.

n/a Not rated

Published on:
Jan 05, 2010

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