i7 9xx vs 8xx for virtualization

[LstBrunnenG]

I already know that the 1366 i7s have Triple Channel memory, while the 1156 i7s do not. I also already know they both have Hyperthreading. What I could not find after looking through the old articles is whether or not the lower-end i7s lack any of the virtualization tech their more expensive cousins do.

I'm debating doing an i7 build in the not-distant future. I plan on using it heavily for virtualization. Do the 8xx series CPUs have all the same related features as their more-expensive cousins? Nested paging, VT-x, and the like?

 

[Tahoe916]

Google for the win.

This PDF says the i7 800 series supports the Virtualization tech as listed below: http://download.intel.com/design/processor/datashts/322164.pdf

3.1.4 Intel® VT-d Features
The processor supports the following Intel VT-d features:
• 48 bit max guest address width and 36 bit max host address width for non-isoch
traffic, in UP profiles
• 39-bit maximum guest address width and 36-bit maximum host address width for
isoch (Intel High Definition Audio isoch) traffic
• Support for 4K page sizes only
• Support for register-based fault recording only (for single entry only) and support
for MSI interrupts for faults
— Support for fault collapsing based on Requester ID
• Support for both leaf and non-leaf caching
• Support for boot protection of default page table
• Support for non-caching of invalid page table entries
• Support for hardware based flushing of translated but pending writes and pending
reads, on IOTLB invalidation
• Support for page-selective IOTLB invalidation
• Support for queue-based invalidation interface
• Support for Intel VT-d read prefetching/snarfing e.g. translations within a cacheline
are stored in an internal buffer for reuse for subsequent transactions
• Support for ARI (Alternate Requester ID — a PCI SIG ECR for increasing the
function number count in a PCI Express device) to support IOV devices
Datasheet, Volume 1 31
Technologies
3.1.5 Intel® VT-d Features Not Supported
The following features are not supported by the processor with Intel VT-d:
• No support for PCISIG endpoint caching (ATS)
• No support for interrupt remapping
• No support for advance fault reporting
• No support for super pages
• No support for 1 or 2 level page walks for isoch remap engine and 1, 2, or 3 level
walks for non-isoch remap engine
• No support for Intel VT-d translation bypass address range (such usage models

I don't know why you wouldn't get a i7 920 from MC @$199 though.