Core i7-980X Extreme Edition vs Core 2 Quad Q9550
Primary details
Comparing Core 2 Quad (Desktop) Q9550 and Core i7-980X Extreme Edition processor market type (desktop or notebook), architecture, sales start time and price.
| Place in the ranking | 2170 | not rated |
| Place by popularity | not in top-100 | not in top-100 |
| Market segment | Desktop processor | Desktop processor |
| Series | Core 2 Quad (Desktop) | Intel Core i7EE |
| Power efficiency | 1.46 | no data |
| Architecture codename | Yorkfield (2007−2009) | Westmere (2010−2011) |
| Release date | no data | no data |
Detailed specifications
Core 2 Quad (Desktop) Q9550 and Core i7-980X Extreme Edition basic parameters such as number of cores, number of threads, base frequency and turbo boost clock, lithography, cache size and multiplier lock state. These parameters indirectly say of CPU speed, though for more precise assessment you have to consider their test results.
| Physical cores | 4 (Quad-Core) | 6 (Hexa-Core) |
| Threads | 4 | 12 |
| Boost clock speed | 2.83 GHz | 3.33 GHz |
| Bus type | no data | QPI |
| Bus rate | 1333 MHz | 6.4 GT/s |
| Multiplier | no data | 25 |
| L1 cache | 64K (per core) | no data |
| L2 cache | 12288 KB | 1.5 MB |
| L3 cache | 0 KB | 12 MB |
| Chip lithography | 45 nm | 32 nm |
| Die size | 2x 107 mm2 | 239 mm2 |
| Maximum case temperature (TCase) | 71 °C | no data |
| Number of transistors | 820 million | no data |
| 64 bit support | + | + |
| Windows 11 compatibility | - | - |
Compatibility
Information on Core 2 Quad (Desktop) Q9550 and Core i7-980X Extreme Edition compatibility with other computer components: motherboard (look for socket type), power supply unit (look for power consumption) etc. Useful when planning a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. Note that power consumption of some processors can well exceed their nominal TDP, even without overclocking. Some can even double their declared thermals given that the motherboard allows to tune the CPU power parameters.
| Number of CPUs in a configuration | 1 | 1 (Uniprocessor) |
| Socket | LGA775 | no data |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 95 Watt | 130 Watt |
Technologies and extensions
Technological solutions and additional instructions supported by Core 2 Quad (Desktop) Q9550 and Core i7-980X Extreme Edition. You'll probably need this information if you require some particular technology.
| AES-NI | - | + |
| Enhanced SpeedStep (EIST) | + | + |
Memory specs
Types, maximum amount and channel quantity of RAM supported by Core 2 Quad (Desktop) Q9550 and Core i7-980X Extreme Edition. Depending on the motherboard, higher memory frequencies may be supported.
| Supported memory types | DDR1,DDR2,DDR3 | no data |
| Maximum memory size | no data | 24 GB |
Pros & cons summary
| Physical cores | 4 | 6 |
| Threads | 4 | 12 |
| Chip lithography | 45 nm | 32 nm |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 95 Watt | 130 Watt |
Core 2 Quad Q9550 has 36.8% lower power consumption.
i7-980X Extreme Edition, on the other hand, has 50% more physical cores and 200% more threads, and a 40.6% more advanced lithography process.
We couldn't decide between Core 2 Quad Q9550 and Core i7-980X Extreme Edition. We've got no test results to judge.
Should you still have questions on choice between Core 2 Quad Q9550 and Core i7-980X Extreme Edition, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.
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