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The Core microarchitecture returned to lower clock rate and improved processors' usage of both available clock cycles and power compared with preceding NetBurst of the Pentium 4/D-branded CPUs. Core microarchitecture provides more efficient decoding stages, execution units, caches, and buses, reducing the power consumption of Core 2-branded CPUs, while increasing their processing capacity. Intel's CPUs have varied very wildly in power consumption according to clock rate, architecture and semiconductor process, shown in the CPU power dissipation tables.

The Core 2 brand was introduced on July 27, 2006, comprising the Solo (single-core), Duo (dual-core), Quad (quad-core), and Extreme (dual- or quad-core CPUs for enthusiasts) branches, during 2007. Intel Core 2 processors with vPro technology (designed for businesses) include the dual-core and quad-core branches.

The brand became immediately successful. The processors were introduced into Apple's popular MacBook series of notebooks, at the time Apple CEO Steve Jobs justified the entire switch to Intel from IBM's PowerPC processors by the Core 2 series' ability to provide high performance at low power consumption, renaming the "PowerBook" series to MacBook to note their lowered power consumption. The series of processors reasserted Intel's role in the processor market after a period in which AMD processors began significantly encroaching on Intel's market share. The processor series became so successful that AnandTech Senior Editor Gary Kay coined the phrase "Conroe" as a verb to describe the releasing of a product that eclipses the competition in a previously hotly contested market.

Duo, Quad, and Extreme

The Core 2-branded CPUs include: "Conroe" (dual-core for higher- and lower-end desktops), "Merom" (dual-core for laptops), "Kentsfield" (quad-core for desktops), and their variants named "Penryn" (dual-core for laptops), "Wolfdale" (dual-core for desktops, low-end dual-core for desktops) and "Yorkfield" (quad-core for desktops). (Note: For the server and workstation "Woodcrest", "Clovertown", and "Tigerton" CPUs see the Xeon brand.)

The Core 2 branded processors featured the Virtualization Technology (with some exceptions), Execute Disable Bit, and SSE3. Their Core microarchitecture introduced also SSSE3, Trusted Execution Technology, Enhanced SpeedStep, and Active Management Technology (iAMT2). With a Thermal Design Power (TDP) of up to only 65 W, the Core 2 dual-core Conroe consumed only half the power of less capable, but also dual-core Pentium D-branded desktop chips with a TDP of up to 130 W (a high TDP requires additional cooling that can be noisy or expensive).

Processor cores

Conroe

The first Intel Core 2 Duo branded processor cores, code-named Conroe (Intel product code 80557), were launched on July 27, 2006, at Fragapalooza, a yearly gaming event in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. These processors were fabricated on 300 mm wafers using a 65 nm manufacturing process, and intended for desktop computers, as a replacement for the Pentium 4 and Pentium D branded CPUs. Intel has claimed that Conroe provides 40% more performance at 40% less power compared to the Pentium D. All Conroe processors are manufactured with 4 MB L2 cache; however, due to manufacturing defects or possibly for marketing purposes, the E6300 and E6400 versions based on this core have half their cache disabled, leaving them with only 2 MB of usable L2 cache. These Conroe-based E6300 and E6400 CPUs have the B2 stepping.

