Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Processor Review - Page 11

Benchmark Analysis

The system and gaming benchmarks failed to provide any big surprises, but then again, we didn't really expect any. The Core 2 Quad Q6600 is simply a 2.4 GHz iteration of the Kentsfield core, and we already had a pretty good idea of its performance from benchmarking the 2.66 GHz Core 2 Extreme QX6700. This is still a very impressive processor, especially when using the Core 2 Quad Q6600 for everyday office and multimedia tasks. Its CPU and media encoding power is phenomenal, as was borne out in real-world tests like WinRAR, XMPEG and TMPGEnc Xpress.

Any multi-threaded application will run faster on the Core 2 Quad Q6600, and even Windows XP is smoother when multi-tasking under a quad core environment. The only area that continues to be a problem is the gaming arena, where single-threaded software designs still reigns supreme, and core speed continues to be the main performance metric. Even so, the 2.4 GHz Core 2 Quad Q6600 still performs as good as, or better than, a 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo, so it's not like you're sacrificing a ton of performance to get a quad core processor.

Value

The 2.4 GHz Core 2 Quad Q6600 is being introduced today, and the processor will sell at an initial price of $851 in 1KU quantities. This high price is to be expected, as Intel needs to differentiate the Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad lines, but this is still not at the price point Intel needs to hit in order to "supply quad core to the masses". Current online prices are hovering at the $1,000 range, but expect that to fall a bit as this is virtually the same price as the 2.66 GHz Core 2 Extreme QX6700 and 2.93 GHz Core 2 Extreme X6800. We also anticipate Intel reworking their pricing structure later in 2007, so keep an eye out for the Core 2 Quad Q6600 to become a bit more affordable in the near future.

* Please note that these prices were taken at the time of review and are not meant to reflect long-term trends.

Conclusion

Intel has been in a real roll of late, first by introducing the impressive Core 2 Duo and Extreme lines, and then following that up with the first desktop quad core processor architecture. After launching the Core 2 Extreme QX6700, Intel's next move has been to expand their quad core line with the 2.4 GHz Core 2 Quad Q6600, the processor that will start a quad core migration to the mainstream buyers. This is good news for consumers, as dual core started the revolution, but quad core seems like the "sweet spot" for the current generation of platforms and operating systems.

Pros:

• Extremely Fast Media Encoding
• A Multi-Threading and Multi-Tasking Hotrod
• Lower Voltage, Heat and Price

Cons:

• Lower 2.4 GHz Core Speed
• Core 2 E6600-level Gaming Performance

Ratings: