Intel’s Core 2 Quadro Kentsfield: Four Cores on a Rampage | Tom’s Hardware
Are there any limits to the performance frenzy? Even expert opinions are deeply divided, ranging from “more cores are absolutely necessary” to “why do I need something more than my five-year-old PC system?” Although the Core 2 quad-core processors are not expected to hit retail channels before October, Tom’s Hardware Guide had the opportunity to examine several Core 2 Quadro models in the test labs. We would like to make it clear that these samples were not provided by Intel.
Basically, Intel packs two Core 2 Duo processors into one package. This poses several questions: How fast are four cores versus the not-exactly-a-weakling dual-core version? What will the heat dissipation and power consumption figures be like in a PC system with a quad core processor? Which applications can truly benefit from the increased core count? Is the current platform still sufficient? And finally, the question real enthusiasts are sure to pose: What can be expected in terms of maximum clock speed? [Read on]