Intel's 45 nm Penryn CPU: 4 GHz Air Cooled

The Processor - Intel Core 2 QX9650

Intel's new quad-core processor still consists of two dual-core processors combined into one CPU package. Wolfdale is actually the codename for the dual-core version, while the quad-core version is called Yorkfield.

With a die area of only 107 mm², Penryn is smaller than a one cent coin.

The Yorkfield die measures 214 mm².

The following table highlights the differences between the old and the new technology, by comparing current quad-core models.

An engineering sample of the QX9650.

Nothing has changed on the back. Same number of pins, same pin-out.

This is the CPU we used for all of our benchmarks and tests.

This is how we received our engineering sample from Intel.

The Core 2 Extreme QX9650 that we received from Intel uses the C0 stepping.

While CPU-Z was unable to identify the stepping, Everest had no such problems.