The Big Processor Guide - Intel Cores

Intel is and has been the 800 lb. gorilla of computer processors. They've been in the microprocessor market since it was born (and they helped deliver it). Intel made the computer processor what it is today: the 8086 essentially established the architecture that would define every x86 processor for decades.

In addition to computer processors, Intel makes a broad variety of other chips. They are in fact the single largest manufacturer of chips on Earth.

Note: All Front Side Bus speeds are listed at the frequency of the clock that drives them; double-pumping is indicated by a "x2" and quad-pumping by an "x4". This page identifies sockets that support those features.

Desktop

Mainstream

Core i3

For when the Core i5 is still too expensive, but not by much.

Clarkdale: Like the Core i5 Clarkdale, but with a slightly slower uncore clock speed and no Turbo Boost, AES-NI, VT-d, or TXT.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Uncore clock Top Speed
Intel Clarkdale Core i3 LGA1156 2 256 KB 2.5 GT/s DMI 32 nm 2.13 GHz 3.06 GHz (540)

Core i5

The cheaper (but still not cheap) counterpart to Core i7.

Clarkdale: The first Westmere part on the market, Clarkdale is notable mainly because it has an on-package (but not yet on-die) graphics processor. The integrated memory controller was relocated from the processor die to the die housing the GPU, making that die effectively a full northbridge. The two dice communicate through a QPI link of unspecified speed. We have chosen to describe this as a 32 nm part, although the die with the GPU is actually 45 nm. Unlike Core i5 Lynnfield, Core i5 Clarkdale supports Hyper-Threading. 4 MB of L3 cache shared by the cores. For whatever reason, model numbers ending in 1 lack VT-d and TXT but get a faster clock for the GPU. All models support AES-New Instructions and SSE4.2.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Uncore clock Top Speed
Intel Clarkdale Core i5 LGA1156 2 256 KB 2.5 GT/s DMI 32 nm 2.4 GHz 3.46 GHz (670)

Lynnfield: Basically the same as the Core i7 Lynnfield, but with Hyper-Threading disabled.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Uncore clock Top Speed
Intel Lynnfield Core i5 LGA1156 4 256 KB 2.5 GT/s DMI 45 nm 2.13 GHz 2.66 GHz (750)

Core i7

The "next generation" replacing the Core 2 family, the Core i7 has one of the more nonsensical names to ever emerge out of Intel's marketing department.

Lynnfield: The more economical follow-up to Bloomfield, now with an on-die PCI-Express controller (providing 16 lanes perfect for connecting to a graphics processor... like Larrabee). Some things were cut: the ridiculously fast QPI link is gone, in favor of a slower DMI link to the chipset (since this link no longer needs to service the graphics processor, and there are no plans for a multiprocessor Lynnfield, this is adequate). The on-die memory controller has been trimmed down from 3 channels to 2. Still has 8 MB of L3 cache for the cores to share. Core i7 Lynnfield supports Hyper-Threading: Core i5 Lynnfield does not.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Uncore clock Top Speed
Intel Lynnfield Core i7 LGA1156 4 256 KB 2.5 GT/s DMI 45 nm 2.4 GHz 2.93 GHz (870)

Bloomfield: The first Core i7 product and the first product based on the Nehalem microarchitecture, Bloomfield makes up both the mainstream Core i7 and the Core i7 Extreme. 8 MB of L3 cache is shared between the cores. On the LGA1366 socket, Bloomfield supports QPI and sports a memory controller that runs at a lower frequency than the core clock (what has been dubbed the "uncore clock").

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Uncore clock Top Speed
Intel Bloomfield Core i7 LGA1366 4 256 KB 4.8 GT/s QPI 45 nm 2.13 GHz 3.2 GHz (960)

Core 2 Quad

As the name implies, the Core 2 Quad is a bigger brother to the Core 2 Duo, technologically similar but with 4 cores instead of 2.

Yorkfield: Penryn-family quad-core part, in effect a die shrink of Kentsfield. Still a "dual die" product. Support for SSE4.1.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Yorkfield Core 2 Quad T 4 3 MB 333 MHz x4 45 nm 3.0 GHz (Q9650)
Intel Yorkfield Core 2 Quad T 4 1.5 MB 333 MHz x4 45 nm 2.67 GHz (Q9400)
Intel Yorkfield Core 2 Quad T 4 1 MB 333 MHz x4 45 nm 2.66 GHz (Q8400)

Kentsfield: Two Conroe cores dropped into a single package. Like the Pentium D Presler, this is a "dual die" product.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Kentsfield Core 2 Quad T 4 2 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 2.67 GHz (Q6700)

Core 2 Duo

The return of the king. Core 2 Duo is a step back toward the Pentium III- lower power consumption, better performance.

Wolfdale: A 45 nm die shrink of Conroe, or a desktop adaptation of the laptop Core 2 Duo Penryn, however you prefer to think about it. Like Penryn, it adds SSE4.1 instructions. L2 cache is still shared between the cores, L1 cache is still not.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Wolfdale Core 2 Duo T 2 3 MB 333 MHz x4 45 nm 3.16 GHz (E8500)

Conroe: The big daddy, Conroe benefits from the strengths of the new Core microarchitecture as well as an increased Front Side Bus speed.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Conroe Core 2 Duo T 2 1 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 2.13 GHz (E6400)
Intel Conroe Core 2 Duo T 2 2 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 2.67 GHz (E6700)
Intel Conroe Core 2 Duo T 2 2 MB 333 MHz x4 65 nm 3.0 GHz (E6850)

Allendale: A design very similar to Conroe, but natively having less L2 cache. The E6300 and E6400 (which have 2 MB of L2 cache) were initally assumed to be Allendale products, but were in fact Conroe chips with half their L2 cache disabled. Confusingly, later E6300 and E6400 chips actually were Allendale products.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Allendale Core 2 Duo T 2 1 MB 200 MHz x4 65 nm 2.2 GHz (E4500)
Intel Allendale Core 2 Duo T 2 1 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 2.13 GHz (E6400)

Pentium D

In essence, the Pentium D chips are simply two Pentium 4s in a single package. The idea is to provide the performance benefits of having two processors, but at a lower cost and with less bulk. The reality is somewhat less impressive.

Presler: Two Cedar Mill cores on one chip. Some have refered to this as "double core" rather than "dual core" because the cores are actually separately-manufactured Cedar Mills that are then placed into the same package. Supports EM64T, the No Execute bit, and Vanderpool. Originally slated to support Enhanced Speedstep, but stability concerns forced Intel to disable this feature on the initial run. Does not support Hyper-Threading.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Presler Pentium D T 2 2 MB 200 MHz x4 65 nm 3.4 GHz (950)

Smithfield: Essentially two Prescott cores on one chip. Supports EM64T and the No Execute bit; does not support Hyper-Threading or Vanderpool.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Smithfield Pentium D T 2 1 MB 200 MHz x4 90 nm 3.2 GHz (840)

Pentium 4

The long-running, long-suffering leading-edge consumer product from Intel, the Pentium 4 has had more faces than Joan Rivers. Some well-loved, some reviled, they are nothing if not diverse.

