Intel Core 2 Extreme / Core Duo Processor Review :: Conclusion

Wow, not only did Intel make a comeback they have done it in a much cooler fashion, as the new X6800 and E6700 CPUs are not only fast and furious, they run at a much lower temperature threshold than the previous generation Pressler CPUs. This will be a huge relief to those in the Intel camp, and everyone from the hard-core enthusiast to the system integrator will be pleased with this aspect of the new Core 2 and Duo family of CPUs. The switch to the 65nm process for the desktop seems to have paid off this round, and the CPU is so light and thin in comparison to the 90nm CPU, it almost feels as though you are holding nothing in your hand.

The term (Canned Tests) is now getting thrown around by some review sites, and in a negative way, claiming that the standardized test methods used by many in the industry are not only inaccurate, but obsolete. This is not the case as standardized testing is geared toward a level playing field for testing. Companies like Futermark , Sandra and WinBench have spent years developing tests like Sysmark and 3DMark to help in this effort. These tests are not the end all conclusion, but they are not to be dismissed as meaningless either. Combining both the user experience and the standardized tests gives a well balanced total sum of the entire aspect of what the CPU does, and does not.

Intel really did come back in a big way this round and the X6800 is now the newly crowned speed king as seen in the performance test scores. Okay so maybe playing a game you will not see much of a difference from an FX62 and an X6800, but that is to be expected, as the CPU, although playing a part in the mathematics of any said game is not really a tremendous component in today's heavily 3D intensive titles. Most of the CPUs you can buy today have the basic mathematical ability to handle that aspect of the game and the VGA card has become a much more important factor in gaming than ever before. In reality any of the new generation of CPUs will perform almost the same in gaming if you are using the same VGA and memory in a system, and lets face a few frame rates means squat to the human eye, as it can only distinguish frame-rates up to 30 FPS, after that its just numbers.

The X6800 may be the new king of the ring, but it's got a price with a sting. Hitting the shelves at a dollar under a thousand will be a determent to all but the must have crowd who usually have more dollars than sense at the checkout line. The difference between the X6800 and E6700 is $500.00, that's really the difference, and people trust me here, the sweet spot in this new lineup is the E6700 as it can best the FX62 and still costs way less than even Intel's own X6800. For the money the E6700 is where I feel you get the best bang for the buck, and selling for $530.00 is not too bad for a CPU that is faster than the competitions similar price point CPU by a wide margin. The FX62 is around the same performance point, but price-wise the new E6700 Conroe takes AMD to the cleaners as the FX62 is around a grand as well. What else to say that has not been said by now, the new X6800 and E6700 CPUs are smaller, faster and run cooler than anything there is available at the moment. Intel has taken back the crown from AMD, and this will shake up the tree over in Texas I am sure, but AMD is not out of the race yet folks. Be sure AMD will try and re-maneuver and come at things from a different approach in an effort to stay hot in the game. For now my hats off to Intel, they really pulled a mythical rabbit out of the hat with their release of the Core 2 and Duo Conroe CPUs. Good job guys, welcome back to the fast lane. Look for these CPUs to hit the retail market after their launch on July 27th, until next time.

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