Central Processor Information (CPU)Central Processor Information (CPU)
Intel Lynnfield & Core i5 / i3 (Socket LGA1156, Released Q4 2009) - The new entry level and mid range Quad and Duo core processors following the design and architecture of Core i7 but in a smaller cheaper package, with cheaper P55 chipset support and a lower speed memory bus with lower dual channel bandwidth instead of triple. Other than that they are almost identical processors to Core i7 and perform similarly, very very well. For the general user or gamer they are the choice to go for but if you do memory intensive processing work the i7 is the one for you especially since the top end Lynnfield is going to cost more than the entry level i7 processor.
Intel Nehalem EP and EX (Socket LGA1366, Released Q2 2009) - Workstation and Server class chipset and processors. The Nehalem Xeons run faster, cooler and generally more reliably (although that's definitely very relative as we have had few reliability issues at all with Core i7). Nehalem EP and EX support multi processors (Symmetric Multi-Processing, SMP) through the Nehalem QPI bus which is far more scalable and performant than the old FSB. The 5500 chipset supporting the workstation and server platform also supports both ECC and non-ECC high performance memory on our selected premium grade boards. The platform offers eight processing cores (16 including HyperThreading virtual cores) and over 100GB of memory for phenomenal multitasking and in memory processing capacity unprecedented in previous platforms. AMD's Opteron is a good challenger but core for core Nehalem outperforms it by quite a margin with memory bandwidth also being significantly higher. Intel continue to have the edge for now...
Intel Core i7 ('Nehalem' Socket LGA1366, Released Q4 2008) - a whole new high performance design and architecture hails the arrival of Intel Core i7 processors. Initially in three versions a 920 and 940 multiplier locked versions at a factory set 2.66GHz and 2.93GHz, and an Extreme 965 edition at 3.2GHz multiplier unlocked. Gone is the Front Side Bus (FSB) replaced with Quick Path Interconnect which has the memory controller on the CPU die (hence the large increase in its physical size) interfacing directly with your memory (DDR3 only supported). With the memory controller and bus so close to the processor a massive boost in data rate between the two is possible going from an old world theoretical maximum FSB of 1.6GHz to 4.8GT/s (Giga transfers a second equivalent to half that figure in bus speed so the 975's QPI of 6.4GT/s is roughly the same as an FSB of 3.2GHz). Also on the new processor Hyper Threading is back creating another 'virtual' four cores, which makes it look like an eight core processor to your games and applications. Level 2 cache has been replaced with a hierarchical Level 2 cache of 256KB per core and a shared Level 3 cache of 8MB. It's yet to be seen how much all this will really boost performance. As ever it will depend on what your doing as to how well it suits you, what's certain is that well multithreaded large single applications or games will probably gain the most.
Intel Core 2 Duo (Socket LGA775) - we don't have dual core processors in any of our desktop designs any more. We do use them in the HTPC and mobile designs where space is tight and the added power consumption and thermal output (heat) of a Quad is more of a problem, and for these applications an extra two cores really is unnecessary. There is now such a small price difference between the dual core and quad core processors we think the Quad's are clearly offering better value for money long term. On top of that more and more games and applications are now using more threads, which means they get the benefits of multiple cores. Codenamed 'Wolfdale' almost all Duo CPU's are now using 45nm prefabrication.
Intel Core 2 Quad (Socket LGA775) - With four cores running at 4GHz a multithreaded game or application (i.e. software with parallel execution design) can get the benefit of a massive equivalent to 16GHz of processing power. What's more, while one core is busy processing one application the other cores can be doing something else. You may have noticed that while Photoshop is rendering, or a game is running, your email, word processing or internet, is jumpy and clunky and periodically freezes up. This is usually because Windows is having to time share all your running applications on a single thread of execution with the CPU, so it gives a little processing time to each application in turn (round-robin fashion). While the application is waiting for its turn again everything freezes up. The Dual and especially Quad cores eliminate this completely. This is especially important for real time applications like video encoding, cinematic animation and graphics, streaming encoded audio and anything else dependent on instantaneous reaction to real time events. The Quad cores started on the old 65nm prefabrication (codenamed 'Kentsfield') and are now available in lower power, lower heat output, larger L2 cache and smaller die sized 45nm versions (codenamed 'Yorkfield').
Intel Core 2 Extreme (Socket LGA775) - First lets dispel a myth; there really isn't much if any physical difference between a standard Quad and an Extreme version of the Quad CPU. The Extreme version is branded as such because Intel have selected the 12MB L2 cache processors that have come of the line running generally faster and cooler. They also come as 'multiplier unlocked' which allows us to configure them in such a way as to be unconstrained by the speed of the motherboard FSB. A standard Quad could ultimately be limited in its top speed by how fast the motherboards bus speed will go, with an Extreme the clock speed settings are more independent and it is unlikely to be constrained at all. Theoretical max bus speeds are currently around 1800MHz this infers a maximum multiplier locked speed of 3.6GHz ((1800/4)x8). For water, TEC and phase cooling an Extreme processor is really mandatory as few motherboards are able to match the CPU speed potential with an appropriate FSB at the standard multiplier. Extreme processors are prefixed 'QX'.
Intel Xeon (Socket LGA771) - the Xeon processor is the industry strength server and workstation variant of the retail Core 2 Quad. Generally they are more robust, have more level two cache than retail CPU's (typically 12MB of Level 2 cache, which often makes a significant difference in processor performance, usually more than pure clock speed differences). Our designs generally are specified with only the new Hi-K 45nm prefabrication processor, those prefixed with the letter 'E'. Processor speeds are usually capped slightly lower in the industrial CPU range, however, they are also highly conservative in rating and will respond very well to significant overclocking. Using socket LGA771 they require server or workstation motherboards such as the multi-cpu Skulltrail motherboard.
AMD Phenom (Socket AM2+ / AM3) - AMD have offered an economical alternative to Intel CPU's for some time. Many industry experts would also argue that in principle AMD's alternative full duplex architecture for the FSB called HyperTransport, an integrated memory controller along with true multi core design (there are actually four independent CPU's on an AMD die, whereas Intel Quad processors are in fact two back-to-back dual cores). To emphasise this point AMD effective bandwidth on the bus and through the integrated memory controller are significantly higher than that of Intel discrete memory controller Chipsets such as P45 and X48 that operate at a theoretical ceiling of 1600MHz. Despite this AMD Phenom quad core processors are lagging behind the benchmarks being posted by Intel Core 2 Quad. All Phenom Black Edition CPU's are 65nm prefabrication and multiplier unlocked.