Intel Core Processors

This article is about the Intel processor brand name. For the Intel microarchitecture that is the basis for the Core 2 processor family, see Core (microarchitecture).

Intel Core is a brand name that Intel uses for various mid-range to high-end consumer and business microprocessors. In general, processors sold as Core are more powerful variants of the same processors marketed as entry-level Celeron and Pentium. Similarly, identical or more capable versions of Core processors are also sold as Xeon processors for the server and workstation market.

As of 2013 the current lineup of Core processors includes the latest Intel Core i7, Intel Core i5, and Intel Core i3, and the older Intel Core 2 Solo, Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Core 2 Quad, and Intel Core 2 Extreme lines.

Enhanced Pentium M based

The originals Core brand refers to Intel's 32-bit mobile dual-core x86 CPUs, which derived from the Pentium M branded processors. The processor family used a more enhanced version of the Intel P6 microarchitecture. It emerged in parallel with the NetBurst microarchitecture (Intel P68) of the Pentium 4 brand, and was a precursor of the 64-bit Core microarchitecture of Core 2 branded CPUs. The Core brand comprised two branches: the Duo (dual-core) and Solo (Duo with one disabled core, which replaced the Pentium M brand of single-core mobile processor).

Intel launched the Core brand on January 6, 2006 with the release of the 32-bit Yonah CPU – Intel's first dual-core mobile (low-power) processor. Its dual-core layout closely resembled two interconnected Pentium M branded CPUs packaged as a single die (piece) silicon chip (IC). Hence, the 32-bit microarchitecture of Core branded CPUs – contrary to its name – had more in common with Pentium M branded CPUs than with the subsequent 64-bit Core microarchitecture of Core 2 branded CPUs. Despite a major rebranding effort by Intel starting January 2006, some companies continued to market computers with the Yonah core marked as Pentium M.

The Core series is also the first Intel processor used as the main CPU in an Apple Macintosh computer. The Core Duo was the CPU for the first generation MacBook Pro, while the Core Solo appeared in Apple's Mac mini line. Core Duo signified the beginning of Apple's shift to Intel processors across their entire line.

In 2007, Intel began branding the Yonah core CPUs intended for mainstream mobile computers as Pentium Dual-Core, not to be confused with the desktop 64-bit Core microarchitecture CPUs also branded as Pentium Dual-Core.

September 2007 and January 4, 2008 marked the discontinuation of a number of Core branded CPUs including several Core Solo, Core Duo, Celeron and one Core 2 Quad chip

Core Duo

Intel Core Duo (product code 80539) consists of two cores on one die, a 2 MB L2 cache shared by both cores, and an arbiter bus that controls both L2 cache and FSB (front-side bus) access.

Codename (main article)	Brand name (list)	L2 Cache	Socket	TDP
Yonah	Core Duo T2xxx	2 MB	Socket M	31 W
	Core Duo L2xxx			15 W
	Core Duo u2xxx			9 W

Core Solo

Intel Core Solo (product code 80538) uses the same two-core die as the Core Duo, but features only one active core.[citation needed] Depending on demand, Intel may also simply disable one of the cores to sell the chip at the Core Solo price—this requires less effort than launching and maintaining a separate line of CPUs that physically only have one core. Intel used the same strategy previously with the 486 CPU in which early 486SX CPUs were in fact manufactured as 486DX CPUs but with the FPU disabled.

Codename (main article)	Brand name (list)	L2 Cache	Socket	TDP
Yonah	Core Solo T1xxx	2 MB	Socket M	27–31 W
	Core Solo U1xxx			5.5–6 W

64-bit Core microarchitecture based


The successor to Core is the mobile version of the Intel Core 2 line of processors using cores based upon the Intel Core microarchitecture, released on July 27, 2006. The release of the mobile version of Intel Core 2 marks the reunification of Intel's desktop and mobile product lines as Core 2 processors were released for desktops and notebooks, unlike the first Intel Core CPUs that were targeted only for notebooks (although some small form factor and all-in-one desktops, like the iMac and the Mac Mini, also used Core processors).

