Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 - Yorkfield Has Landed

It seems like Intel started talking about the Penryn core as soon as the Conroe core launched in the form of the first Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme processors.  Penryn was to be the next evolution in Intel’s Core microarchitecture and would be the foundation of a new class of mobile, desktop, and server processor built using the company’s advanced 45nm manufacturing process.

Penryn wouldn’t be a straight die-shrink of Conroe, however.  With Penryn, Intel planned to introduce new SSE4 instructions, increase the amount of L2 cache per core, reduce power consumption, and generally enhance overall performance, clock for clock.  All things that sound good to a PC enthusiast.

After many months of trickling out information regarding Penryn and Intel’s 45nm manufacturing process, we’re finally able to offer you some firsthand information regarding Yorkfield, Intel’s quad-core, desktop Penryn derivative.  We recently got our hands on a new Core 2 Extreme QX9650 processor and were able to run it through a host of benchmarks and overclock it as well.  Read on to see how the QX9650 performed and whether or not Intel’s 45nm manufacturing process is all the company has claimed it is cracked up to be...
 

 
A Penny For Your Thoughts...

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 Processor Specifications & Features

Core Frequency - 3.0GHz System Bus Frequency - 1333MHz TDP (Thermal Design Power) - 130W   Stepping -  6 Number of CPU Cores - 4 L2 Cache - 12MB (2 x 6MB) Max processor input voltage (VID) - 1.360v .045-micron manufacturing process   Shared Smart Cache Technology PECI Enabled Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology (EIST) Extended HALT State (C1E) Enabled Execute Disable Bit (XD) Enabled Intel 64 Technology Intel Virtualization Technology (VT)

Packaging -  Flip Chip LGA775 Total Die Size: Approximately 214mm2 (107mm2 x2)  Approximately 820M Transistors MSRP - $TBA

Penryn Die (Yorkfield = 2X)

  
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650: Top and Bottom

We've published a number of articles relating to Intel's Core microarchitecture, Core 2 Duo and Extreme family of processors, Penryn, and Intel's 45nm manufacturing process in the past here at HotHardware.com.  For more detail or a refresher on the technologies employed by the new Core 2 Extreme QX9650 and Intel's platform as a whole, we suggest taking a look at the following related articles.  These articles contain detailed explanations of some of the features common to Intel's legacy products, compatible chipsets, and the processes used to build these new processors:

• Intel Skulltrail and Penryn Performance Preview
• Intel P35 Bearlake Chipset and DDR3 Memory Launch
• Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850
• Intel Penryn and Nehalem Details Emerge
• Intel Wolfdale and Yorkfield Performance (Penryn)
• Intel 45nm Fab Process And Penryn Preview

At the very least, we suggest you read our Intel 45nm fab process preview and the Intel Penryn and Nehalem details articles to get familiar with the new technologies employed in the Yorkfield core which is at the heart of the new QX9650 and Intel's advanced 45nm manufacturing process.  Those two articles in particular will lay the foundation for what we're going to show you on the pages ahead.