The first Intel Core 2 Quad processors, codenamed Kentsfield are built on a 65 nm process and intended to enhance the way we work with our desktop and server systems. Intel claims that the Core2Quad is up to 80% faster than the Core2Duo XE6800 which to some degree has proven to be correct, at least with specific benchmarks.

Intel has added a new feature to the Core2Quad processors named DTS (Digital Thermal Sensor). Thermal sensors located within the processor measure the maximum temperature on the die at any given time. Intel® Quiet System Technology, included in the Intel® 975 Express Chipset family, uses the DTS to regulate the system and processor fan speeds offering the lowest possible noise with maximum heat dissipation. The Intel Core 2 Extreme quad-core processor QX6700 is available at 2.66GHz with a 1066MHz FSB and 8MB L2 cache. The retail price is at around US$999, making it a rather expensive CPU for most users. Intel also plans to introduce a Core 2 Quad Q6600 in the first quarter of next year with lower running speed (2.4GHz) and TDP (105W) and reduced price, compared of course with the QX6700.

Passing on to the most interesting area, the QX6700 was 36.46% faster in applications and benchmarks (average) compared with the XE6800. Note, that in individual tests, the QX6700 was even faster but this depends upon the nature of the benchmark or application. When the application has been designed to utilize all four cores, the performance increase is significant. However, this doesn't isn't the case for now, at least in the gaming arena. The Intel Core2Duo XE6800 was faster, due to its higher running frequency (2.66GHz vs 2.93GHz). In some cases, the QX6700 was slower or equal to the E6600, indicating that game developers should spend more time in the future optimizing games for multi-core CPUs.

Experienced users will be able to overclock the QX6700, since it has its multiplier unlocked for more convenient overclocking. Our engineering sample could hit 3.33GHz without any problem. However, there is a catch. The QX6700 has twice the TDP of the E6700 processor, meaning it produces a lot of heat. Traditional CPU coolers will have a hard time keeping temperatures at low levels, so this CPU would be a good candidate for water cooling gurus. Intel has bulked a big fan, with speeds of 5000rpm to keep the QX6700 running cool. Note, that if the temperature rises up too high, the QX6700 loses its very good performance. You need a proper cooling system to keep the beast cool...

Concluding our presentation of the Core2Quad QX6700, we are very pleased with its performance. People who use demanding applications (Photo Editing, Video Encoding) will find that four cores can make a big difference, especially if the application can use them. We have tested many user favorite codecs and found that both the Xvid and DivX codecs won't benefit from the Quad Core processors, in some cases, performance was even slower than with the Core2Duo! On the other hand, x264 and TMPGEnc 4.0 Express AVC had greatly reduced encoding times. We hope that developers will support, with new builds, the upcoming generation of multi-core systems and deliver to users new levels of performance. On the other hand, gamers will not see any performance improvements, until next year when the first multi-core games are expected, so for now, it would better to stick with a Core2Duo processor.

Passing to an alternative OS, the Mac OSX 10.4.8, we noticed exactly the same thing. Most current benchmarks won't take advantage of all cores, resulting in equal or lesser performance compared with the Core2Duo series. However, the overall feeling is that Quad Core is faster than Core2Duo with Mac OSX.

Next year looks very interesting, since AMD plans to ship 4x4 processors that would compete with Intel's Core2Quad series. After all, Intel declared 2007 as the "Quad-Core Era".