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Core 2 Extreme QX6850 Rock Solid at 3.66 GHz (Cont’d)

10:28 - Tuesday 21 August 2007 by Bert Töpelt
Source: Tom's hardware UK – Keywords: overclocking, intel
Categories: Hardware

Table of content:
7 – Core 2 Extreme QX6850 Rock Sol...
  1. 1 – Four Cores at 3 GHz: Intel’s Core 2 Extreme QX6850
  2. 2 – The New Core 2 Models with FSB 1333
  3. 3 – An Overview of the Core 2 Steppings
  4. 4 – An Overclocking Powerhouse: The new G0-Stepping
  5. 5 – Lower Core Voltage
  6. 6 – Core 2 Extreme QX6850 Rock Solid at 3.66 GHz
  7. 7 – Core 2 Extreme QX6850 Rock Solid at 3.66 GHz (Cont’d)
  8. 8 – Core 2 Duo: Going Strong at 3.60 GHz
  9. 9 – Core 2 Duo: Going Strong at 3.60 GHz (Cont’d)
  10. 10 – Power Consumption
  11. 11 – FSB1066 vs. FSB1333
  12. 12 – Which Board will run an FSB 1333 CPU?
  13. 13 – Pricing: Cheaper than the FSB1066 CPUs
  14. 14 – New Hard- and Software for our Benchmark Suite
  15. 15 – Benchmarks and Settings
  16. 16 – Benchmarks and Settings (Continued)
  17. 17 – Benchmarks - Video CloneDVD, DivX
  18. 18 – Benchmarks - Video Xvid, Premiere
  19. 19 – Benchmarks - Video Studio 11, Mainconcept
  20. 20 – Benchmarks - Audio iTunes, Lame
  21. 21 – Benchmarks – Applications HD-Video, AVG Antivirus
  22. 22 – Benchmarks – Applications Photoshop, PDF
  23. 23 – Benchmarks - Applications Cinema 4D, 3D-Studio Max
  24. 24 – Benchmarks – Applications Fritz, WinRAR
  25. 25 – Benchmarks - 3D Games Quake 4, Prey
  26. 26 – Benchmarks - 3D Games Serious Sam 2, Unreal Tournament 2004
  27. 27 – Benchmarks - 3D Games Warhammer, Supreme Commander
  28. 28 – Benchmarks – Synthetic Sandra CPU
  29. 29 – Benchmarks - Synthetic Sandra Multimedia
  30. 30 – Benchmarks - Synthetic Sandra Memory
  31. 31 – Benchmarks - Synthetic 3D-Mark
  32. 32 – Benchmarks - Synthetic PC-Mark
  33. 33 – Conclusion: New Overclocking Potential with the G0-Stepping

Core 2 Extreme QX6850 Rock Solid at 3.66 GHz (Cont’d)

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In our experience, the following holds true: With Intel’s old Pentium 4/Pentium D Netburst architecture, the gap between the frequency at which a computer would still POST and the frequency at which Windows and applications would run without crashing was quite large. This is not the case with the Core micro architecture. If a Core 2 processor is able to boot into Windows, the chances are good deal better than with Pentium 4 chips that the system will be stable.

Therefore, we can conclude that we are very close to the point where a 4 GHZ part on a 65nm process is a real possibility – be it official or overclocked.

Another interesting aspect of this new stepping is that Intel is once again starting to reach the range of clockspeeds that had previously only been reached by the Netburst architecture.

Of course, Intel optimizes each of its micro architectures in order to reach higher clockspeeds. In the case of the Netburst family, Intel had predicted that it would scale as high as 4 GHZ – only to hit a wall at 3.8 GHz. However, reaching and even crossing the 4 GHz barrier with the 45nm Penryn should not be all to difficult if the 65nm parts are already getting this close to that mark.

processor chart

It is entirely possible that some of the Core 2 Extreme QX6850 processors that are available in shops to day can be overclocked to a (Windows) stable 4 GHz. Judging by the extremely high level of performance offered by these quad-core parts, AMD will have to work nothing short of a miracle with its Barcelona and Phenom processors in order to keep up with Intel.

Several of the applications in our benchmark suite – which can take advantage of multi-core processors – show absolutely breathtaking performance at our overclocked speed of 3.66 GHz on our quad-core chip.

Overclocking the Core 2 Extreme QX6850 from 3 GHz to 3.66 GHz yields a mean performance increase of 17.8%. This number is based on our benchmark suite, excluding synthetic applications.


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Talkback
spuddyt 22/08/2007 03:46
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spuddyt

I hope Intel doesn't start 2 get a monopoly...

Cabelo 28/08/2007 04:19
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Cabelo

You're probably right to worry, but I read that AMD has taken a big upswing this month... hopefully it'll sort itself out.

I even fear the game monopoly :(

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