Processor Comparison Table

Posted by on May 4, 2010 in Intel | 116 comments

Intel Processor Comparison – Part 16 of 16

The table below compares a few processors both form Core i as well as Core 2 technologies by Intel. This article is part of a series of articles listed below

  1. Intel Processor Comparison – Introduction
  2. Want a faster PC, get more RAM first
  3. Processor Flashback
  4. Hyper Threading Technology
  5. Difference between Thread and Process
  6. Difference between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad
  7. Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3
  8. Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5
  9. Intel Turbo Boost Technology
  10. Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5
  11. Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7
  12. Differences Between Core 2 and Core i Technologies
  13. Difference Between FSB and DMI
  14. Difference Between Smart Cache and L2 Cache
  15. Processor Comparison Bottom Line
  16. Processor Comparison Table

Processor Comparison Table

Name Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor Q9400 (6M Cache, 2.66 GHz, 1333 MHz FSB) Intel® Core™ i3-540 Processor (4M Cache, 3.06 GHz) Intel® Core™ i5-750 Processor (8M Cache, 2.66 GHz) Intel® Core™ i7-860 Processor (8M Cache, 2.80 GHz) Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E8600 (6M Cache, 3.33 GHz, 1333 MHz FSB)
Code Name Yorkfield Clarkdale Lynnfield Lynnfield Wolfdale
Status Launched Launched Launched Launched Launched
Launch Date Q3’08 Q1’10 Q3’09 Q3’09 Q3’08
Processor Number Q9400 i3-540 i5-750 i7-860 E8600
# of Cores 4 2 4 4 2
# of Threads 4 4 4 8 2
Clock Speed 2.66 GHz 3.06 GHz 2.66 GHz 2.8 GHz 3.33 GHz
Max Turbo Frequency 3.2 GHz 3.46 GHz
Cache 6 MB L2 Cache 4 MB Intel® Smart Cache 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache 6 MB L2 Cache
Bus/Core Ratio 8 23 20 21 10
Bus Type FSB DMI DMI DMI FSB
System Bus 1333 MHz 2.5 GT/s 2.5 GT/s 2.5 GT/s 1333 MHz
FSB Parity No No
Instruction Set 64-bit 64-bit 64-bit 64-bit 64-bit
Instruction Set Extensions SSE4.2 SSE4.2 SSE4.2
Embedded Options Available Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Supplemental SKU No No No No No
Lithography 45 nm 32 nm 45 nm 45 nm 45 nm
Max TDP 95 W 73 W 95 W 95 W 65 W
VID Voltage Range 0.8500v-1.3625v 0.6500V-1.4000V 0.6500V-1.4000V 0.6500V-1.4000V 0.8500V-1.3625V
1ku Bulk Budgetary Price $183.00 $133.00 $196.00 $284.00 $266.00
Max Memory Size
(dependent on memory type)		 16 GB 16 GB 16 GB
Memory Types DDR3-1066/1333 DDR3-1066/1333 DDR3-1066/1333
# of Memory Channels 2 2 2
Max Memory Bandwidth 21 GB/s 21 GB/s 21 GB/s
Physical Address Extensions 36-bit 36-bit 36-bit
ECC Memory Supported No
Integrated Graphics Yes No No
Intel® HD Graphics Yes
Graphics Base Frequency 733 MHz
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI) Yes
Intel® Clear Video HD Technology Yes
Dual Display Capable Yes
PCI Express Revision 2.0 2.0 2.0
PCI Express Configurations 1×16, 2×8 1×16, 2×8 1×16, 2×8
# of PCI Express Ports 1 1 1
Max CPU Configuration 1 1 1
TCASE 71.4°C 72.6°C 72.7°C 72.4°C
Package Size 37.5mm x 37.5mm 37.5mm x 37.5mm 37.5mm x 37.5mm 37.5mm x 37.5mm 37.5mm x 37.5mm
Lithography 45 nm 32 nm 45 nm 45 nm 45 nm
Processing Die Size 164 mm2 81 mm2 296 mm2 296 mm2 107 mm2
# of Processing Die Transistors 456 million 382 million 774 million 774 million 410 million
Graphics and IMC Lithography 45 nm
Graphics and IMC Die Size 114 mm2
# of Graphics and IMC Die Transistors 177 million
Sockets Supported LGA775 FCLGA1156 LGA1156 LGA1156 LGA775
Halogen Free Options Available Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology No No Yes Yes No
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology No Yes No Yes No
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) Yes No No Yes Yes
Intel® Trusted Execution Technology Yes No No Yes Yes
AES New Instructions No No No No No
Intel® 64 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Idle States Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Enhanced Intel® Speedstep Technology Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Intel® Demand Based Switching No No No No No
Thermal Monitoring Technologies Yes No No No Yes
Execute Disable Bit Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
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Difference between Core 2 Technology vs Core i Technology

Posted by on May 4, 2010 in Intel | 1 comment

Intel Processor Comparison – Part 12 of 16

Intel Core 2 Quad and Core 2 Duo technology have some more differences as compared to Intel’s Core i3, i5 and i7 technologies. Core 2 technology supports L2 cache while Core iX processors run Intel Smart Cache technology. Similarly, architectural change in bus architecture is also a difference. Core 2 processors use FSB (Front Side Bus) while Core i processors use Intel Smart Cache.

