PCTuning use GIGABYTE boards for early Bulldozer and Gulftown head to head

It would appear that Czech hardware site PCtuning have apparently been lucky enough to get their hands an early AMD FX CPU sample, giving us a glimpse of the performance we can expect from AMD’s forthcoming enthusiast CPU line. In his latest article we see that Mr. Z.Obermaier is comparing his AMD FX chip with Intel’s top tier Core i7 990X part. While it’s certainly interesting to see that the new Bulldozer processors are managing to keep pace with their Gulftown counterparts, it’s also quite flattering for us here at Gigabyte to note that the reviewer is using our motherboards for both platforms.

The AMD FX chip is apparently being benched using our recently launched 990FXA-UD7 motherboard. It’s the most full featured AMD board we’ve ever done and the first to be able to harness both AMD and Nvidia multi-GPU setups. In the above image you’re looking at the UD7 in an SLI configuration. The Intel 990X CPU was put through its paces on our champion overclocking board, the GIGABYTE X58A-OC.

While these benchmarks are pretty far from conclusive, they are at least indicators that we may see the extreme performance space heat up in the next few months as AMD launch its FX line. It’s also fair to say that, as 3D gaming applications, these benchmarks are perhaps no 100% CPU-oriented, so even if these results are true, they probably do not represent the raw grunt of the two processors. It does however, at least indicate that in terms of multi-GPU configurations, DIY builders have more choices than ever.

You can read more on this, here and here.

Click here for the Chinese (中文版) version of this blog.

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(Updated: Video and Gallery) Apple's iPhone 4 Coming to Verizon Early Next Month, With Wireless Hotspot

Well, it's official - Verizon is getting the iPhone 4. The Apple/Verizon relationship developed over the last two years. The two companies began technical discussions starting in 2008 about bringing the iPhone to Verizon. The phone then spent a year in testing and design and starting early next month, the iPhone 4 will come to Verizon.

The Apple/Verizon relationship is formalized in a multi-year, non-exclusive agreement. However we have no additional details, including whether or not release schedules will be synchronized with AT&T.

At Verizon's press conference there's a lot of mutual respect sharing between the two companies. It looks like there's a desire to establish that these two companies want to work together and will continue to going forward. 

Existing VZW customers will be able to pre-order the iPhone 4 online on February 3rd, 2010. A week later, on February 10th, everyone will be able to order the Verizon iPhone 4 both online and in Verizon stores as well as at the Apple store (both online and at physical stores).

The phone will sell for $199.99 for a 16GB version, and $299.99 for the 32GB version. The Verizon iPhone 4 will feature wireless hotspot capabilities allowing you to connect up to 5 devices to it over WiFi. Verizon indicated that you wouldn't be able to use voice and data simultaneously, consistent with other CDMA devices on its network.

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More as we get it.

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