Cedar Mill: Die shrink of the Prescott 2M. Supports everything the Prescott 2M 672 does, including SSE1, 2, and 3, EM64T, No Execute, Hyper-Threading, and Vanderpool.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Cedar Mill Pentium 4 T 1 2 MB 200 MHz x4 65 nm 3.6 GHz (661)

Prescott 2M: A revised Prescott bearing 2 MB of cache (hence the change in the name). Like some previous Prescotts, all Prescott 2M chips support EM64T, the No Execute bit, and Hyper-Threading. The 662 and 672 (only) support Vanderpool virtualization. All others are named 6x0.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Prescott 2M Pentium 4 T 1 2 MB 200 MHz x4 90 nm 3.8 GHz (672)

Prescott "E": The Prescott was the result of Intel's long and troubled transition to a 90 nm manufacturing process. The Prescott chips were criticized immediately for performing worse than Northwood C chips at the same speeds and for their very high heat output. Intel promised that the chips would show their true colors as they scaled up in speed (and indeed, tests showed they did quite better at speeds of 3.4 GHz and above). All Prescotts support SSE3.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Prescott Pentium 4 478 1 1 MB 200 MHz x4 90 nm 3.4 GHz
Intel Prescott Pentium 4 478 1 1 MB 133 MHz x4 90 nm 2.8 GHz
Intel Prescott Pentium 4 T 1 1 MB 200 MHz x4 90 nm 3.8 GHz (571)
Intel Prescott Pentium 4 T 1 1 MB 133 MHz x4 90 nm 3.06 GHz (519)

Northwood "C": The golden age of the Pentium 4. This core substantially outperformed previous Pentium 4s, due mainly to the substantial impact of Front Side Bus speed on NetBurst chips. The real accomplishment of the Northwood C, however, was its much-praised overclocking potential. Boasting the most impressive and consistent overclocking performance since the early-model Celerons, it would gain a reputation (particularly, the 2.4 GHz chip) as the undisputed king of overclocking. Only when AMD's Athlon XP Barton core (and subsequent Mobile variants) appeared would that crown show even a hint of tarnish.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Northwood C Pentium 4 478 1 512 KB 200 MHz x4 130 nm 3.4 GHz

Northwood "B": The first chips to have enabled Hyper-Threading, though it was exclusive to the 3.06 GHz version. Increased Front Side Bus speed would help give these chips a leg up over their predecessors, but they were otherwise rather unremarkable.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Northwood B Pentium 4 478 1 512 KB 133 MHz x4 130 nm 3.06 GHz

Northwood "A": The (much-requested) replacement for Willamette, this core ushered in the beginning of an era when Pentium 4 performance really could impress. With architectural changes, more cache, lower heat output, and resulting better scalability, the Northwood series is hands-down superior to Willamette. The "A" was affixed to model numbers to separate the Northwood from the Willamette; future revisions of the Pentium 4 would be distinguished by different letters.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Northwood A Pentium 4 478 1 512 KB 100 MHz x4 130 nm 2.6 GHz

Willamette: The bastard child. Willamette was mocked at its introduction because at the same clock speeds it would substantially under-perform older Pentium IIIs. Some of this stumbling was aleviated when Socket 423 died a quick death, but Willamette continued to be dogged by performance issues until it was finally phased out. Willamette added SSE2 extensions.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Willamette Pentium 4 423 1 256 KB 100 MHz x4 180 nm 2.0 GHz
Intel Willamette Pentium 4 478 1 256 KB 100 MHz x4 180 nm 2.0 GHz

Pentium III

Considered by some to be the peak of Intel's processor prowess, the Pentium III continues to be a sought-after chip for all manner of moderate-duty tasks. In later years the architecture would be revived for the Pentium M, and its spiritual successor would appear in the form of Merom. The Pentium III was in many ways just an updated Pentium II, with changes such as a new card packaging that allowed better heatsink contact.

Tualatin: Tualatin is regarded by many as little more than a die shrink. It was eventually made available with increased L2 cache for improved performance.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Tualatin Pentium III 370 1 256 KB 133 MHz 130 nm 1.4 GHz
Intel Tualatin Pentium III-S 370 1 512 KB 133 MHz 130 nm 1.4 GHz

Coppermine: Coppermine's two greatest changes were a die shrink and substantially speeding up the L2 cache. Where on the Katmai core the L2 cache had operated at half the frequency of the processor, on the Coppermine it operated at the same frequency. The cache was also brought onto the die itself to facilitate the change (this, in turn, was facilitated by the die shrink).

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Coppermine Pentium III Slot 1 1 256 KB 100 MHz 180 nm 1.0 GHz
Intel Coppermine Pentium III Slot 1 1 256 KB 133 MHz 180 nm 1.13 GHz
Intel Coppermine Pentium III-E 370 1 256 KB 100 MHz 180 nm 1.1 GHz
Intel Coppermine Pentium III-EB 370 1 256 KB 133 MHz 180 nm 1.13 GHz

Katmai: In truth only slightly different from the Pentium II, Katmai added SSE instructions and gained an improved memory controller for its L1 cache.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Katmai Pentium III Slot 1 1 512 KB 100 MHz 250 nm 600 MHz
Intel Katmi Pentium III-B Slot 1 1 512 KB 133 MHz 250 nm 600 MHz

Pentium II Overdrive

A Pentium II adapted for use in Socket 8 motherboard, the Pentium II Overdrive was meant to provide an upgrade path to Pentium Pro owners.

P6T: Pentium II Deschutes, but on Socket 8.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel P6T Pentium II Overdrive 8 1 512 KB 60 MHz 250 nm 300 MHz
Intel P6T Pentium II Overdrive 8 1 512 KB 66 MHz 250 nm 333 MHz

Pentium II

Based on the Pentium Pro P6, the Pentium II was Intel's first slot-and-cartridge type processor. This was a tradeoff decision that allowed engineers to give the processor locally available L2 cache on the same PCB as the processor, at less cost than integrating it into the die.

Deschutes: On a smaller process and available with a faster Front Side Bus, the Deschutes core was a relatively simple but substantial improvement over Klamath. Heat issues were greatly reduced by the die shrink.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Deschutes Pentium II Slot 1 1 512 KB 66 MHz 250 nm 333 MHz
Intel Deschutes Pentium II Slot 1 1 512 KB 100 MHz 250 nm 450 MHz

Klamath: The first Pentium II dealt with substantial heat issues, and suffered under the limitations of its Front Side Bus speed.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Klamath Pentium II Slot 1 1 512 KB 66 MHz 350 nm 300 MHz

Pentium MMX

The Pentium chip, but with the addition of the MMX instruction set. Double the L1 cache.

P55C: Modified Pentium P54C.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel P55C Pentium MMX 7 1 0 KB 66 MHz 350 nm 233 MHz

Pentium Overdrive

Ostensibly meant to provide an upgrade path for 486 owners wanting a taste of Pentium power, the Pentium Overdrive is largely a footnote in history. Performance issues and poor availability essentially mooted the product.

P54CTB: Essentially the Pentium MMX P55C, but adapted to Socket 5.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel P54CTB Pentium Overdrive 5 1 0 KB 60 MHz 350 nm 180 MHz
Intel P54CTB Pentium Overdrive 5 1 0 KB 66 MHz 350 nm 200 MHz

P54CT: Derived from the P54CS. Suffered from many of the same limitations as P5T, but had to also package in its own voltage regulator. 486 motherboards delivered a 5 V supply, and it needed 3.3 V.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel P54CT Pentium Overdrive 5 1 0 KB 50 MHz 350 nm 125 MHz
Intel P54CT Pentium Overdrive 5 1 0 KB 60 MHz 350 nm 150 MHz
Intel P54CT Pentium Overdrive 5 1 0 KB 66 MHz 350 nm 166 MHz

P5T: Derived from the Pentium P5. Adapting it to work on (some) 486 motherboards was difficult; it needed more L1 cache to boost performance, but still suffered considerably.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel P5T Pentium Overdrive 4 1 0 KB 60 MHz 350 nm 120 MHz
Intel P5T Pentium Overdrive 4 1 0 KB 66 MHz 350 nm 133 MHz

Pentium

Intel's take on a "586", the Pentium was a move to create their own proprietary chips, to allow them to differentiate their brand. Where in the days of the 486 several companies made chips that bore the marker "486", only Intel could produce a Pentium. One notable benefit was that they could create separate server/workstation lines to segment the market. The Pentium brand was the central focus of an enormous and very successful marketing push by Intel, and became one of rather few computer-industry brands to truly become a household name.