This article is part of a series of articles listed below

  1. Intel Processor Comparison – Introduction
  2. Want a faster PC, get more RAM first
  3. Processor Flashback
  4. Hyper Threading Technology
  5. Difference between Thread and Process
  6. Difference between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad
  7. Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3
  8. Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5
  9. Intel Turbo Boost Technology
  10. Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5
  11. Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7
  12. Differences Between Core 2 and Core i Technologies
  13. Difference Between FSB and DMI
  14. Difference Between Smart Cache and L2 Cache
  15. Processor Comparison Bottom Line
  16. Processor Comparison Table
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Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7

Posted by on May 4, 2010 in Intel | 14 comments

Intel Processor Comparison – Part 11 of 16

Am I getting redundant here? Not really. Intel Core i5 is a quad core processor that can run four processes at a time, while each process can run only one thread. While Intel Core i7 can run four processes and eight threads at the same time on its four cores. So you can say that Core i5 has uni-threaded four cores, while Core i7 is a quad core processor with each core running hyper threading technology.

This article is part of a series of articles listed below

  1. Intel Processor Comparison – Introduction
  2. Want a faster PC, get more RAM first
  3. Processor Flashback
  4. Hyper Threading Technology
  5. Difference between Thread and Process
  6. Difference between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad
  7. Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3
  8. Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5
  9. Intel Turbo Boost Technology
  10. Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5
  11. Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7
  12. Differences Between Core 2 and Core i Technologies
  13. Difference Between FSB and DMI
  14. Difference Between Smart Cache and L2 Cache
  15. Processor Comparison Bottom Line
  16. Processor Comparison Table
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Intel Turbo Boost Technolog

Posted by on May 4, 2010 in Intel | 0 comments

Intel Processor Comparison – Part 9 of 16

Intel Turbo boost technology is a smart way of over clocking the processors. Gamers and enthusiasts around the globe have been using tricks to overclock their processors to get better speeds. This fact has become so popular that Intel has included Turbo Boost as their native feature. Whenever the processor is over loaded and reached its 100% processing limit, Intel Turbo Boost tehcnology comes into play. It increases the processor’s core frequency by 133 MHz after random and frequent intervals. The processor frequency continues to increase till the upper limit for the processor Turbo is reached. The upper limit is the maximum overclocking frequency that is allowed by Intel. You may end up frying your processor if you dont stop there.

This article is part of a series of articles listed below

  1. Intel Processor Comparison – Introduction
  2. Want a faster PC, get more RAM first
  3. Processor Flashback
  4. Hyper Threading Technology
  5. Difference between Thread and Process
  6. Difference between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad
  7. Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3
  8. Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5
  9. Intel Turbo Boost Technology
  10. Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5
  11. Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7
  12. Differences Between Core 2 and Core i Technologies
  13. Difference Between FSB and DMI
  14. Difference Between Smart Cache and L2 Cache
  15. Processor Comparison Bottom Line
  16. Processor Comparison Table
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Intel – Processor Flashback

Posted by on May 4, 2010 in Intel | 0 comments

Processor Comparison – Part 3 of 16

Most of us have been using those good old single core processors. Then Intel came up with their dual core technology. Dual core means, you have physically two processors that are soldered together into one microprocessor. They work independently and you actually have two processors working in your computer.

Then came a wave of processors including Cor 2 Quad, Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 that people started losing clue of, how exactly these processors are better than the typical Core 2 duo. There are technical architectural level changes that we may not be able to discuss, and those who are interested in a detailed comparison, can go through the table at the bottom of this post. But we will discuss the main changes in this post.

This article is part of a series of articles listed below

  1. Intel Processor Comparison – Introduction
  2. Want a faster PC, get more RAM first
  3. Processor Flashback (This Page)
  4. Hyper Threading Technology
  5. Difference between Thread and Process
  6. Difference between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad
  7. Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3
  8. Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5
  9. Intel Turbo Boost Technology
  10. Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5
  11. Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7
  12. Differences Between Core 2 and Core i Technologies
  13. Difference Between FSB and DMI
  14. Difference Between Smart Cache and L2 Cache
  15. Processor Comparison Bottom Line
  16. Processor Comparison Table
Read More