The lower end E6300 (1.86 GHz) and E6400 (2.13 GHz), both with a 1066 MT/s FSB, were released on July 27, 2006. Traditionally, CPUs of the same family with less cache simply have the unavailable cache disabled, since this allows parts that fail quality control to be sold at a lower rating. When yields improve, they may be replaced with versions that only have the cache amount needed on the die, to bring down manufacturing cost. At launch time, Intel's prices for the Core 2 Duo E6300 and E6400 processors were US$183 and US$224 each in quantities of 1000. Conroe CPUs have improved capabilities over previous models with similar processor clock rates. According to reviews, the larger 4 MB L2 cache vs. the smaller 2 MB L2 cache at the same frequency and FSB can provide a 0–9% performance gain with certain applications and 0–16% performance gain with certain games. The higher end Conroe processors are the E6600 (2.4 GHz) and E6700 (2.67 GHz) Core 2 Duo models. The family has a 1066 MT/s front side bus, 4 MB shared L2 cache, and 65 watts TDP. These processors have been tested against AMD's then-current top performing processors (Athlon 64 FX Series), which were, until this latest Intel release, the highest performance X86 CPUs available. Conroe chips also produce less heat than their predecessors — a benefit of the new 65 nm technology and the more efficient microarchitecture. At launch time, Intel's prices for the Core 2 Duo E6600 and E6700 processors were US$316 and US$530, respectively, each in quantities of 1000.

E6320 and E6420 Conroe CPUs at 1.86 and 2.13 GHz respectively were launched on April 22, 2007 featuring a full 4 MB of cache and are considered Conroes.

Intel released four additional Core 2 Duo Processors on July 22, 2007. The release coincided with that of the Intel Bearlake (x3x) chipsets. The new processors are named Core 2 Duo E6540, E6550, E6750, and E6850. Processors with a number ending in "50" have a 1333 MT/s FSB. The processors all have 4 MB of L2 cache. Their clock frequency is similar to that of the already released processors with the same first two digits (E6600, E6700, X6800). An additional model, the E6540, was launched with specifications similar to the E6550 but lacking Intel Trusted Execution Technology and vPro support. These processors are stated to compete with AMD's Phenom processor line and are therefore priced below corresponding processors with a 1066 MT/s FSB.

Intel has stated that the E6300 and the E6400 are Conroe CPUs with the cache disabled. Allendale core CPUs are the E4XX0 series of CPUs.

Conroe XE

The Core 2 Extreme was officially released on July 29, 2006. However some retailers appeared to have released it on July 13, 2006, though at a higher premium. The less powerful E6x00 models of Core 2 Duo were scheduled for simultaneous release with the X6800, which are both available at this time. It is powered by the Conroe XE core and replaces the dual-core Pentium Extreme Edition processors. Core 2 Extreme has a clock rate of 2.93 GHz and a 1066 MT/s FSB, although it was initially expected to be released with a 3.33 GHz and 1333 MT/s. The TDP for this family is 75–80 watts. With SpeedStep enabled, the average temperature of the CPU when idle is essentially that of the ambient atmosphere with its fan running at 1500 RPM.

At launch time, Intel's price for the Core 2 Extreme X6800 was US$999 each in quantities of 1000. Like the desktop Core 2 Duo, it has 4 MB of shared L2 cache available. This means that the only major difference between the regular Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme is the clock rate and unlocked multiplier, usual advantages of the "Extreme Edition." The unlocked upward multiplier is of use to enthusiasts as it allows the user to set the clock rate higher than shipping frequency without modifying the FSB unlike mainstream Core 2 Duo models which are downward unlocked only.

Conroe L

The Conroe-L Celeron is a single-core processor built on the Intel Core microarchitecture and is clocked much lower than the Cedar Mill Celerons, but still outperforms them. It is based on the 65 nm Conroe-L core, and uses a 400-series model number sequence. The FSB was increased from 533 MT/s to 800 MT/s in this generation, and the TDP was decreased from 65 W to 35 W. Traditionally with Celerons, it does not have Intel VT-x instruction support or SpeedStep. All Conroe-L models are single-core processors for the value segment of the market, much like the AMD K8-based Sempron. The product line was launched on June 5, 2007.

On October 21, 2007, Intel presented a new processor for its Intel Essential Series. The full name of the processor is a Celeron 220 and is soldered on the D201GLY2 motherboard. With 1.2 GHz and a 512 KB second level cache it has a TDP of 19 Watt and can be cooled passively. The Celeron 220 is the successor of the Celeron 215 which is based on a Yonah core and used on the D201GLY motherboard. This processor is exclusively used on the mini-ITX boards targeted to the sub-value market segment.