Unlike the Intel Core, Intel Core 2 is a 64-bit processor, supporting Intel 64. Another difference between the original Core Duo and the new Core 2 Duo is an increase in the amount of Level 2 cache. The new Core 2 Duo has tripled the amount of on-board cache to 6 MB. Core 2 also introduced a quad-core performance variant to the single- and dual-core chips, branded Core 2 Quad, as well as an enthusiast variant, Core 2 Extreme. All three chips are manufactured at a 65 nm lithography, and in 2008, a 45 nm lithography and support Front Side Bus speeds ranging from 533 MHz to 1600 MHz. In addition, the 45 nm die shrink of the Core microarchitecture adds SSE4.1 support to all Core 2 microprocessors manufactured at a 45 nm lithography, therefore increasing the calculation rate of the processors.

Core 2 Solo

The Core 2 Solo,introduced in September 2007, is the successor to the Core Solo and is available only as an ultra-low-power mobile processor with 5.5 Watt thermal design power. The original U2xxx series "Merom-L" used a special version of the Merom chip with CPUID number 10661 (model 22, stepping A1) that only had a single core and was also used in some Celeron processors. The later SU3xxx are part of Intel's CULV range of processors in a smaller µFC-BGA 956 package but contain the same Penryn chip as the dual-core variants, with one of the cores disabled during manufacturing.

Codename (main article)	Brand name (list)	L2 Cache	Socket	TDP
Merom-L	Mobile Core 2 Solo U2xxx	1 MB	FCBGA	5.5 W
Penryn-L	Mobile Core 2 Solo SU2xxx	3 MB	BGA956	5.5 W

Core 2 Duo

The majority of the desktop and mobile Core 2 processor variants are Core 2 Duo with two processor cores on a single Merom, Conroe, Allendale, Penryn, or Wolfdale chip. These come in a wide range of performance and power consumption, starting with the relatively slow ultra-low-power Uxxxx (10 W) and low-power Lxxxx (17 W) versions, to the more performance oriented Pxxxx (25 W) and Txxxx (35 W) mobile versions and the Exxxx (65 W) desktop models. The mobile Core 2 Duo processors with an 'S' prefix in the name are produced in a smaller µFC-BGA 956 package, which allows building more compact laptops.

Within each line, a higher number usually refers to a better performance, which depends largely on core and front-side bus clock frequency and amount of second level cache, which are model-specific. Core 2 Duo processors typically use the full L2 cache of 2, 3, 4, or 6 MB available in the specific stepping of the chip, while versions with the amount of cache reduced during manufacturing are sold for the low-end consumer market as Celeron or Pentium Dual-Core processors. Like those processors, some low-end Core 2 Duo models disable features such as Intel Virtualization Technology. Details can be found at the list of Intel Core 2 microprocessors.

Codename (main article)	Brand name (list)	L2 Cache	Socket	TDP
Merom	Mobile Core 2 Duo U7xxx	2 MB	BGA479	10 W
	Mobile Core 2 DuoL7xxx	4 MB		17 W
	Mobile Core 2 Duo T5xxx	2 MB	Socket M Socket P BGA479	35 W
	Mobile Core 2 Duo T7xxx	2–4 MB
Conroe and Allendale	Core 2 Duo E4xxx	2 MB	LGA 775	65 W
	Core 2 Duo E6xxx	2–4 MB
Penryn	Mobile Core 2 Duo SU7xxx	3 MB	BGA956	10W
	Mobile Core 2 Duo SU9xxx
	Mobile Core 2 Duo SL9xxx	6 MB		17 W
	Mobile Core 2 Duo SP9xxx			25 W
	Mobile Core 2 Duo P7xxx	3 MB	Socket P FCBGA6	25 W
	Mobile Core 2 Duo P8xxx
	Mobile Core 2 Duo P9xxx	6 MB
	Mobile Core 2 Duo T6xxx	2 MB		35 W
	Mobile Core 2 Duo T8xxx	3 MB
	Mobile Core 2 Duo T9xxx	6 MB
	Mobile Core 2 Duo E8xxx	6 MB	Socket P	35-55 W
Wolfdale	Core 2 Duo E7xxx	3 MB	LGA 775	65 W

Core 2 Quad

Core 2 Quad processors are multi-chip modules consisting of two dies similar to those used in Core 2 Duo, forming a quad-core processor. This allows twice the performance of a dual-core processors at the same clock frequency in ideal conditions.

Initially, all Core 2 Quad models were versions of Core 2 Duo desktop processors, Kentsfield derived from Conroe and Yorkfield from Wolfdale, but later Penryn-QC was added as a high-end version of the mobile dual-core Penryn.

The Xeon 32xx and 33xx processors are mostly identical versions of the desktop Core 2 Quad processors and can be used interchangeably.

