Feature Articles
Quad-Core Processors Compared
Quad-Core Processors Compared
With the addition of these new Core i7 processors, we have updated our summary of all current quad-core processors that are available in the market. This may also be the last time that we'll be seeing the Core i7-965 Extreme Edition and the i7-940.
| Processor Name | Core i7 | AMD Phenom II X4 (AM3) | AMD Phenom II X4 (AM2+) | Core 2 Quad (45nm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processor Model | i7-975 Extreme Edition, i7-965 Extreme Edition, i7-950, i7-940, i7-920 | 955 'Black Edition', 945, 910, 810, 805 | 940 'Black Edition', 920 | QX9775, Q9650, Q9550, Q9400, Q9300 |
| Processor Frequency | 3.3GHz, 3.2GHz, 3.06GHz, 2.93GHz, 2.66GHz | 3.2GHz, 3.0GHz, 2.6GHz, 2.6GHz, 2.5GHz | 3.0GHz, 2.8GHz | 2.5GHz - 3.2GHz |
| No. of Cores | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Front Side Bus (MHz) | - | - | - | 1333 |
| HyperTransport Bus / QuickPath Interconnect | 6.4GT/sec for i7-975 XE, i7-965 XE, 4.8GT/sec for i7-950, i7-940, i7-920 | 2.0GHz | 1.8GHz | - |
| L1 Cache (data + instruction) | (32KB + 32KB) x 4 | (64KB + 64KB) x 4 | (64KB + 64KB) x 4 | (32KB + 32KB) x 4 |
| L2 Cache | 256KB x 4 | 512KB x 4 | 512KB x 4 | 6MB x 2, 3MB x 2 (Q9300 & Q9400 only) |
| L3 Cache | 8MB | 6MB for 900 series 4MB for 800 series | 6MB | - |
| Memory Controller | Integrated Triple Channel (up to DDR3-1066) | Integrated Dual Channel (up to DDR2-1066 or DDR3-1333) | Integrated Dual Channel (up to DDR2-1066) | External - Chipset Dependent |
| TDP (W) | 130W | 125W for 900 series 95W for 800 series | 125W | 125W for QX9775 95W for all others |
| Instruction Set Support | MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2 | MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSE4a | MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSE4a | MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSSE4.1 |
| Execute Disable Bit | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Intel EM64T / AMD64 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology (EIST) / AMD Cool 'n' Quiet | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Virtualization Technology | Yes (Enhanced) | Yes | Yes | Yes (Enhanced) |
| Packaging | LGA1366 | AM3 | AM2+ | LGA775 |
| Process Technology | 45nm | 45nm SOI | 45nm SOI | 45nm |
| Processor Codename | Bloomfield | Deneb | Deneb | Yorkfield |
| Die Size | 263mm² | 258mm² | 258mm² | 214mm² |
| No. of Transistors | 731 million | 758 million | 758 million | 820 million |