Closer Look: Core 2 Duo E6300 Processor

The processor family based on Core microarchitecture currently consists of five models:

The top of the line Core 2 Extreme processor is targeted for the highest-performance computer systems, while other solutions are positioned for high-end and mainstream systems. If you look at the pricing, you will see that Core 2 Duo E6300 boasts the best price-to-frequency ratio (that is the major factor influencing the performance of the solutions within the same family). This is also one of the reasons we are so interested in taking a closer look at this processor.

However, unlike the top processor models, Core 2 Duo E6300 (just like Core 2 Duo E6400) features 2MB of L2 cache memory. Although our tests indicated that the L2 cache memory size doesn’t have that much effect on the overall performance of the Core microarchitecture based processors:

We can notice a slight performance difference in WinRAR that works actively with the data. It is about 6% here. F.E.A.R. game is also approaching the same value. In all other cases the performance gain resulting from twice as big L2 cache memory doesn’t exceed 2%-3%. Therefore, hunting for CPU models with 4MB L2 cache is hardly worth the trouble and effort.

Besides the lower clock speed (it is 1.86GHz for Core 2 Duo E6300) and smaller L2 cache, there are no other differences between the youngest model of the new family and the top-of-the-line solutions including Core 2 Extreme. It boasts all the strengths of the Core microarchitecture based products:

• Dual-core design . The CPU combines two independent cores working in parallel within the same packaging. These cores work at the same clock speed and share 2MB L2 cache. They are connected to the chipset using the same Quad Pumped Bus working at 1066MHz frequency and featuring 8.5GB/s bandwidth.
• Intel Wide Dynamic Execution . Each of the two processor cores can process four instructions per clock cycle.
• Intel Smart Memory Access . The enhanced data prefetch mechanism allows to reduce the idling time of the processor execution pipeline.
• Intel Advanced Smart Cache . Intellectual L2 cache is shared between the two processor cores depending on their load at the given moment of time. Moreover, the shared L2 cache speeds up data transfer rate between the cores and reduces the front side bus workload, because no data needs to be transferred via the system memory any more.
• Intel Advanced Media Boost . The processor works faster with SSE3 instructions because it can perform the binary operations with 128-bit SSE registers within one clock cycle.
• Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT) . This virtualization technology allows modeling the work of several virtual platforms on a single hardware system.
• Intel Enhanced Memory 64 Technology (Intel EM64T) . The processor supports x86-64 extensions that allow addressing over 4GB of system RAM and support the work with 64-bit general purpose registers.
• Execute Disable Bit . The OS is protected against harmful spyware and viruses that use “buffer overflow” error to gain control over the system.
• Lower heat dissipation and power consumption . Core 2 Duo processors are manufactured with the newest 65nm technological process. Thanks to their architecture and a number of power saving technologies they boast the typical heat dissipation of 65W.