Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700

Since the release of Intel’s Conroe micro-architecture, the company has been making waves, massive waves. In terms of performance, Intel washed away main competitor AMD, and they have continued to do so during the past three months with the success of their Core 2 Duo and Extreme processor series.

The only counter AMD has been able to come up with so far is to completely slash prices for all their existing processors, making them extremely tempting as well. Nevertheless, the performance of the Core 2 Duo processor range is so compelling, that even die-hard AMD fans have been taking notice.

The Conroe, or as it is better known, the Core 2 Duo, is a Pentium replacement, meaning we will now longer see any new Pentium branded processors. The Pentium 5xx, 6xx and D series are already becoming a thing of the past. So with Intel now focusing all their attention on the Core 2 series, you can expect it to expand quite rapidly.

Currently, there are four Core 2 Duo processors which were released at the initial launch (E6300, E6400, E6600 and E6700). There is also the Core 2 Extreme processor dubbed the X6800, though it offers very little in the way of performance over the E6700. There is said to be four new Core 2 Duo processors on the way that will run on a 1333MHz FSB and will all feature the larger 4MB L2 Cache. They are the E6650, E6750, E6800 and E6850, though we are not here to discuss these processors today. Rather, we are here to examine the new Kentsfield micro-architecture which is based on a quad-core 65nm design.

Intel prepares six-core Xeon

Quad-core and Octo-core might be the current next-gen craze for desktops and servers, but Intel seems wants to pitch a line of CPUs in-between as well. Intel will be adding on to their Xeon lineup with the “Dunnington” core later this year, a CPU that will have a total of six cores under the hood.

Dunnington, which was announced three years ago, is intended to be an enterprise-class chip and will feature 3MB of shared L2 cache per pair of cores, and shared 16MB L3 cache. According to the leaked slides, it'll use the 'somewhat dated' 1066MHz FSB, and is probably aimed at preventing the Opteron from regaining any ground once AMD gets back on their feet.

Intel Core 2 Duo E6700

The new Intel Core 2 Duo E6700, most cost-efficient chip on the market; low power consumption makes it cooler, quieter, and easy to use in smaller PC designs.

Chipset politics between Intel and graphics card vendors hurt gamers, who now have to pick an Intel board for ATI's CrossFire or an Nvidia board for SLI cards.

Intel's Core 2 Duo E6700 offers the best price-to-performance ratio we've seen in a desktop chip. For half the cost of AMD's top-of-the-line chip, you get identical if not superior performance and better power efficiency. AMD surprised us last year with its completely dominant dual-core chips, but Intel regains the crown with Core 2 Duo.