Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850

This is, without a doubt, the ultimate processor available in today’s market.

Still based on the Kentsfield core, this recently released quad-core from Intel is one of the new 1333FSB series processors.

While specced similarly to the currently available QX6700 and QX6800, which also feature 8MB L2 cache, the QX6850 comes with an increased the front side bus (FSB) speed. Boosted above the previous 266MHz rating to 333MHz – a 67MHz jump – the increase brings the effective FSB to 1333MHz, as it is quad-pumped.

Designed to operate in conjunction with the new Bearlake chipset, the QX6850, in all honesty, is simply a QX6800 with an ever-so-slight frequency increase. With a lower multiplier and higher stock FSB, the average consumer could overclock a Q6600, which happens to have the same stock multiplier of nine, to a 333MHz FSB and effectively have a $370 processor performing at the rate of a QX6850. This is a well-known fact within the Core micro-architecture hierarchy, be it quad-core, dual-core or single-core. It’s also why many are left bewildered as to why the Core 2 Extreme series demands such a premium price.

The reason behind the price inflation, other then the fact that the processor is the highest clocked model at stock, is the silicon wafer and core used for these processors. The unlocked multiplier, as is standard on the Core 2 Extreme series, is a huge draw card for overclockers. Add to this the fact that the binning process starts with the Core 2 Extreme range cores being chosen from the wafer first, it is expected that the chip is of the best quality. This leads to processors that are capable of high frequencies, behave better under stressful thermal conditions, and in a simple terms, are the cream of the crop.

The QX6850, performance-wise, isn’t anything that enthusiasts haven’t already experienced with overclocked Core 2 Duos and Core 2 Quads. As such, we chose to focus on the overclocking potential for the QX6850, particularly due to it being of the newer G0 stepping. Pairing the QX6850 with the ASUS P5K Premium, 2GB Corsair Dominator PC2-1000 and a Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme using a Noctua NF-S12-1200 fan, we set on our merry way to overclock this new king of the hill.

Not knowing what to expect, we set the CPU voltage to 1.35V and started ramping up the FSB until we found the maximum stable frequency. This ended up being 3.6GHz – per four cores. Say it with me people: three-point-six gigahertz with one-point-three-five volts.

Now having an idea of what we were in for we began the process of scaling the voltage and FSB, along the way finding the maximum frequency for a set voltage setting.

Our next noteworthy milestone was 4GHz with just 1.45V. This processor, now with all four cores operating at 4GHz, offered a huge amount of performance with an associated heat output to boot. Yet we knew there was more left in this chip, so we pushed even further.

Upping the voltage to 1.6V we managed 4.1GHz. At this frequency we ran two very quick benchmarks to get an idea of the speed of the processor. The QX6850 scored a Super Pi 4M calculation in 1min 12.453s and wPrime 32M in 13.953s – this thing was fast!

Not content, we decided there were two areas left undiscovered: We wanted to know what the max FSB this chip could handle, as well as how far it could go on dry ice.

After further testing, we obtained a maximum FSB of 505MHz – this is massive for a quad-core processor. With the dry ice subliming at an incredible speed due to the massive heat output, we obtained a 4.6GHz maximum frequency and a wPrime 32M run of 9.438s.

With exceptional power at stock and ludicrous performance when overclocked, this Core 2 Extreme rightfully holds the performance crown. This is, without a doubt, the ultimate processor available in today’s market.

Specifications: Quad-core; 3GHz (333MHz x 9); 333MHz FSB (1333MHz quad-pumped); 8MB L2 cache; G0 stepping.