P54CQS/P54CS: Die shrink of P54C.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel P54CQS Pentium 5 1 0 KB 60 MHz 350 nm 120 MHz
Intel P54CQS Pentium 5 1 0 KB 66 MHz 350 nm 133 MHz
Intel P54CS Pentium 5 1 0 KB 60 MHz 350 nm 150 MHz
Intel P54CS Pentium 5 1 0 KB 66 MHz 350 nm 200 MHz

P54C: The P54C was architecturally the same as the P5, but it ran on a lower voltage (3.3 V versus 5 V), was built on a smaller process, and was a pure CMOS device while the P5 contained some bipolar logic. The net effect was that it produced much less heat.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel P54C Pentium 5 1 0 KB 50 MHz 600 nm 100 MHz
Intel P54C Pentium 5 1 0 KB 60 MHz 600 nm 90 MHz
Intel P54C Pentium 5 1 0 KB 66 MHz 600 nm 100 MHz

P5: The original Pentium, what some would have liked to see called the 80586 instead. The P5 offered substantial performance gains over the 486, and Intel chose to drop its price below the 486. However, it produced quite a bit of heat for a chip of its time. And in a great embarassment to Intel, some models contained an error that would in rare cases cause it make mistakes in floating point math- the FDIV bug. Intel was eventually forced to recall them to quell the public relations problem.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel P5 Pentium 4 1 0 KB 60 MHz 800 nm 60 MHz
Intel P5 Pentium 4 1 0 KB 66 MHz 800 nm 66 MHz

High End

Core i7 Extreme

Another iteration of the same concept, the Core i7 Extreme is very much like the regular Core i7, but with more power.

Gulftown: If you liked its Bloomfield predecessor but wanted more, you got it. 50% more cores (6) and 50% more L3 cache (12 MB), plus all the good stuff that comes with being a Westmere part (a die shrink, AES-NI).

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Uncore clock Top Speed
Intel Gulftown Core i7 Extreme LGA1366 6 256 KB 6.4 GT/s QPI 32 nm 3.3 GHz 3.33 GHz (980X)

Bloomfield: Basically the same as the Core i7 Bloomfield, but with an unlocked multiplier, faster QPI, faster uncore (memory controller) clock, and a more extreme name. Like the desktop part, it has 8 MB of L3 cache.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Uncore clock Top Speed
Intel Bloomfield Core i7 Extreme LGA1366 4 256 KB 6.4 GT/s QPI 45 nm 3.3 GHz 3.33 GHz (975)
Intel Bloomfield Core i7 Extreme LGA1366 4 256 KB 6.4 GT/s QPI 45 nm 3.2 GHz 3.2 GHz (965)

Core 2 Extreme

Bringing the Extreme Edition concept into the Core era.

Harpertown: The Xeon Harpertown, repurposed as an enthusiast part. A lot like Yorkfield, but with an even faster Front Side Bus. Intended for use with Intel's SkullTrail platform (which is a dual-processor setup), this Core 2 Extreme uses the socket normally reserved for Xeons rather than a typical desktop socket.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Harpertown Core 2 Extreme J 4 3 MB 400 MHz x4 45 nm 3.2 GHz (QX9775)

Yorkfield: Penryn adapted to the needs of xtreme gamer dudez. More L2 cache than previous Core 2 Extreme products, and a shiny new 45 nm process.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Yorkfield Core 2 Extreme T 4 3 MB 400 MHz x4 45 nm 3.2 GHz (QX9770)
Intel Yorkfield Core 2 Extreme T 4 3 MB 333 MHz x4 45 nm 3.0 GHz (QX9650)

Kentsfield: Two Conroe cores dropped into a single package. Like Pentium D Presler, this is a "dual die" product.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Kentsfield Core 2 Extreme T 4 2 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 2.93 GHz (QX6800)
Intel Kentsfield Core 2 Extreme T 4 2 MB 333 MHz x4 65 nm 3.0 GHz (QX6850)

Conroe XE: Functionally identical to Core 2 Duo Conroe, with the exception that its multiplier is not locked.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Conroe XE Core 2 Extreme T 2 2 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 2.93 GHz (X6800)

Pentium Extreme Edition

Keeping up the tradition of the Pentium 4 Extreme series, but now dual core.

Presler: As the Pentium D Presler, but with Hyper-Threading and a faster Front Side Bus.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Presler Pentium EE T 2 2 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 3.73 GHz (965)

Smithfield: As the Pentium D Smithfield, but with Hyper-Threading enabled.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Smithfield Pentium EE T 2 1 MB 200 MHz x4 90 nm 3.2 GHz (840)

Pentium 4 Extreme Edition

Marketed as suped-up Pentium 4s, but often just retuned Xeons, the P4EE series were pitched as the peak of the enthusiast segment.

Prescott 2M: The same core as used in the regular Pentium 4 series, but with a higher Front Side Bus speed. Supports Hyper-Threading, EM64T, and the No Execute bit.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Prescott 2M Pentium 4 EE T 1 2 MB 266 MHz x4 90 nm 3.7 GHz

Gallatin: Modified Xeon Gallatin, with 2 MB of L3 cache. Supports Hyper-Threading.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Gallatin Pentium 4 EE 478 1 512 KB 200 MHz x4 130 nm 3.4 GHz
Intel Gallatin Pentium 4 EE T 1 512 KB 200 MHz x4 130 nm 3.4 GHz
Intel Gallatin Pentium 4 EE T 1 512 KB 266 MHz x4 130 nm 3.46 GHz

Value

Pentium

Apparently not satisfied with confusing the world with the "Pentium Dual-Core", Intel decided to reuse the Pentium name with no modifiers at all, in a move sure to confound people for years.

Clarkdale: Much like the Core i3 and i5 CLarkdale, but cut down just a bit more. No Hyper-Threading, less L3 cache (3 MB instead of 4 MB), slower uncore clock, an on-die GPU down-tuned to 533 MHz, and all of the restrictions of Core i3 Clarkdale.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Uncore clock Top Speed
Intel Clarkdale Pentium LGA1156 2 256 KB 2.5 GT/s DMI 32 nm 2.0 GHz 2.8 GHz (G6950)

Wolfdale: Derived from the Core 2 Wolfdale, but with a slower FSB and reduced L2 cache. Just in case you thought there was any sanity in Intel's marketing department, one of the first products in this series was the Pentium E6300, which might easily be confused with the not-that-much-older Core 2 Duo E6300.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Wolfdale Pentium T 2 1.5 MB 266 MHz x4 45 nm 2.8 GHz (E7400)
Intel Wolfdale Pentium T 2 1 MB 266 MHz x4 45 nm 2.8 GHz (E6300)

Pentium Dual-Core

Quietly introduced not long after the Pentium brand was supposedly retired, the Pentium Dual-Core is essentially a cut-down version of either the Core Duo or Core 2 Duo.

