Intel Core 2 Duo: affordable and powerful
Author:
Date: 18.10.2006
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Situation with Core 2 Duo processors makes no difference from what was before. The reviews and test configurations mention primarily the higher-end and extreme models, whereas the lower-end either get obnubilated or are lost in the whole mass of all novelties emerging onto the market and thus become forgotten undeservedly. But it is just they which are in facts the winners and which will gain most of the money, however trivial it may sound.
In our materials, we have given a quite detailed account of the architectural traits of Intel Core and conducted a large number of tests - from running new processors with math suites up to Core 2 Duo performance in the most favorite gaming tests. Today we using these tests to benchmark the most affordable Core 2 Duo processors based on the Allendale core. As may know, the major and only distinction (of course, apart from the clock speed) of the lower-end series from the Conroe processors is just in the twofold reduction of the L2 cache memory size (to 2 MB). In fact, running a bit ahead, we'd like to note that it hasn't much influenced the performance, which we'll prove today.
Note that we are not taking into account another representative of the series – Core 2 Duo E4300 which, apart from the remaining aspects, has undergone reduction in the system bus speed to 800 MHz. We'll be able to talk about the performance of this processor only after its announcement which, according to the latest information, is to be held in January 2007.
Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 and E6400 – "a sweet couple"
Currently, the prices for Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 and E6400 processors fluctuate within 200$ to 230$, respectively. That means their direct competitors are dual-core AMD Athlon X2 3800+ and 4000+ and, to some extent, their brother Intel Pentium D 945 of 3.4 GHz clock speed. The scattering of prices at distribitors' is wide enough, so let's at least schematically list the above models of the same pricing category.
Much has already been spoken regarding the success of Intel's new architecture. If you are still unaware, you can go deep into examining the articles «Core 2 Duo processors: shock and awe» and «Dual-core Intel Conroe processors». Our goal today is different – to explore the behavior of processors in practice, reveal their overclocking capabilities in conditions demanding for overclocking (to be told later), as well as compare the performance of Core 2 Duo Conroe versus the immediate contenders. That's just what we'll be doing today, but for now let's look at the summary table of specifications.
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Processor
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Core
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Clock speed, GHz
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Multiplier
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Bus speed, MHz
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L2 cache size, MB
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Typical heat emission, W
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Price, $
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Core 2 Extreme X6800
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Conroe
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2,93
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11
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1066
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4
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75
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999
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Core 2 Duo E6700
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Conroe
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2,67
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10
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1066
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4
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65
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530
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Core 2 Duo E6600
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Conroe
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2,4
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9
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1066
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4
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65
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316
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Core 2 Duo E6400
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Allendale
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2,13
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8
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1066
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2
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65
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230
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Core 2 Duo E6300
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Allendale
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1,86
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7
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1066
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2
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65
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200
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Core 2 Duo E4300
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Allendale
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1,80
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9
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800
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2
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65
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??
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This table is a proof of our words – the differences among the processors are minimum, and the thrifty user can make up for the clock speed difference through overclocking. Now let's take a closer look at the processors.
By sight, the boxed versions of processors make no difference from one another. Here are two Allendale and one Conroe (Core 2 Duo E6600) processors.
As compared to Pentium D, the form factor of the box has not changed - only the color spectrum and positioning of some components has been changed.
The package bundle is also standard enough. It is the customary Intel's boxed cooler with factory-applied "chewing gum" and a list of operating instructions describing the main rules of using the processor: «Do not chew, do not throw, never heat up in a microwave, and so on
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