Codename (main article)	Brand name (list)	L2 Cache	Socket	TDP
Kentsfield	Core 2 Quad Q6xxx	2×4 MB	LGA 775	95–105 W
Yorkfield	Core 2 Quad Q7xxx	2×1 MB		95 W
	Core 2 Quad Q8xxx	2×2 MB		65–95 W
	Core 2 Quad Q9xxx	2×3–2×6 MB
Penryn-QC	Mobile Core 2 Quad Q9xxx	2×3–2×6 MB	Socket P	45 W

Core 2 Extreme

Core 2 Extreme processors are enthusiast versions of Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad processors, usually with a higher clock frequency and an unlocked clock multiplier, which makes them especially attractive for overclocking. This is similar to earlier Pentium processors labeled as Extreme Edition. Core 2 Extreme processors were released at a much higher price than their regular version, often $999 or more.

Codename (main article)	Brand name (list)	L2 Cache	Socket	TDP
Merom	Mobile Core 2 Extreme X7xxx	4 MB	Socket P	44 W
Conroe	Core 2 Extreme X6xxx	4 MB	LGA 775	75 W
Kentsfield	Core 2 Extreme QX6xxx	2×4 MB	LGA 775	130 W
Penryn	Mobile Core 2 Extreme X9xxx	6 MB	Socket P	44 W
Penryn-QC	Mobile Core 2 Extreme QX9xxx	2×6 MB	Socket P	45 W
Yorkfield	Core 2 Extreme QX9xxx	2×6 MB	LGA 775 / LGA 771	130–150 W

Nehalem microarchitecture based

With the release of the Nehalem microarchitecture in November 2008,Intel introduced a new naming scheme for its Core processors. There are three variants, Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7, but the names no longer correspond to specific technical features like the number of cores. Instead, the brand is now divided from low-level (i3), through mid-range (i5) to high-end performance (i7), which correspond to three, four and five stars in Intel's Intel Processor Rating[17] following on from the entry-level Celeron (one star) and Pentium (two stars) processors. Common features of all Nehalem based processors include an integrated DDR3 memory controller as well as QuickPath Interconnect or PCI Express and Direct Media Interface on the processor replacing the aging quad-pumped Front Side Bus used in all earlier Core processors. All these processors have 256 KB L2 cache per core, plus up to 12 MB shared L3 cache. Because of the new I/O interconnect, chipsets and mainboards from previous generations can no longer be used with Nehalem based processors.

Core i3

Intel intended the Core i3 as the new low end of the performance processor line from Intel, following the retirement of the Core 2 brand.

The first Core i3 processors were launched on January 7, 2010

The first Nehalem based Core i3 was Clarkdale-based, with an integrated GPU and two cores.The same processor is also available as Core i5 and Pentium, with slightly different configurations.

The Core i3-3xxM processors are based on Arrandale, the mobile version of the Clarkdale desktop processor. They are similar to the Core i5-4xx series but running at lower clock speeds and without Turbo Boost.[23] According to an Intel FAQ they do not support Error Correction Code (ECC) memory.[24] According to motherboard manufacturer Supermicro, if a Core i3 processor is used with a server chipset platform such as Intel 3400/3420/3450, the CPU will support ECC with UDIMM.When asked, Intel confirmed that, although the Intel 5 series chipset supports non-ECC memory only with the Core i5 or i3 processors, using those processors on a motherboard with 3400 series chipsets it will support the ECC function of ECC memory.A limited number of motherboards by other companies also support ECC with Intel Core ix processors; the Asus P8B WS is an example, but it does not support ECC memory under Windows non-server operating systems.

Codename (main article)	Brand name (list)	Cores	L3 Cache	Socket	TDP	I/O Bus
Clarkdale	Core i3-5xx	2	4 MB	LGA 1156	73 W	Direct Media Interface, Integrated GPU
Arrandale	Core i3-3xxM		3 MB	rPGA-988A	35 W
	Core i3-3xxUM		3 MB	BGA-1288	18 W

Core i5

The first Core i5 using the Nehalem microarchitecture was introduced on September 8, 2009, as a mainstream variant of the earlier Core i7, the Lynnfield core.Lynnfield Core i5 processors have an 8 MB L3 cache, a DMI bus running at 2.5 GT/s and support for dual-channel DDR3-800/1066/1333 memory and have Hyper-threading disabled. The same processors with different sets of features (Hyper-Threading and other clock frequencies) enabled are sold as Core i7-8xx and Xeon 3400-series processors, which should not be confused with high-end Core i7-9xx and Xeon 3500-series processors based on Bloomfield.New feature add Turbo Boost Technology maximizes speed for demanding application, dynamically accelerating performance to match your workload- more performance when you need it the most.