Allendale: Just like the Core 2 Duo Allendale, but with half the L2 cache. Confusingly, often found in laptops despite being identified as a desktop product by Intel.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Allendale Pentium Dual-Core T 2 512 KB 200 MHz x4 65 nm 2.0 GHz (E2180)

Celeron 400 series

Listed here because they were introduced after the Celeron D products, these are essentially cut-down Core 2 Duos.

Millville: A trimmed down, single-core version of Conroe. Often called Conroe-L. It is unclear which is the actual codename used by Intel. Please note that several Celeron M products use very similar model numbers.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Millville Celeron 400 series T 1 512 KB 200 MHz x4 65 nm 2.0 GHz (440)

Celeron D

The Celeron D ushered in an impressive recovery for the Celeron series. For years, the Celerons had lagged behind AMD's Durons (which ran at lower clock speeds, used less power, and were cheaper) in performance. And also for years, the Celerons had been designed completely independently of the flagship Pentium series. The Celeron D marked a return to the good old days of the Celeron, when it was basically a down-tuned Pentium.

Cedar Mill 512: A trimmed down Pentium 4 Cedar Mill.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Cedar Mill 512 Celeron D T 1 512 KB 133 MHz x4 65 nm 3.6 GHz (365)

Prescott: Essentially the same as the Pentium 4 Prescott, but with less L2 cache and a low Front Side Bus.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Prescott Celeron D 478 1 256 KB 133 MHz x4 90 nm 3.2 GHz (350)
Intel Prescott Celeron D T 1 256 KB 133 MHz x4 90 nm 3.33 GHz (355)

Celeron

The Celerons have taken many forms. Many Pentium cores have been recast as Celerons, usually by reducing their cache and sometimes also their Front Side Bus speeds. Some Celeron cores were designed separately (or at least, mostly separately). After the end of the Pentium III-based Celerons, there was a long dark age that ended only with the introduction of the Celeron D.

Northwood "A": Based on the Pentium 4 Northwood A, but with half the cache- thus it is often called Northwood-128.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Northwood Celeron 478 1 128 KB 100 MHz x4 130 nm 2.7 GHz

Willamette: Similar to the Pentium 4 Willamette, but with half the L2 cache. Consequently, often called Willamette-128. Sometimes refered to as the Celeron 4 to distinguish it from previous designs.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Willamette Celeron 478 1 128 KB 100 MHz x4 180 nm 1.8 GHz

Tualatin: As was the case for the Celeron Coppermine, the Celeron Tualatin was for all intents and purposes the same as its Pentium III big brother, with less L2 cache than the Pentium III-S version and a slower Front Side Bus. Reportedly, its L2 cache controller had slightly higher latency. The nickname "Tualeron" was coined as a portmanteau of Tualatin and Celeron.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Tualatin Celeron 370 1 256 KB 100 MHz 130 nm 1.4 GHz

Coppermine: Essentially the same as the Pentium III core of the same name, but with reduced L2 cache and a limited Front Side Bus. Often refered to as "Coppermine-128" in honor of its lesser L2 cache, and sometimes called "Celeron II".

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Coppermine Celeron 370 1 128 KB 66 MHz 180 nm 766 MHz
Intel Coppermine Celeron 370 1 128 KB 100 MHz 180 nm 1.1 GHz

Mendocino: Based on the Pentium II, Mendocino sought to rectify the poor performance of Covington by adding L2 cache. Mendocino had on-die L2 cache before the Pentium line did (contemporary Pentium IIs had off-die cache on their PCB). It was in this period that benchmarks began to reveal Celerons could actually outperform their more expensive Pentium brothers; Intel would soon take measures to put a stop to that. Some Mendocino models had names ending in "A" to separate them from Covington chips, and as a result some people continue to refer to them as the "Celeron A" series.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Mendocino Celeron Slot 1 1 128 KB 66 MHz 250 nm 433 MHz
Intel Mendocino Celeron 370 1 128 KB 66 MHz 250 nm 533 MHz

Covington: Based on the Pentium II Deschutes, Covington was distinguished by the fact that it had no L2 cache. Its performance was consequently very poor, and it did not fair well in the market.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Covington Celeron Slot 1 1 0 KB 66 MHz 250 nm 300 MHz

Laptop

Mainstream

Core i5

Arrandale: Like the Core i7 Mobile Arrandale, but cut down a bit. 3 MB of L3 cache. Model numbers beginning with 3 do not have VT-d, AES-NI, or TXT.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Uncore clock Top Speed
Intel Arrandale Core i5 BGA1288 2 256 KB 2.5 GT/s DMI 32 nm 2.4 GHz 2.53 GHz (540M)
Intel Arrandale Core i5 PGA988 2 256 KB 2.5 GT/s DMI 32 nm 2.4 GHz 2.53 GHz (540M)

Core i3

Arrandale: Like the Core i5 Mobile Arrandale, but cut down a bit more. No Turbo Boost. No parts have VT-d, AES-NI, or TXT.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Uncore clock Top Speed
Intel Arrandale Core i3 BGA1288 2 256 KB 2.5 GT/s DMI 32 nm 2.4 GHz 2.26 GHz (350M)
Intel Arrandale Core i3 PGA988 2 256 KB 2.5 GT/s DMI 32 nm 2.4 GHz 2.26 GHz (350M)

Core i7 Extreme

As with the Core 2 Extreme, we are listing this here as a stop-gap measure. In any event, it is essentially identical to its non-extreme brother, but with an unlocked multiplier.

Clarksfield: As with Core i7 Mobile Clarksfield, but with an unlocked multiplier. 8 MB of L3 cache.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Uncore clock Top Speed
Intel Clarksfield Core i7 Extreme PGA988 4 256 KB 2.5 GT/s DMI 45 nm ? 2.0 GHz (920XM)

Core i7

Bringing the oomph of the Core i7 desktop products to laptops.

Arrandale: Based on the desktop Core i5 Clarkdale. Model numbers end in a 1- or 2-letter code that indicates TDP and speed of the GPU. Model numbers ending in E support ECC memory. Model numbers containing a U only support DDR3-800 memory, not DDR3-1066, and have a slower clock for the GPU. 4 MB of L3 cache. The uncore clock is our best guess based on the desktop part.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Uncore clock Top Speed
Intel Arrandale Core i7 BGA1288 2 256 KB 2.5 GT/s DMI 32 nm 2.4 GHz 2.66 GHz (620M)
Intel Arrandale Core i7 PGA988 2 256 KB 2.5 GT/s DMI 32 nm 2.4 GHz 2.66 GHz (620M)

Clarksfield: The desktop Core i7 Lynnfield, adapted for use in laptops. Model numbers starting with 8 have 8 MB of L2 cache; those starting with 7 have 6 MB. Notice that Intel finally did the smart thing and put an 'M' on the end of model numbers to distinguish them from desktop parts. Hyper-Threading is supported. Intel has not disclosed uncore clock speeds at this time, but our best guess is 2.13 GHz.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Uncore clock Top Speed
Intel Clarksfield Core i7 PGA988 4 256 KB 2.5 GT/s DMI 45 nm ? 1.73 GHz (820QM)

Core 2 Extreme

Listed here because it is the first "high end" laptop part we have had to add, the mobile Core 2 Extreme is essentially a mobile Core 2 Duo with an unlocked multiplier.

Penryn XE QC: Core 2 Quad Penryn with an unlocked multiplier.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Penryn XE QC Core 2 Extreme P 4 3 MB 266 MHz x4 45 nm 2.53 GHz (QX9300)

Penryn XE : Core 2 Duo Penryn with an unlocked multiplier.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Penryn XE Core 2 Extreme P 2 3 MB 266 MHz x4 45 nm 3.06 GHz (X9100)
Intel Penryn XE Core 2 Extreme P 2 3 MB 200 MHz x4 45 nm 2.8 GHz (X9000)

Merom XE: Merom "Refresh" with an unlocked multiplier.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Merom XE Core 2 Extreme P 2 2 MB 200 MHz x4 65 nm 2.8 GHz (X7900)

Core 2 Quad

Once again a mobile version of the same-named desktop part.

Penryn: Sometimes called Penryn QC (for quad core), this is essentially 2 regular Penryn dies in a "dual die" configuration.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Penryn Core 2 Quad P 4 3 MB 266 MHz x4 45 nm 2.26 GHz (Q9100)
Intel Penryn Core 2 Quad P 4 1.5 MB 266 MHz x4 45 nm 2.0 GHz (Q9000)

Core 2 Duo

Mobile counterpart to the desktop series of the same name, similarly based on the Core microarchitecture.

Penryn: A die shrink of Merom, with the addition of the SSE4.1 instructions.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Penryn Core 2 Duo P 2 3 MB 266 MHz x4 45 nm 3.06 GHz (T9900)
Intel Penryn Core 2 Duo P 2 3 MB 200 MHz x4 45 nm 2.6 GHz (T9500)
Intel Penryn Core 2 Duo P 2 1.5 MB 233 MHz x4 45 nm 2.66 GHz (P8800)
Intel Penryn Core 2 Duo P 2 1.5 MB 200 MHz x4 45 nm 2.4 GHz (T8300)

Merom: Conroe with lower power dissipation. The parts with a Front Side Bus speed of 200 MHz x4 (or 800 MT/s) are often refered to as "Merom Refresh", and sometimes incorrectly as Santa Rosa (they are a part of the Santa Rosa version of the Centrino Pro platform). Variants with 2 MB of total L2 cache (1 MB per core) are sometimes unofficially called "Merom 2M".

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Merom Core 2 Duo M 2 1 MB 133 MHz x4 65 nm 1.73 GHz (T5300)
Intel Merom Core 2 Duo M 2 1 MB 166 MHz x4 65 nm 1.83 GHz (T5600)
Intel Merom Core 2 Duo M 2 2 MB 166 MHz x4 65 nm 2.33 GHz (T7600)
Intel Merom Core 2 Duo P 2 1 MB 200 MHz x4 65 nm 2.0 GHz (T7250)
Intel Merom Core 2 Duo P 2 2 MB 200 MHz x4 65 nm 2.6 GHz (T7800)

Core 2 Solo

A single-core version of the Core 2 Duo.

Merom: Very much like the Core 2 Duo Merom, but with one core disabled and a reduced operating voltage.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Merom Core 2 Solo M 1 1 MB 133 MHz x4 65 nm 1.2 GHz (U2200)

Core Duo

Dual-core version of the Core Solo.

Yonah: Adds another processing core to the Core Solo Yonah. The two cores share the same total amount of L2 cache.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Yonah Core Duo M 2 1 MB 166 MHz x4 65 nm 2.16 GHz (T2600)

Core Solo

Successor to the Pentium M legacy, the Core Solo is Intel's single-core laptop solution.

Yonah: Essentially a revised Pentium M, and confusingly not based on the Core microarchitecture. Incorporates SSE3, LaGrande, Vanderpool, and the NX bit. Does not support the EM64T instructions.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Yonah Core Solo M 1 2 MB 166 MHz x4 65 nm 1.66 GHz (T1300)

Pentium M

More performance at a lower clock speed, using less power, made the Pentium M series the most popular laptop processor at the dance. The Pentium M dramatically improved laptop battery life and firmly cemented Intel's dominance of the notebook market. The Pentium M also made use of deeper "sleep" states, and more importantly used them more effectively, contributing to its impressive power reduction.

Dothan: A better, faster Banias. With more cache, a smaller process, and lower power use, Dothan proved to be a nice step up from the already impressive Banias. Improved power management including deeper sleep states and active processor speed throttling.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Dothan Pentium M 479 1 2 MB 100 MHz x4 90 nm 2.1 GHz (765)
Intel Dothan Pentium M 479 1 2 MB 133 MHz x4 90 nm 2.26 GHz (78)

Banias: Based on the architecture of the Pentium III, Banias came from Intel's design facility in Israel. It introduced a concept known as "Micro-Ops Fusion", whereby the micro-operations to be executed by the processor could be "fused" (that is, certain combinations would be combined into a single operation) before execution.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Banias Pentium M 479 1 1 MB 100 MHz x4 130 nm 1.7 GHz

Pentium 4-M

Essentially a Pentium 4 with better power management, the Pentium 4-M series were stuck in the middle of cheap-and-pretty-good Pentium III laptops and Pentium M laptops with remarkable battery life.

Northwood: Based on the Pentium 4 Northwood. Those with 133 MHz Front Side Bus also have Hyper-Threading.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Northwood Pentium 4-M 478 1 512 KB 100 MHz x4 130 nm 2.6 GHz
Intel Northwood Pentium 4-M 478 1 512 KB 133 MHz x4 130 nm 3.2 GHz

Mobile Pentium III

A mobile adaptation of the desktop chip.

Tualatin: Based on the Pentium III Tualatin. Slightly different series name. Adds deeper sleep state.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Tualatin Mobile Pentium III-M 370 1 512 KB 100 MHz 130 nm 900 MHz
Intel Tualatin Mobile Pentium III-M 370 1 512 KB 133 MHz 130 nm 1.33 GHz

Coppermine: Based on the Pentium III Coppermine.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Coppermine Mobile Pentium III 370 1 256 KB 100 MHz 180 nm 1.0 GHz

Mobile Pentium II

A mobile adaptation of the desktop chip.

Dixon: Brought the L2 cache on-die. Marketed under the branding "Pentium II Mobile PE", where PE stood for Performance Enhanced.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Dixon Mobile Pentium II PE BGA1 1 256 KB 66 MHz 250 nm 400 MHz
Intel Dixon Mobile Pentium II PE µPGA1 1 256 KB 66 MHz 250 nm 400 MHz

Tonga: Based on the Pentium II Deschutes.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Tonga Mobile Pentium II MMC1 1 512 KB 66 MHz 250 nm 300 MHz
Intel Tonga Mobile Pentium II MMC2 1 512 KB 66 MHz 250 nm 300 MHz
Intel Tonga Mobile Pentium II Mini-Cartridge 1 512 KB 66 MHz 250 nm 300 MHz

Pentium MMX

A mobile adaptation of the desktop chip.

Tillamook: Version of the Pentium MMX P55C made for the mobile market. It used a lower voltage power supply, a smaller process, and had more L1 cache to boost performance. It was meant to be combined with a "mobile module" that provided, among other things, 512 KB of L2 cache.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Tillamook Pentium MMX 7 1 512 KB 66 MHz 250 nm 300 MHz

Value

Pentium Dual-Core

Quietly introduced not long after the Pentium brand was supposedly retired, the Pentium Dual-Core is essentially a cut-down version of either the Core Duo or Core 2 Duo.

Yonah: Just like the Core Duo Yonah, but with half the L2 cache.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Yonah Pentium Dual-Core M 2 512 KB 133 MHz x4 65 nm 1.86 GHz (T2130)

Celeron M

This series is very much like the Pentium M, but lacks SpeedStep. Celeron M chips are otherwise essentially copies of their Pentium M (later Core 2) brothers, but with half as much L2 cache.

