X-bit labs

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 and Core 2 Quad Q6600 Processors: Quad-Core CPUs Gone Real! (page 12)

Category: CPU

by Ilya Gavrichenkov

[ 11/01/2006 | 10:31 PM ]

Overclocking

In conclusion let’s take a closer look at the frequency potential of the new Kentsfield processors.

These CPUs can be overclocked in pretty traditional manner. You do exactly the same thing as you did with Conroe. Since Core 2 Extreme QX6700 is targeted for hardware enthusiasts, its features an unlocked clock frequency multiplier and hence can be overclocked somewhat easier than any other members of the same processor family. At least you can raise the CPU frequency above the nominal on any mainboard. This is however not true for the not yet announced Core 2 Quad Q6600 processor that features a locked clock frequency multiplier of 9x. So you will need a mainboard that can work stably at high FSB frequencies, if you want to succeed in overclocking this processor.

During our overclocking experiments we didn’t use any special cooling solutions. All tests were run with a popular Zalman CNPS9500 LED air-cooler. We used ASUS P5B Deluxe mainboard on Intel P965 Express chipset as our ultimate overclocking platform. Processor Vcore was set at 1.5V for both CPUs. As you remember, the nominal Vcore for our Core 2 Extreme QX6700 processor equaled 1.3V, and for Core 2 Quad Q6600 processor – 1.2V. During our overclocking experiments we manipulated only the FSB frequency, without changing the clock multipliers, even for Core 2 Extreme QX6700.

The results are the following: Core 2 Extreme QX6700 could run stably at 3.5GHz.

So, we can say that the top Kentsfield processor demonstrated pretty impressive frequency potential of more than 30% beyond its nominal rate.

As for the second CPU, the Core 2 Quad Q6600, it hit a slightly lower frequency of 3.42GHz.

Nevertheless, this is also a very good result, equal to 43% frequency increase above the nominal.

So, Kentsfield processors have every chance to be an interesting overclocker’s solution. Even though Conroe based CPUs can hit higher speeds, Kentsfield doesn’t fall too far behind them. Our testing participants could work stably at 3.5GHz without any additional cooling.