Allendale

There was contention regarding whether or not the previously available low-end Core 2 Duo desktop processors (E6300, at 1.86 GHz and E6400, at 2.13 GHz, both with 2 MB L2 cache) were specimens of the Allendale core. Prior to Q1 2007, all E6300 and E6400 processors released were Conroe (4 MB L2 cache) cores with half their L2 cache disabled. The Allendale core, manufactured with 2 MB L2 cache in total, offers a smaller die size and therefore greater yields.

Quoted from The Tech Report:

You'll find plenty of sources that will tell you the code name for these 2 MB Core 2 Duo processors is "Allendale," but Intel says otherwise. These CPUs are still code-named "Conroe," which makes sense since they're the same physical chips with half of their L2 cache disabled. Intel may well be cooking up a chip code-named Allendale with 2 MB of L2 cache natively, but this is not that chip.

Another difference between the premium E6000 series (Conroe core) and the E4000 series (Allendale core) is the front side bus clock rating. The E4000 series are rated to run on a quad-pumped 200 MHz front side bus ("800 MT/s") while the E6000 series are rated to run on a quad-pumped 266 MHz front side bus ("1066 MT/s"). The E4000 series also lack support for Intel VT-x instructions.

The Core 2 Duo E4300 uses an Allendale core, released on January 21, 2007. The Allendale processors use a smaller mask with only 2 MB of cache, thereby increasing the number of chips per wafer. Allendale processors are produced in the LGA775 form factor, on the 65 nm process node. E6300 and E6400 CPUs have been made from both the 4 MB Conroe die and the 2 MB L2 Allendale die. The steppings of the chip differs depending on the die used- the Conroe-based E6300 and E6400 are stepping B2 and the Allendale-based E6300 and E6400 are stepping L2.

Initial list price per processor in quantities of one thousand for the E4300 was US$163. A standard OEM price was US$175, or US$189 for a retail package. The price was cut on April 22, 2007, when the E4400 was released at $133 and the E4300 dropped to $113. Allendale processors with half their L2 cache disabled were released in mid-June 2007 under the Pentium Dual-Core brand name. The working cache memory was reduced by half again when the Allendale core was released under Intel's Celeron brand; the Celeron E1200 has a 512k L2 cache shared between its two cores.

On July 22, 2007, an E4500 Allendale was launched, phasing out the E4300 model. This was accompanied by a price cut for the E4400 model.

Merom

Merom, the first mobile version of the Core 2, was officially released on July 27, 2006 but quietly began shipping to PC manufacturers in mid-July alongside Conroe. Merom became Intel's premier line of mobile processors, with mostly the same features of Conroe, but with more emphasis on low power consumption to enhance notebook battery life. Merom-based Core 2 Duo provides a slight performance increase associated with 3D rendering and media encoding tasks , yet maintains the same battery life as the Yonah-based Core Duo. Merom is the first Intel mobile processor to feature Intel 64 architecture.

The first version of Merom is "drop-in" compatible with Napa platform for Core Duo, requiring at most a motherboard BIOS update. It has a similar thermal envelope of 34 W and the same 667 MT/s FSB rate. The Merom die features 4 MB L2 cache, half of which is deactivated in the T5xx0 CPUs. A native 2 MB L2 version of the Merom core, called Merom-2M, was rolled out in early 2007. The Merom-2M core uses the steppings L2 and M0 and the ultra-low-voltage versions of the Core 2 Duo use this core.

A second wave of Merom processors featuring an 800 MT/s FSB and using the new Socket P was launched on May 9, 2007. These chips are part of Santa Rosa platform. Low voltage versions were also released on May 9, 2007.

The first Core 2 Solo processors were launched in Q3 2007 and consisted of the U2100 and U2200, which run at 1.06 and 1.2 GHz, respectively. They both feature a 533 MT/s FSB and are part of Intel's ULW family, running at only 5 W. Like the rest of the Core 2 family, they are 64-bit compatible. They were released with compatibility with the Napa platform rather than the newer Santa Rosa platform due to power consumption concerns.

