Quad-Core Revitalized

Earlier this month, AMD had finally made announcements on the projected retail availability of its next generation native quad-core processors and as far as AMD officials are concerned, they expect revenue shipping parts by end of August 2007 while AMD platform partners are expected to ship their solutions in September 2007. These are still projections, but the time is definitely drawing near AMD's much awaited processor refresh. Given this knowledge, Intel's launch of their 1333MHz FSB processors today seems very much like a preemptive strike to downplay their competitor's upcoming launch since Intel's processors are already available. We can't say much for AMD unfortunately since history has repeatedly shown that their most coveted processors at launches are somewhat limited in shortage soon after. As much as the industry and we would like to see what the underdog has to offer and to offer a viable and sustainable part, their production capacity is far from Intel and demands made by key PC suppliers like HP and Dell can easily siphon off supply intended for the retail segment. In about a month's time, the shroud will be unveiled and so we'll reserve further comments till then.

One thing to note though, AMD's upcoming launch is squarely aimed at the server and workstation market. The desktop launch of their Phenom X4 processors are slated for much later in the year. That means Intel's current lineup is probably going to stay put till towards the year end when their first 45nm process based CPU is expected. So until sometime next quarter, the Core 2 Extreme QX6850 processor with its four cores running at 3GHz and a 1333MHz FSB is the top dog of the desktop processor market. Its new G0 processor stepping has proved that it is more power efficient than its predecessors, so we can probably expect that to filter down to all newer processors; even in the dual-core lineup where new 1333MHz FSB processors are coming up like the E6850, E6750 and E6550.

The Core 2 Extreme quad-core processors are the most powerful desktop processors at the moment, but the QX6850 is the newest and fastest of them (and the first to officially support 1333MHz FSB).

As for the Core 2 Extreme QX6850, it delivers good performance on applications that are designed for SMP and multi-threading like 3D and graphics rendering applications as well as other multimedia content creation programs. It's a pity that we didn't really note better performance as a result of the increased FSB, but the net performance is still decent nevertheless. Other users would have to weigh their needs and check the degree of multi-threading in their applications to maximize their CPU investment. After all, US$999 for a CPU is a big sum and those who don't realize its potential with the right applications might find their systems consuming more power and generating more heat for tasks that could be handled just as well with a more efficient dual-core processor for a lot less cost.

Overall, the Core 2 Extreme QX6850 is a great processor and the fastest of its genre if you know how to tap its hidden potential. Overclocking gives even more mileage for selected usage scenarios, but care should be taken to cool the processor sufficiently and its 130W TDP despite the newer core revision. If you are going to use it at stock speeds, the supplied cooler will be sufficient in a well-ventilated system.