Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 vs Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600

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Core 2 Duo E8400 compared with Core 2 Quad Q6600

	IntelCore 2 Duo E8400	IntelCore 2 Quad Q6600
Overview
Released
Released	January 2008	January 2007
Cores and clocks
Cores
Cores	2	4 (better)
Threads
Threads	2	4 (better)
Base clock
Base clock	3 GHz	2.4 GHz
Cores
Cores	Wolfdale; two cores and two threads, without Hyper-Threading. Intel’s archived exact E8400 specifications are attached to the maker datasheet distributed by Mouser.	Kentsfield; four cores and four threads, without Hyper-Threading. Original B3 stepping is the numerical baseline; later G0 retains the model name and core/cache figures. Locked multiplier confirmed by bit-tech’s exact-model review.
Clocks
Clocks	Published operating frequency 3.00 GHz; 1333 MHz front-side bus. Intel explicitly lists no Turbo Boost, so no boost figure is supplied. Intel’s CES fact sheet specifies January 2008 availability for this exact model; TechSpot’s 1 February review confirms retail stock, with early shortages and prices above target. An exact first-sale day remains unverified.	Published operating frequency 2.40 GHz; 1066 MHz front-side bus. Intel’s 8 January 2007 release explicitly states immediate availability in PCs and the reseller channel. No unpublished boost frequency is supplied.
Cache
Cache	6 MB shared L2 cache; no L3 figure supplied.	Two 4 MB L2 caches, one per dual-core die; total 8 MB. Intel’s datasheet also lists four 32 KB L1 data caches. No L3 figure is supplied.
Graphics and AI
Built-in graphics
Built-in graphics	No	No
Graphics
Graphics	No integrated graphics, explicitly confirmed by the exact BX80570E8400 Newegg listing; motherboard graphics are separate.	No integrated graphics, confirmed by the exact BX80562Q6600 retail listing; motherboard graphics are a separate component.
Platform
Socket
Socket	LGA775	LGA775
Base power
Base power	65 W	105 W
Unlocked
Unlocked	–	No
Cooler in the box
Cooler in the box	Yes	Yes
Memory support
Memory support	Memory and I/O transactions pass through the front-side bus and chipset, as Intel’s datasheet states; supported memory types and capacity depend on the motherboard.	Memory and I/O transactions pass through the front-side bus and chipset, as Intel’s datasheet states; memory types and capacity depend on the motherboard.
Process
Process	45 nm; Wolfdale; LGA775; SSE4.1 support.	65 nm; Kentsfield; LGA775.
Cooler
Cooler	Intel’s boxed-processor specification confirms a supplied cooling solution; exact BX80570E8400 listing confirms heatsink and fan. Published processor TDP is 65 W.	Boxed BX80562Q6600 listing confirms heatsink and fan. Intel’s datasheet and PCN107463 distinguish original B3 105 W from later G0 95 W; the projected July 2007 conversion date is not treated as an independently verified sale day.