Merom-L: A revision to the Celeron M Merom. This codename definitely is used by Intel. Intel notes a "minor die size decrease", which has been speculated to mean that it is actually manufactured with reduced L2 cache, rather than simply having some L2 cache disabled. It may also be the case that the size reduction is related to the "Merom Refresh" release.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Merom-L Celeron M M 1 1 MB 133 MHz x4 65 nm 1.6 GHz (520)
Intel Merom-L Celeron M P 1 1 MB 133 MHz x4 65 nm 2.0 GHz (550)

Merom: A reduced-cache version of the Core 2 Duo Merom. Sometimes described as "Merom 1024" due to its reduced cache, though we have no idea if this codename is used internally by Intel.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Merom Celeron M M 1 1 MB 133 MHz x4 65 nm 1.73 GHz (530)

Dothan: Also called Dothan-1024. Pentium M Dothan with reduced cache and no hope of a faster Front Side Bus.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Dothan Celeron M 479 1 2 MB 100 MHz x4 90 nm 1.7 GHz (390)

Banias: Also called Banias-512. Like the Pentium M Banias, but with half the L2 cache.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Banias Celeron M 479 1 1 MB 100 MHz x4 130 nm 1.5 GHz (340)

Shelton: Also called Banias-0. Based on the Pentium M Banias, but deployed in a low-cost low-power solution Intel sells in some Asian and Latin American markets. As its name implies, it has no L2 cache. Available only in one speed.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Shelton Celeron M 479 1 0 KB 100 MHz x4 130 nm 1.0 GHz

Mobile Celeron

Based on the Pentium II, III, or 4 mobiles, the Mobile Celeron is essentially just a cut-down version of those processors. It has never had features such as SpeedStep to reduce power use. L2 cache is generally reduced.

Northwood: Like the Pentium 4-M Northwood (which in turn is like the Pentium 4 Northwood), but with reduced L2 cache.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Northwood Mobile Celeron 478 1 256 KB 100 MHz x4 130 nm 2.5 GHz

Tualatin: Based on the Pentium III-M Tualatin (based on the Pentium III Tualatin).

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Tualatin Mobile Celeron 370 1 256 KB 100 MHz 130 nm 700 MHz
Intel Tualatin Mobile Celeron 370 1 256 KB 133 MHz 130 nm 1.33 GHz

Coppermine: Based on the Pentium III-M Coppermine (based on the Pentium III Coppermine).

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Coppermine Mobile Celeron 370 1 256 KB 100 MHz 130 nm 900 MHz
Intel Coppermine Mobile Celeron 370 1 256 KB 133 MHz 130 nm 933 MHz

Mendocino: Based on the Celeron Mendocino (based on the Pentium II).

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Mendocino Mobile Celeron 370 1 128 KB 66 MHz 250 nm 500 MHz

Server

Multi-processor

Xeon MP

Xeon with support for more than two processors in one system.

Nehalem-EX: When you really, absolutely must have up to 256 Nehalem-based processors. Up to 24 MB of shared L3 cache. Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost supported by most but not all models. Note that most parts are in the Xeon 7500 series, while a few are in the Xeon 6500 series; we suspect that the principle difference is that the 6500 series likely does not support systems with huge numbers of sockets.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Nehalem-EX 24M Xeon MP LGA1567 8 512 KB 6.4 GT/s QPI 45 nm 2.26 GHz (X7560)
Intel Nehalem-EX 24M Xeon MP LGA1567 8 512 KB 5.86 GT/s QPI 45 nm 1.86 GHz (L7555)
Intel Nehalem-EX 18M Xeon MP LGA1567 8 512 KB 6.4 GT/s QPI 45 nm 2.0 GHz (X7550)
Intel Nehalem-EX 18M Xeon MP LGA1567 6 512 KB 6.4 GT/s QPI 45 nm 2.0 GHz (E7540)
Intel Nehalem-EX 18M Xeon MP LGA1567 6 512 KB 5.86 GT/s QPI 45 nm 2.66 GHz (X7542)
Intel Nehalem-EX 12M Xeon MP LGA1567 6 512 KB 5.86 GT/s QPI 45 nm 1.86 GHz (E7530)
Intel Nehalem-EX 18M Xeon MP LGA1567 4 512 KB 4.8 GT/s QPI 45 nm 1.86 GHz (E7520)
Intel Nehalem-EX 12M Xeon MP LGA1567 4 512 KB 4.8 GT/s QPI 45 nm 1.73 GHz (E6510)

Dunnington: The last major Xeon release before the next Nehalem microarchitecture, Dunnington is apparently built on the "more is better" philosophy. Dunnington packs as many as 3 Penryn-like processors (a total of 6 cores) into one chip. L2 cache is shared between pairs of cores (but not between the pairs), while up to 16 MB of L3 cache is shared between all cores. Testing by Anandtech has suggested that the L3 cache runs at half the core clock speed. As evidenced by die shots, Dunnington is a "true"/"native" 6-core design, not a multi-chip-module one. Dunnington is the first product out of Intel's Bangalore, India, design team. Please note that in our table below, we have appended a number to the Core name to indicate the amount of L3 cache.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Dunnington 8M Xeon MP J 4 1.5 MB 266 MHz x4 45 nm 2.13 GHz (E7420)
Intel Dunnington 12M Xeon MP J 4 1.5 MB 266 MHz x4 45 nm 2.13 GHz (E7430/L7445)
Intel Dunnington 16M Xeon MP J 4 1.5 MB 266 MHz x4 45 nm 2.4 GHz (E7440)
Intel Dunnington 12M Xeon MP J 6 1.5 MB 266 MHz x4 45 nm 2.4 GHz (E7450)
Intel Dunnington 16M Xeon MP J 6 1.5 MB 266 MHz x4 45 nm 2.66 GHz (X7460)

Tigerton: Essentially an MP version of Clovertown. Tigerton is available in both dual- and quad-core variants. The dual-core variants are essentially equivalent to an MP Woodcrest.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Tigerton Xeon MP J 2 4 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 2.93 GHz (E7220)
Intel Tigerton Xeon MP J 4 1 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 1.6 GHz (E7310)
Intel Tigerton Xeon MP J 4 1.5 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 2.4 GHz (E7330)
Intel Tigerton Xeon MP J 4 2 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 2.93 GHz (X7350)

Tulsa: The end of the line for Netburst, Tulsa is essentially Dempsey with more L3 cache (the two cores share 4, 8, or 16 MB total), a more limited Front Side Bus, and MP rather than just DP support.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Tulsa Xeon MP 604 2 1 MB 166 MHz x4 65 nm 3.5 GHz (7150N)
Intel Tulsa Xeon MP 604 2 1 MB 200 MHz x4 65 nm 3.4 GHz (7140M)

Paxville MP: Multi-processor version of Paxville.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Paxville MP Xeon MP 604 2 1 MB 166 MHz x4 90 nm 2.66 GHz (7020)
Intel Paxville MP Xeon MP 604 2 2 MB 166 MHz x4 90 nm 3.0 GHz (7030)
Intel Paxville MP Xeon MP 604 2 1 MB 200 MHz x4 90 nm 2.8 GHz (7040)
Intel Paxville MP Xeon MP 604 2 2 MB 200 MHz x4 90 nm 3.0 GHz (7041)

Potomac: Higher-end version of Cranford with 4 MB or 8 MB of L3 cache. For the purposes of this guide, the core name reflects the amount of L3 cache.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Potomac 4M Xeon MP 604 1 1 MB 166 MHz x4 90 nm 2.83 GHz
Intel Potomac 8M Xeon MP 604 1 1 MB 166 MHz x4 90 nm 3.33 GHz

