COMPARISON INTEL CENTRINO 2 CPUS

Hardly half a year after the Penryn update of notebook processors, Intel launched a number of new CPUs at the same time than its new platform, the Centrino 2 platform, code-named Montevina. So, now there are further powerful Intel processors for notebook available, whereas the clock rates of these new processors range from 2.26 to 2.8 GHz. Furthermore, there is also an Extreme edition with 3.06 GHz available. We checked the price-performance ratio of these new processors.

Comparison Intel Core 2 Duo CPUs 'Penryn Refresh'

INTRODUCTION

In the first 'Penryn' update of the Intel CPU series for notebooks the most important thing was that the lithography is now 45 nm. So, a wafer of the same size can now house significantly more transistors (up to 40% more). Furthermore, these processors were equipped with a clearly bigger level 2 cache (L2), which also improved the performance of the CPUs, because it can cache more data in order to quickly provide the CPU with it for further processing. In the performed tests especially the processors with 6MB L2-cache performed clearly better. The comprehensive review of the first Intel Penryn CPU series is available here.

Regarding the current Montevina update you have to distinguish between the new functions of the chip set and changes of the processor itself. E.g., the current'Mobile Intel 4 series Express chipset' includes a number of new features, e.g., support for dual channel DDR3 memory and the possibility to switch betweenintegrated video chip and a dedicated graphics card.
The platform also includes new chips for WLAN and LAN, in detail, the Intel Wireless WiFi Link 5000 module, and the Intel 82567 Gigabit network.


Mobile Intel 4 Series Express ChipsetMobile Intel 965 Express Chipset
Frontside Bus1066 MHz800 MHz
DDR3 Memory1066 and 800 MHzNot supported
DDR2 Memory667 and 800 MHz533 and 667 MHz
Max. Shader clock chipset GFX640MHz500 MHz
HDCP SupportYesNo
Intgrated TPMYesNo
Montevina and Santa Rosa Chip Set in Comparison

At least formally the new processors of the Penryn refresh differ only slightly from the first generation of mobile Penryn processors. E.g., the lithography is still 45 nm. As already mentioned the 45 nm technology allows to place more transistors on the same sized area, and, so, it enhances the possibilities of the chip architecture.
Intel made the front side bus (FSB), which is now clocked by 1066 MHz, faster. This allows a faster communication with the RAM and the Northbridge (expansion cards and peripherals). A further innovation is the new 'P' class with 25 Watt TDP (thermal design power).

For the present the current Intel series includes a total of six chips called P8400 to P9500 respectively T9400 and T9600. But, the absolute highlight is that Intel launched the first mobile Core 2 Extreme CPU, the X9100, with 3.06 GHz. Following list is an overview over the reviewed processors:

NameClock RateL2-CacheTDPPrice
X91003.06 GHz6MB44 Watt$ 851.-
T96002.80 GHz6MB35 Watt$ 530.-
T94002.53 GHz6MB35 Watt$ 316.-
P95002.53 GHz6MB25 Watt$ 348.-
P86002.40 GHz3MB25 Watt$ 241.-
P84002.26 GHz3MB25 Watt$ 209.-
Penryn Refresh CPU Series

On basis of the nomenclature it gets obvious that Intel distinguishes Txxxx and Pxxx models. According to their TDP (thermal design power), which represents the maximum amount of power the cooling system in a computer is required to dissipate, the chips are categorized. The P models are especially appropriate for compact notebooks, e.g., subnotebooks, or especially slim notebooks with limited cooling capacities.
The L2 cache capacity determines whether there is an '8' or a '9' at the beginning of the model number. Chips with 6 MB L2-Cache follow the nomenclature x9xxx and those with 3 MB L2 cache are called x8xxx.

The P9500 and the T9400 CPU are thereby especially noticeable, because they do not differ at all except of their TDP. It can be assumed that they are generally the same, but because of production tolerances they have either a 25 Watt TDP or higher. So, the TDP of 35W of the T9400 CPU is actually the 'worst-case' for this chip.

The test system was provided by the company Schenker Notebook and was a powerful 17" inch gaming notebook, the mySN M570TU with Geforce 8800M GTXgraphics card. The following test was performed with constant hardware and software configuration. Thereby following processors were tested:

P8400 / 2.26 GHz
P8400 / 2.26 GHz
P8600 / 2.40 GHz
P8600 / 2.40 GHz
T9400 / 2.53 GHz
T9400 / 2.53 GHz
P9500 / 2.53 GHz
P9500 / 2.53 GHz
T9600 / 2.80 GHz
T9600 / 2.80 GHz
X9100 / 3.06 GHz
X9100 / 3.06 GHz
Intel Core 2 Duo Prozessoren under Review
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APPLICATION PERFORMANCE

First the application performance was tested by Maxon's Cinebench Release 10. We checked the performance of rendering and of OpenGL shading. In the rendering test especially the Core 2 Extreme X9100 CPU had an amazing performance. It achieved 4326 points in the single CPU rendering test and brilliant 8382 points in the multi-CPU rendering test.
It's especially remarkable, that the T9400 CPU is slightly better than the P9500 CPU in the multi GPU test, while it's vice versa in the single CPU rendering test.
This phenomenon is even more obvious in the OpenGL shading test, where the T9400 CPU is clearly better than the P9500 CPU.

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