Three Theories Where The Customer Comes Out Ahead
Now we must raise the obvious question: "why is Intel bringing this CPU to market?" We have three possible theories to explain this offering. The first is that with 65 nm process technology, processor manufacturing is working out better than Intel expected, allowing it to offer a larger product portfolio. Thus, to empty the warehouses of processors built using 90 nm technology and to avoid financial drawbacks, older technology products must be made more attractive to buyers. Clock speeds and prices will both be reduced dramatically, to permit a quick sell-off of the 90 nm parts.
The second theory is that this CPU has been released deliberately, to give Intel an option for going after AMD's position in the overclocking market. The latter vendor has offered its lower-frequency Opteron 144 to the server segment for some time now, which likewise occupies a similar price point and provides comparable overclocking appeal.
Finally, the third possibility we might suggest is that the Pentium D 805 represents nothing more than a simple OEM CPU that just happens to incorporate a lucky combination of technical characteristics that support great overclocking potential.
In the end, it's immaterial which of these theories is correct. In every case, the customer wins!
Ideal Conditions For Overclocking
From a collection of technical characteristics we can derive four key elements that a CPU must possess to demonstrate strong overclocking potential:
- Low front side bus stock clock speed, which creates the possibility for overclocking
- A high multiplier value, which enables the processor to attain high clock rates
- An improved circuit version (stepping)
- A low price, to make the cost difference with a top-of-the-line CPU sufficiently large to justify the effort required in overclocking.
