Integration Overview for LGA 1366-Based Boxed Intel® Core™ i7 Processors
The Boxed Intel® Core™ i7-900 Processor Series
The following overview and installation instructions are for professional system integrators building PCs that use the Intel® Core™ i7-900 Processor Series with industry-accepted motherboards, chassis, and peripherals. The overview has technical information intended to aid in system integration for LGA1366-based desktop boards.
Note that there is also an Intel® Core™ i7-800 Processor Series that uses a different processor package (LGA1156) and socket. Refer to the integration instructions for this different socket type if you have this processor. You can find those instructions at the bottom of this document under related topics.
Click or the topic for details:
Boxed processor contents
- Intel® Core™ i7 Processor in the 1366-land package
- Intel designed thermal solution with support for Intel® Quiet System Technology
- Thermal interface material (attached to the heat sink)
- Installation instructions and certificate of authenticity
- Intel Inside® logo label
The Intel® Core™ i7 Processor in the 1366-land package refers to processors in the 1366-land Flip-Chip Land Grid Array (FC-LGA4) package with an integrated heat spreader (IHS) that aids in heat dissipation to a properly attached fan heat sink.
 Top view |  Bottom view |
Motherboard selection
Motherboards used with the Intel® Core™ i7 Processor must specifically support the Intel® Core™ Microarchitecture. In general, look for a motherboard which uses the following chipsets and sockets:
- Intel® X58 Express Chipset and LGA1366 socket
It is important to verify that the specific motherboard model and revision support the specific Intel® Core™ i7 Processor number being used. Motherboards may also require a BIOS update in order to support specific processors.
Chassis selection
Systems based on the Intel® Core™ i7 Processor in the 1366-land package must use a chassis that complies with the ATX specification (revision 2.2 or later) or microATX specification (revision 1.0 or later), depending on the motherboard form factor. Choose a chassis that complies with the ATX specification (revision 2.2 or later). Likewise, system integrators using microATX form factor motherboards should choose a chassis that complies with the microATX specification (1.0 or later).
The chassis must also support a lower internal ambient temperature than many standard ATX and microATX desktop chassis. The internal chassis temperature for systems based on Intel® Core™ i7 Processors in the 1366-land package should not exceed 38°C when the chassis is used in a maximum expected room temperature of 35°C. Most chassis designed for the Intel® Core™ i7 Processor use extra internal chassis fans to improve airflow and many include ducting to bring cool air directly to the processor fan heat sink.
Boxed processor installation
You can view the processor integration video (LGA1366) below: