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Review: The first 45nm Dual Core overclocks great

(This review is also available in German)

Last year we had the opportunity to review the first 45nm CPU. While a quad-core is not to everyone's taste, we're now taking a look at the first 45nm dual-core CPU, which is now available for purchase in limited quantities.




Besides the new SSE4.1 instruction sets, which are currently only used in some raytracing-applications, the most important feature is the new power-saving technology and, of course, the 45nm manufacturing process.




Some motherboards displayed the CPU VCore at 1.1875V, while some showed 1.2250V, so we are not sure which is the correct value. Due to its new power-savings function this isn't really important. Before you buy an E8x00 CPU, make sure that you update your motherboard with the latest BIOS. The TDP is specified at 65W, which is a massive overstatment, as the CPU runs very cool and draws very little power, even when overclocked.



The only negative argument for this CPU is the cooler that comes with the retail boxed processors, as it is now manufactured using more plastic. If you lock the push pins the wrong way, they will become deformed. If you want to change the push pins it's likely that the plastic mounting will break loose rendering the cooler useless. In our opinion you should dispose of this cooler. The funny thing is that currently buying a tray CPU is more expensive, and as such you'll save some money buying the boxed one.


Testbed:

Motherboards:
MSI P35 Platinum 1.1 (provided by MSI)
Intel P35/ICH9R
DFI LANparty UT P35-T2R (provided by DFI)
Intel P35/iCH9R
ASUS Maximus Extreme (provided by ASUS)
Intel X38/iCH9R

CPU:
Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 (provided by Intel)
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400

CPU-Cooler:
Scythe Andy Samurai Master (provided by Scythe-Europe)

Memory:
Kingston 2GB Kit PC2-9600U KHX1200D2K2/2G (provided by Kingston)
CL5-5-5-15 CR2T at 1.80V
Patriot 2GB Kit PC3-10666U PDC32G1333LLK (provided by Patriot)
CL7-7-7-20-CR2T at 1.50V

Graphics Card:
Jetway Radeon HD3870 (provided by mec-electronics)

Power supply:
Silverstone Element SF50EF-Plus (provided by Silverstone)

Hard disk:
Western Digital WD4000KD (provided by Ditech)

Case fans:
SilenX iXtrema Pro 14dB(A) (provided by PC-Cooling.at)
Scythe DFS122512LS

Case:
Cooler Master Stacker 831 Lite (provided by Cooler Master)