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Core 2 Quad or Core 2 Extreme?
Comparisons:
Now it's time to get into the nitty gritty. Just what IS the difference between the Core 2 Quad and the Core 2 Extreme? We went to Intel's website to compare the Core 2 Quad Q6700 and the Core 2 Extreme QX6700. We chose these two because they are the only ones from each category that share the same clock speed and FSB. The results are shown below:
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We cropped out some useless information from the middle of the picture, but you'll notice there is no difference between the two. This is because Intel phased out the QX6700 and replaced it with the Q6700. The original QX6700 had core stepping G0, and the Q6700 had core stepping B3. This translates to the G0 running cooler, thus accepting more of an overclock. The Core 2 Extremes also have unlocked multipliers, which will allow all kinds of fun with overclocking. I guess this is what makes it Extreme. I also noticed that the QX6700 ran at 130W, and the Q6700 runs at 95W. This also makes the QX series a lot more powerful. While more energy consumption means more heat, the G0 revision should help it stay cooler. When the QX6700 was initially released, it had a hefty $985 price tag on it, while the Q6700 was released at $540. It's no wonder they phased out the QX6700 with the Q6700. The revision chart can be seen below:
Conclusion:
While there may not seem like a huge difference between the Core 2 Extreme series and the Core 2 Quad, it seems that the biggest change is in the stepping revisions and in the unlocked multipliers. There are Core 2 Quads with the G0 stepping, however. At 130W, the Core 2 Extremes are much more powerful than the Core 2 Quads. Unless your pockets are deep and you are really big into overclocking, I can't see any need for the Core 2 Extreme series, it's just too much money for the difference. The Core 2 Extremes tend to have a higher FSB, clock speeds, and unlocked multipliers, though the Quads are available to about the same degree. The full comparison chart from Intel is shown below:
(click to enlarge)
Check out the Q6700 and Accessories From these retailers below: