Intel 1333FSB Processors Arrive – QX6850 and E6750

Final Thoughts and Conclusions

After testing the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 and Core 2 Duo E6750 it leaves no doubt that these are two fast processors that pack some serious punch when overclocked on the right platform. We don’t have to think twice before saying that the Core 2 Extreme QX6850 is hands down the fastest desktop processor on the market. The Core 2 Extreme QX6850 also comes with the famed $999 Extreme price tag, which puts it out of reach for many, but remember, Intel lowered the price on the now mainstream Core 2 Quad Q6700. The Core 2 Quad Q6700 is now priced at $530 and I have yet to see one that can’t be overclocked to 1333MHz, so for those wanting a ‘bargain’ chip to overclock this might be your ticket to some fun.

The Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 was by far the highlight of this article as it comes at an affordable $183 and is one of the best overclocking processors I have seen in years. By being able to leave all the settings on the ASUS P5K3 Deluxe on “auto”, I was able to take this processor up to 460MHz FSB (1840MHz quad-pumped), which took it from being 2.66GHz to 3.68GHz. This is more than enough to push all of the chipsets and memory kits on the market today, which means enthusiasts will be in heaven! The introduction of the Core 2 Extreme QX6850 and Core 2 E6750 with support for a 1,333MHz FSB and new steppings was done at the perfect time as the back-to-school shopping season is starting to take off and AMD just got a little more behind on the performance side.

Without question, Intel has become very aggressive with pricing, but I predict this will not go on for much longer as some reports are saying AMD has declared a cease fire. Combine this news, and the news of Intel’s gross-profit margin falling below its forecast, hurts both of these companies and their investors. Intel has a lower gross-profit margin this year because its margin was hurt by lower average selling prices on their microprocessors.

The future of Kentsfield and Conroe look strong seeing how high they are able to overclock, but with Intel Penryn coming up down the road map, the full potential might never been seen on these processors as their replacements are coming down the pipe. With the upcoming release of the X38 series chipset, it wouldn’t surprise us if we didn’t see another frequency or FSB increase as these processors can handle it. AMD hasn’t released a desktop processor since the AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ back in February 2007 and it looked like they were playing catch-up then. They certainly need to catch up now as they are about to get lapped on the performance level.

Legit Bottom Line: Having a Front Side Bus (FSB) of 1066MHz is old news as Intel has now officially moved over to a faster 1333MHz FSB that helps improve performance. The Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 is now the flagship processor and rightly so as it dished out the pain with ease. The Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 offers some serious bang for your buck and should be popular this fall for the back to school shopping season.