Intel's quad-core Kentsfield will run at 2,66GHz and 1066MHz FSB

According to a article at X-bit labs Intel will not introduce a 3.2GHz model of the Core 2 Duo Extreme, as stated earlier on Intel's roadmaps. Instead they have pulled the launch of their quad core "Kentsfield" forward to the last quarter of this year, a quarter earlier then previously announced.

Intel's first quad-core microprocessor for desktops supposedly operates at 2.66GHz, use a 1066MHz processor system bus, offer 4 or 8 MB of level 2 cache and will be positioned as Intel's top-of-the-range offering for gamers and enthusiasts, reports HKEPC web-site, which claims that it had seen the latest roadmaps from Intel Corp.

The new processor will cost $999, as all Extreme versions do when introduced and is likely to substitute the already announced officially 3.20GHz Core 2 Extreme chip with two processing engines. As not all modern day software will benefit form more then two cores, there is a possibility that some software will actually run slower on a Kentsfield than on a Core 2 Duo with a higher clock speed.

Intel Kentsfield is expected to be drop-in compatible with some of the Intel 975X-based infrastructure that supports Intel Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme processors, some manufacturers like MSI and ABIT have already announced some of there motherboards to be "quad core compatible".

Intel's quad core Kentsfield sample