Santa Clara (CA) - Intel is transitioning its Core 2 Extreme QX6800 processor from the B-3 to the G-0 stepping.

The product change introduces minimal changes, mainly affecting the heat requirements of the firm's fastest quad-core desktop processor. The maximum allowed case temperature increases by 9.7 points from 54.8° Celsius to 64.5° Celsius. Intel said that the G-0 stepping requires "minimal re-qualification and/or validation" as well as a BIOS update.

For the consumer, the upgrade will provide more room for overclocking and coolin.

First G-0 samples of the 2.93 GHz processor shipped on May 11. Volume availability is scheduled for July 16.