Test Conditions
Test conditions
Intel had three pre-configured desktop systems that only differed from one another with respect to the CPU used.
Click for larger imageRunning from left-to-right, the machines were equipped with a 45nm Wolfdale (dual-core) processor running at 3.33GHz, off a 1333MHz FSB, and equipped with 6MB of L2 cache. The middle machine featured a Yorkfield (quad-core) processor, which is simply two Wolfdale cores on the same package, running at the same clock speed and FSB, but with 12MB of L2 cache. Lastly, the right-hand machine ran a Kentsfield-based quad-core processor at 2.93GHz/1066MHz FSB/8MB L2 cache. It will be more commonly known to you as Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6800 - released a couple of weeks ago and, undeniably, the fastest x86 desktop processor around.
The processors ship in the same LGA775 package and will run with similar TDPs to present 65nm-based dual- and quad-core models: the heat reduction from moving on over to a 45nm process offset by increasing the overall transistor count, mainly by adding more on-chip cache.
The test motherboards were modified Intel i975X Bad Axe 2 models, but Penryn will be officially supported by Intel's Bearlake chipsets, released in the next couple of months.
This be faster than your CPU, yes sir! But even this one doesn't have that much L1 cache.