Merom (מרום) is the Hebrew word for a higher plane of existence or a level of heaven, BaMerom (במרום) means "in the heavens". The name was chosen by the Intel team in Haifa, Israel, who designed this processor.

Merom XE

The Core 2 Extreme Mobile processor, based on the Merom XE core, is a mobile CPU designed for ultra-high end laptops. It was released in two models, the X7900 and the X7800. These feature an 800 MT/s FSB. The X7800, introduced on July 16, 2007, is clocked at 2.6 GHz and costs around $851 for OEMs. The processor features a 44 W TDP and requires the new Intel Centrino (Santa Rosa) platform. The X7900, introduced on August 22, 2007, is clocked at 2.8 GHz.

Kentsfield

The Kentsfield released on November 2, 2006 was the first Intel desktop quad core CPU branded Core 2 (and Xeon for lower-end servers and workstations). The top-of-the-line Kentsfields were Core 2 Extreme models numbered QX6xx0, while the mainstream ones branded Core 2 Quad were numbered Q6xx0. All of them featured two 4 MB L2 caches. The mainstream Core 2 Quad Q6600, clocked at 2.4 GHz, was launched on January 8, 2007 at US$851 (reduced to US$530 on April 7, 2007). July 22, 2007 marked the release of the Q6700, and Extreme QX6850 Kentsfields at US$530 and US$999 respectively along with a further price reduction of the Q6600 to US$266.

Analogous to the Pentium D branded CPUs, the Kentsfields comprise two separate silicon dies (each equivalent to a single Core 2 duo) on one MCM. This results in lower costs but lesser share of the bandwidth from each of the CPUs to the northbridge than if the dies were each to sit in separate sockets as is the case for example with the AMD Quad FX platform. Also, as might be predicted from the two-die MCM configuration, the max power consumption (TDP) of the Kentsfield (QX6800 - 130 watts, QX6700 - 130 W, Q6600 - 95 W ) has been found to be double that of its similarly clocked Core 2 Duo counterpart.

The multiple cores of the Kentsfield most benefit applications that can easily be broken into a small number of parallel threads (such as audio and video transcoding, data compression, video editing, 3D rendering and ray-tracing). To take a specific example, multi-threaded games such as Crysis and Gears of War which must perform multiple simultaneous tasks such as AI, audio and physics benefit from the quad-core CPUs. In such cases, the processing performance may increase relative to that of a single-CPU system by a factor approaching the number of CPUs. This should, however, be considered an upper limit as it presupposes the user-level software is well-threaded. To return to the above example, some tests have demonstrated that Crysis fails to take advantage of more than two cores at any given time . On the other hand, the impact of this issue on broader system performance can be significantly reduced on systems which frequently handle numerous unrelated simultaneous tasks such as multi-user environments or desktops which execute background processes while the user is active. There is still, however, some overhead involved in coordinating execution of multiple processes or threads and scheduling them on multiple CPUs which scales with the number of threads/CPUs. Finally, on the hardware level there exists the possibility of bottlenecks arising from the sharing of memory and/or I/O bandwidth between processors.

Kentsfield XE

The first Kentsfield XE, named Core 2 Extreme QX6700 (product code 80562) and clocked at 2.67 GHz, was released on November 2, 2006, at US$999. January 4, 2008, marks its discontinuation. It featured the Kentsfield XE core, and complemented the Core 2 Extreme X6800 dual-core processor based on the Conroe XE core. Like their dual core Extreme predecessors, CPUs with the Kentsfield XE core had unlocked multipliers.

The Core 2 Extreme QX6800 clocked at 2.93 GHz was released on April 8, 2007, at US$1,199. It had a 130 W TDP thermal envelope, and was intended for high end OEM-only systems.