Cranford: Multi-processor version of Xeon DP Nocona.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Cranford Xeon MP 604 1 1 MB 166 MHz x4 90 nm 3.66 GHz

Gallatin: Multi-processor version of the Xeon DP Prestonia. For the purposes of this guide, the core name reflects the amount of L3 cache.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Gallatin 1M Xeon MP 604 1 512 KB 100 MHz x4 130 nm 2.5 GHz
Intel Gallatin 2M Xeon MP 604 1 512 KB 100 MHz x4 130 nm 2.8 GHz
Intel Gallatin 3M Xeon MP 604 1 512 KB 100 MHz x4 130 nm 3.0 GHz

Foster MP: As the Xeon DP Foster, but with support for more than 2 processors in one system. For the purposes of this guide, the core name reflects the amount of L3 cache.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Foster 512K Xeon MP 603 1 256 KB 100 MHz x4 180 nm 1.5 GHz
Intel Foster 1M Xeon MP 603 1 256 KB 100 MHz x4 180 nm 1.6 GHz

Dual processor

Xeon DP

Xeon with support for up to two processors in one system. Older Xeons also supported DP use, but with the introduction of Pentium 4-based Xeons Intel began to differentiate between DP and MP.

Lynnfield: As with Bloomfield and others before it, this is the desktop Core i7 Lynnfield turned into a Xeon. Same feature set as Core i7 Lynnfield, except for the Xeon X3430 which, like the Core i5 Lynnfield, does not support Hyper-Threading. 8 MB of L3 cache.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Uncore clock Top Speed
Intel Lynnfield Xeon LGA1156 4 256 KB 2.5 GT/s DMI 45 nm 2.4 GHz 2.93 GHz (X3470)

Bloomfield: Continuing their tradition of turning mainstream parts into single-socket-only Xeons, Intel turned Bloomfield into the 3500 series of Xeons. And continuing our tradition of lumping such Xeons in with the dual-socket parts, we have listed them here. Essentially the same feature set as the desktop Bloomfield or, for that matter, Xeon Nehalem. 8 MB of L3 cache.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Bloomfield Xeon LGA 1366 4 256 KB 4.8 GT/s QPI 45 nm 3.33 GHz (W3580)

Westmere-EP: A die shrink of Nehalem or Gulftown brought to the server farm, however you prefer to think of it. More cores than Nehalem. Adds AES-NI, Turbo Boost, TXT, and the other goodies that come with Gulftown. 12 MB of shared L3. Parts with a W or X model number have faster QPI links than those with L or E model numbers In true Intel fashion, almost all (but not all) parts support Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost; L5609 has neither, and is additionally cursed with an even slower QPI link.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Westmere-EP Xeon LGA 1366 6 256 KB 6.4 GT/s QPI 32 nm 3.3 GHz (W5680)
Intel Westmere-EP Xeon LGA 1366 6 256 KB 5.86 GT/s QPI 32 nm 2.26 GHz (L5640)
Intel Westmere-EP Xeon LGA 1366 4 256 KB 6.4 GT/s QPI 32 nm 3.46 GHz (X5677)
Intel Westmere-EP Xeon LGA 1366 4 256 KB 6.4 GT/s QPI 32 nm 2.13 GHz (L5630)
Intel Westmere-EP Xeon LGA 1366 4 256 KB 4.8 GT/s QPI 32 nm 1.86 GHz (L5609)

Nehalem: As usual for Intel, server parts were the last to move to a new microarchitecture. This is perhaps a bit ironic in this case, where Nehalem was actually the "main" product from which desktop and mobile variants were derived, and was the microarchitecture's namesake. The naming system is a bit complicated; see our description on the naming page.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Nehalem Xeon LGA 1366 4 256 KB 6.4 GT/s QPI 45 nm 3.3 GHz (W5590)
Intel Nehalem Xeon LGA 1366 4 256 KB 5.86 GT/s QPI 45 nm 2.53 GHz (E5540)
Intel Nehalem Xeon LGA 1366 4 256 KB 4.8 GT/s QPI 45 nm 2.13 GHz (E5506)
Intel Nehalem Xeon LGA 1366 2 256 KB 4.8 GT/s QPI 45 nm 1.86 GHz (E5502)

Harpertown: 2 Wolfdales in one package, through the magic of Multi-Chip Modules. There are L, E, and X models; L models use the least power, X models the most. The power savings come from reduced core voltages and, in some cases, slower Front Side Bus speeds.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Harpertown Xeon J 4 3 MB 266 MHz x4 45 nm 2.13 GHz (L5408)
Intel Harpertown Xeon J 4 3 MB 333 MHz x4 45 nm 3.33 GHz (X5470)
Intel Harpertown Xeon J 4 3 MB 400 MHz x4 45 nm 3.4 GHz (X5492)

Wolfdale: Penryn for servers. More cache, and a 45 nm process. Adds SSE4.1. Please note that Intel lumps Wofldale into the "Xeon 5400" series, even though the model numbers start with 5200, due to its close relationship with Harpertown.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Wolfdale Xeon J 2 3 MB 266 MHz x4 45 nm 1.86 GHz (E5205)
Intel Wolfdale Xeon J 2 3 MB 333 MHz x4 45 nm 3.33 GHz (X5260)
Intel Wolfdale Xeon J 2 3 MB 400 MHz x4 45 nm 3.5 GHz (X5270)

Yorkfield: Just like the Core 2 Quad Yorkfield. Continuing in the same spirit as the Xeon Kentsfield, this is a single-processor-only product.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Yorkfield Xeon T 4 1.5 MB 333 MHz x4 45 nm 2.5 GHz (X3320)
Intel Yorkfield Xeon T 4 3 MB 333 MHz x4 45 nm 2.83 GHz (X3360)

Kentsfield: The same as Core 2 Quad Kentsfield, but with different branding. As with Conroe, not actually a DP product.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Kentsfield Xeon T 4 2 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 2.67 GHz (X3230)

Clovertown: The big-server analogue to Kentsfield, Clovertown is also a quad core "dual die" product. Supports Demand-Based Switching. There is some indication that faster versions of the lower-FSB Clovertown exist, but nothing official from Intel and no really solid information.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Clovertown Xeon DP J 4 2 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 1.86 GHz (E5320)
Intel Clovertown Xeon DP J 4 2 MB 333 MHz x4 65 nm 3.0 GHz (X5365)

Allendale: Just like Conroe, Allendale was pulled over to serve double-duty as a Xeon. And just like Conroe, these Xeons are really only single-processor parts.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Conroe Xeon T 2 2 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 2.13 GHz (3050)

Conroe: The desktop chip adapted for use in smaller servers. Please note this is actually not a DP product (it can only be used in single-socket systems), but is placed here to put it in proper context.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Conroe Xeon T 2 2 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 2.13 GHz (3050)
Intel Conroe Xeon T 2 4 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 2.67 GHz (3070)

Woodcrest: The first chip released with Intel's Core microarchitecture. Better performance and lower power than older Xeons.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Woodcrest Xeon DP J 2 2 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 1.87 GHz (5120)
Intel Woodcrest Xeon DP J 2 2 MB 333 MHz x4 65 nm 3.0 GHz (5160)

Sossaman: Server analog to the Core laptop chips, also derived from the Pentium M and also using Socket 479. Built for low power use.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Sossaman Xeon LV M 2 1 MB 166 MHz x4 65 nm 2.0 GHz

