X-bit labs

Second Iteration of Core Micro-Architecture: Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 CPU Review (page 12)

Category: CPU

by Ilya Gavrichenkov

[ 10/28/2007 | 09:04 PM ]

Brief Summary

Summing up our performance test results, let’s take another look at the performance improvement Core 2 Extreme QX9650 processor boasts compared with the predecessor, Core 2 Extreme QX6850. I would like to remind you that both CPUs work at identical clock speeds, that is why the performance advantage comes solely from the improvements in the micro-architecture.

The performance advantage of the new processor depends a lot on the type of applications we are looking at. However, despite this fact, it exists almost in every task. It is actually not surprising at all, taking into account that Core 2 Extreme QX9650 features larger L2 cache, new SSE4 instructions support and the whole bunch of other architectural innovations. Moreover, as SSE4 instructions find their way into applications, the advantage of the new 45nm processors over the old 65nm CPUs will keep growing even more. As for today’s state of things, Core 2 Extreme QX9650 proved on average 6.5% faster than Core 2 Extreme QX6850.