The Core 2 Extreme QX6850 clocked at 3.0 GHz was launched on July 22, 2007, at US$999. It featured a faster 1333 MT/s FSB. Simultaneously, the previously available Extreme QX6700 was reduced in price.

Penryn

The successor to the Merom core currently used for the Core 2 Duo T5000/T7000 series mobile processors, code-named Penryn, debuted on the 45 nanometer process. Many details about Penryn appeared at the April 2007 Intel Developer Forum. Its successor is Nehalem.

Important advances include the addition of new instructions including SSE4 (also known as Penryn New Instructions) and new fabrication materials; most significantly a hafnium-based high-k dielectric.

Penryn is paired with the 2007 desktop chipset series, Bearlake, some of whose models include an increase in bus performance (connection to the northbridge, etc.) to 1333 MT/s and support for DDR3 SDRAM. In notebooks and other mobile equipment, Penryn pairs with the mobile chipset series Crestline, which does not support DDR3, although Intel believes future DDR3 support will benefit mobile equipment's power- and heat-constrained environments.

Intel's new 45 nm Penryn-based Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme processors were released on January 6, 2008. The new processors launch exclusively within a 35 W thermal envelope. Penryn has also been released for notebooks with companies such as HP beginning to offer the first model, the T9500, from late January 2008. The T9500 offers a 2.6 GHz clock rate, higher than all but the Extreme Edition of the Merom range, and 6 MB (rather than 4 MB) of Level 2 Cache.

Intel released an Apple-only chip on April 28, 2008 that increased the clock rate to 3.06 GHz as well as increasing the Front Side Bus to 1066 MT/s, and changed the Cache to 6 MB shared L2.

The entry level Penryn is the T8xxx-Series, with only 3 MB Level 2 Cache and beginning with the T8100 at a clock rate of 2.1 GHz.

Wolfdale

Wolfdale is the codename for the E5000 Pentium Dual Core and E7000 and E8000 series of Core 2 Duo desktop processors, which are similar to the Penryn and Yorkfield XE dies and succeed the Conroe dies. Released on January 20, 2008, the chips are manufactured using a 45-nanometer process and feature two processor cores. The E7200 model, operating at 2.53 GHz, has 3 MB of L2 cache and a 1066 MT/s FSB; the other models, operating at 2.66 GHz, 3.0 GHz, 3.16 GHz, and 3.33 GHz, each have 6 MB of shared L2 cache and a 1333 MT/s FSB. The processor includes the SSE4.1 media extensions. The E5200 runs at 2.5 GHz and has 2 MB of L2 cache, replacing the E2000 series of Pentium Dual core chips.

Yorkfield

Yorkfield (codename for the Q9000 series) features a dual-die quad core design with two unified 6 MB L2 caches. Later versions were released with two unified 3 MB L2 caches but it is not known whether they are 6 MB caches with half disabled or native 3 MB design to reduce production cost. They also feature 1333 MT/s FSB and are compatible with the Bearlake chipset. These processors were released in late March 2008 beginning with the Q9300 and Q9450. Yorkfield CPUs were expected to be released in January 2008. However, the release of Yorkfield was delayed to March 15, 2008. Initially this delay was attributed to an error found in the Yorkfield chip, but later reports claimed that the delay was necessary in order to ensure compatibility with the 4-layer print-circuit boards utilized by many mainstream motherboards. At the Intel Developer Forum 2007, a Yorkfield processor was compared with a Kentsfield processor.

Yorkfield XE

On November 11, 2007, Intel released the first Yorkfield XE processor, Core 2 Extreme QX9650. It is the first Intel desktop processor to use 45 nm technology and high-k metal gates. Yorkfield features a dual-die quad core design with two unified level-two (L2) caches of 6 MB each. It also features a 1333 MT/s FSB and clock rate of 3 GHz. The processor incorporates SSE4.1 instructions and has total of 820 million transistors on 2x107 mm² dies.