Dempsey: Dual die, Hyperthreading, 64-bit. Die shrink. New socket.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Dempsey Xeon DP J 2 2 MB 166 MHz x4 65 nm 3.0 GHz (5050)
Intel Dempsey Xeon DP J 2 2 MB 266 MHz x4 65 nm 3.7 GHz (5080)

Paxville: Dual core Irwindale, including Hyper-Threading.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Paxville Xeon DP 604 2 2 MB 200 MHz x4 90 nm 2.8 GHz

Irwindale: Based on the Pentium 4 Prescott 2M, Irwindale adds the No Execute bit and more L2 cache to Nocona.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Irwindale Xeon DP 604 1 2 MB 200 MHz x4 90 nm 3.8 GHz

Nocona: Based on the Pentium 4 Prescott, Nocona brings SSE3 and EM64T instructions to the Xeon family.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Nocona Xeon DP 604 1 1 MB 200 MHz x4 90 nm 3.6 GHz

Gallatin: Prestonia with either 1 MB or 2 MB of L3 cache. For the purposes of this guide, the core name reflects the amount of L3 cache.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Gallatin 1M Xeon DP 604 1 512 KB 133 MHz x4 130 nm 3.2 GHz
Intel Gallatin 2M Xeon DP 604 1 512 KB 133 MHz x4 130 nm 3.2 GHz

Prestonia: Based on the Pentium 4 Northwood. Similar to Foster, but with support for Hyper-Threading, a die shrink, and reduced operating voltage.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Prestonia Xeon DP 603 1 512 KB 100 MHz x4 130 nm 3.0 GHz
Intel Prestonia Xeon DP 604 1 512 KB 133 MHz x4 130 nm 3.06 GHz

Foster: Based on the Pentium 4 Willamette.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Foster Xeon DP 603 1 256 KB 100 MHz x4 180 nm 2.0 GHz

Xeon

Following in the footsteps of the Pentium Pro, the Xeon is marketed toward the server and workstation markets. Xeons have been produced based on the same architectures as much of the Pentium line.

Cascades: Another Pentium III Xeon, initially criticized for the fact that its low L2 cache made it indisitinguishable from ordinary Pentium IIIs of its day. Later versions increased the cache but also descreased the Front Side Bus, for a net performance improvement.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Cascades Xeon Slot 2 1 256 KB 133 MHz 180 nm 1 GHz
Intel Cascades Xeon Slot 2 1 1 MB 100 MHz 180 nm 700 MHz
Intel Cascades Xeon Slot 2 1 2 MB 100 MHz 180 nm 900 MHz

Tanner: A Pentium III Xeon, this core was essentially Drake with the same changes that appeared in the Katmai Pentium III.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Tanner Xeon Slot 2 1 512 KB 100 MHz 250 nm 550 MHz
Intel Tanner Xeon Slot 2 1 1 MB 100 MHz 250 nm 700 MHz
Intel Tanner Xeon Slot 2 1 2 MB 100 MHz 250 nm 900 MHz

Drake: Based on the Pentium Pro P6, with full-speed off-die L2 cache, and released as the Pentium II Xeon. Added MMX instructions, which the P6 lacked.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Drake Xeon Slot 2 1 512 KB 100 MHz 250 nm 450 MHz
Intel Drake Xeon Slot 2 1 1 MB 100 MHz 250 nm 450 MHz
Intel Drake Xeon Slot 2 1 2 MB 100 MHz 250 nm 450 MHz

Pentium Pro

The "professional" version of the Pentium, the Pentium Pro was marketed to server and workstation markets with claims of improved performance in such tasks.

P6: Benefiting from valuable (but costly) built-in L2 cache, the P6 was powerful for its time but faced substantial yield problems. L2 cache added greatly to the transistor count of the chip, and therefore made it more expensive and more difficult to produce.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel P6 Pentium Pro 8 1 256 KB 60 MHz 350 nm 180 MHz
Intel P6 Pentium Pro 8 1 256 KB 66 MHz 350 nm 200 MHz
Intel P6 Pentium Pro 8 1 512 KB 66 MHz 350 nm 200 MHz
Intel P6 Pentium Pro 8 1 1 MB 66 MHz 350 nm 200 MHz

Embedded

Mainstream

Atom

Atom is Intel's attempt to move x86 into the embedded space, similar to AMD's Geode.

Pineview: Pineview is notable mainly for its integrated GPU (GMA 3150) and memory controller, which improved power use but not performance. Part of the Pinetrail platform. Intel describes two versions of Pineview: "Pineview-M", intended for netbooks; and "Pineview-D", intended for desktops; Pineview-M has a lower TDP (probably because Pineview-M gets Enhanced SpeedStep) and a less-capable memory controller. Model numbers starting with N are Pineview-M (why not M?), model numbers starting with D are Pineview-D. No support for Intel Virtualization. Model numbers of the form x5xx have 2 cores; model numbers of the form x4xx have 1 core. Unlike Atom 330, dual-core Pineview is a "true" dual-core part, with both cores on the same die. Intel describes the socket as FCBGA559 or FC-BGA8.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Pineview Atom FCBGA559 2 512 KB DMI 45 nm 1.66 GHz (D510)
Intel Pineview Atom FCBGA559 1 512 KB DMI 45 nm 1.83 GHz (N470)

Silverthorne: Something of a throwback to the days of the original Pentium, Silverthorne is Intel's first in-order (versus out-of-order) design in years. It is the combination of the Bonnell core, L2 cache, and an external bus interface. It is otherwise designed to support the same ISA as Merom, including SSE instructions up to SSSE3 and Intel Virtualization Technology. All versions use a surface-mount BGA437 (also called uFCBGA8) package; no sockets.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Silverthorne Atom BGA437 2 512 KB 133 MHz x4 45 nm 1.6 GHz (330)
Intel Silverthorne Atom BGA437 1 512 KB 133 MHz x4 45 nm 1.6 GHz (230)

Diamondville: Diamondville is an even smaller, even lower power version of Silverthorne intended for what Intel calls "Mobile Internet Devices". While Silverthorne uses a standard GTL+ FSB, like most Intel processors, Diamondville uses a lower-power CMOS bus. This saves power, but makes Diamondville incompatible with any chipset except the Poulsbo chipset (UL11/US15), which was developed specifically for it. Diamondville does not support Intel's 64-bit extensions, but generally supports the same ISA as Silverthorne. All but the Z510 support Symmetric Multi-Threading (like the Pentium 4's Hyper-Threading). All versions use a surface-mount BGA package; no sockets. The initial and (when present) ending letter in the model number provide information on the package. The Z515 supports "Burst Mode" (similar to Turbo Boost), which allows it to increase its clock speed to 1.2 GHz for brief periods (the "regular" clock speed has not been specified yet), but not Hyper-Threading.

Manufacturer Core Series Socket Cores L2 Cache/Core FSB Process Size Top Speed
Intel Diamondville Atom BGA437 1 512 KB 166 MHz x4 45 nm 1.67 GHz (N280)
Intel Diamondville Atom BGA441 1 512 KB 133 MHz x4 45 nm 2.0 GHz (Z550)
Intel Diamondville Atom BGA441 1 512 KB 100 MHz x4 45 nm 1.2 GHz (Z515)
Intel Diamondville Atom BGA437 1 512 KB 133 MHz x4 45 nm 1.6 GHz (Z530P)
Intel Diamondville Atom BGA437 1 512 KB 100 MHz x4 45 nm 1.1 GHz (Z510P)