The Core i5-5xx mobile processors are named Arrandale and based on the 32 nm Westmere shrink of the Nehalem microarchitecture. Arrandale processors have integrated graphics capability but only two processor cores. They were released in January 2010, together with Core i7-6xx and Core i3-3xx processors based on the same chip. The L3 cache in Core i5-5xx processors is reduced to 3 MB, while the Core i5-6xx will use the full cache and the Core i3-3xx will have no support for Turbo Boost.[30] Clarkdale, the desktop version of Arrandale, is sold as Core i5-6xx, along with related Core i3 and Pentium brands. It has Hyper-Threading enabled and the full 4 MB L3 cache.

According to Intel "Core i5 desktop processors and desktop boards typically do not support ECC memory",but information on limited ECC support in the Core i3 section also applies to Core i5 and i7

Codename (main article)	Brand name (list)	Cores	L3 Cache	Socket	TDB	I/O Bus
Lynnfield	Core i5-7xx	4	8 MB	LGA 1156	95 W	Direct Media Interface
	Core i5-7xxM				82 W
Clarkdale	Core i5-6xx	2	4 MB		73–87 W	Direct Media Interface, Integrated GPU
Arrandale	Core i5-5xxM		3 MB	rPGA-988A	35 W
	Core i5-4xxM
	Core i5-5xxUM			BGA-1288	18 W
	Core i5-4xxUM

Core i7

Intel Core i7 as an Intel brand name applies to several families of desktop and laptop 64-bit x86-64 processors using the Nehalem, Westmere, Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge and Haswell microarchitectures. The Core i7 brand targets the business and high-end consumer markets for both desktop and laptop computers,and is distinguished from the Core i3 (entry-level consumer), Core i5 (mainstream consumer), and Xeon (server and workstation) brands.

Intel introduced the Core i7 name with the Bloomfield Quad-core processor in late 2008.In 2009 new Core i7 models based on the Lynnfield desktop quad-core processor and the Clarksfield quad-core mobile were added,and models based on the Arrandale dual-core mobile processor were added in January 2010. The first six-core processor in the Core lineup is the Gulftown, which was launched on March 16, 2010. Both the regular Core i7 and the Extreme Edition are advertised as five stars in the Intel Processor Rating. In January 2011, Intel released the second generation of Core i7 processors. Both the first and second generation of Intel Core i7 processors are rated as 5 stars in the Intel processor rating. The second generation of Intel core processors are based on the "Sandy Bridge" core and were updated in April 2012 with "Ivy Bridge".

In each of the first three microarchitecture generations of the brand, Core i7 has family members using two distinct system-level architectures, and therefore two distinct sockets (for example, LGA 1156 and LGA 1366 with Nehalem). In each generation, the highest-performing Core i7 processors use the same socket and QPI-based architecture as the low-end Xeon processors of that generation, while lower-performing Core i7 processors use the same socket and PCIe/DMI/FDI architecture as the Core i5.

"Core i7" is a successor to the Intel Core 2 brand.Intel representatives stated that the moniker Core i7 is meant to help consumers decide which processor to purchase as the newer Nehalem-based products are released in the future.

Code name	Brand name	Cores	L3 Cache	Socket	TDP	Process	Busses	Release Date
Gulftown	Core i7-9xxX Extreme	6	12 MB	LGA 1366	130 W	32nm	QPI, 3 × DDR3	Mar 2010
	Core i7-970							Jul 2010
Bloomfield	Core i7-9xx Extreme	4	8 MB			45nm		Nov 2008
	Core i7-9xx (except Core i7-970/980)
Lynnfield	Core i7-8xx			LGA 1156	95 W		DMI, PCI-e, 2 × DDR3	Sep 2009
	Core i7-8xxS				82 W			Jan 2010
Clarkfield	Core i7-9xxXM Extreme Edition			rPGA-988A	55 W			Sep 2009
	Core i7-8xxQM				45 W
	Core i7-7xxQM		6 MB
Arrandale	Core i7-6xxM	2	4 MB		35 W	32nm	DMI, PCI-e, FDI, 2 × DDR3	Jan 2010
	Core i7-6xxLM			BGA-1288	25 W
	Core i7-6xxUM				18 W