Intel® Core™2 Duo Desktop Processor..

Intel® Core™2 Duo Desktop Processor
New version now available based on Intel’s 45nm technology
Product Brief
Intel® Core™2 Duo
Desktop Processor
Product Description
The Intel® Core™2 Duo processor was developed to meet
the insatiable demand for increased performance from
PC users running multiple intense software applications
simultaneously. In the office, PC usage has changed from
data entry and word processing to e-Commerce, online
collaboration, and an ever-increasing need for continual
security and virus protection. In the home, interests have
shifted from low-bandwidth photos and Internet surfing
to downloading and viewing high-definition videos, as well
as advanced photo and video editing.
Intel’s new 45nm manufacturing technology, with hafnium-
infused Hi-k transistors, enables even more processor
performance by doubling the transistor density, improving
efficiency and speed relative to the previous generation,
and increasing cache size by up to 50 percent. These new
Intel Core 2 Duo processors deliver more performance
without using more energy.
Built on the innovative Intel® Core™ microarchitecture, the
Intel Core 2 Duo desktop processor delivers revolutionary
dual-core performance and breakthrough processor
energy efficiency. With Intel® Wide Dynamic Execution,
Intel® Smart Memory Access, Intel® Advanced Smart
Cache, and Intel® Digital Media Boost, this new processor
is designed to do more in less time. Additional features,
which support enhanced security, virtualization, and
64-bit computing, make the Intel Core 2 Duo the most
impressive processor developed for an increasingly
multimedia-centered, high-definition world.
Energy Efficiency
Design changes in the Intel Core 2 Duo processors that
improve performance also increase processor energy efficiency by operating at lower frequencies that require less
power to run. Intel® Intelligent Power Capability, a feature
that optimizes energy usage of the processor cores, turns on
computing functions only when needed. These more energyefficient processors support smaller, more capable, and
quieter desktop PCs to conserve critical power resources.
Features and Benefits of the Intel® Core™2 Duo Desktop Processor
Feature Benefit
Dual-Core Processing Two independent processor cores in one physical package run at the same frequency, and share up to 6 MB of
L2 cache as well as up to a 1333 MHz3
 Front Side Bus, for truly parallel computing.
Intel® Wide Dynamic Execution Improves execution speed and efficiency, delivering more instructions per clock cycle. Each core can complete
up to four full instructions simultaneously.
Intel® Smart Memory Access Optimizes the use of the data bandwidth from the memory subsystem to accelerate out-of-order execution.
A newly designed prediction mechanism reduces the time in-flight instructions have to wait for data. New
pre-fetch algorithms move data from system memory into fast L2 cache in advance of execution. These
functions keep the pipeline full, improving instruction throughput and performance. 45nm versions further
improve this feature, with more efficient methods of loading and storing data in main memory.
Intel® Advanced Smart Cache The shared L2 cache is dynamically allocated to each processor core based on workload. This efficient, dualcore optimized implementation increases the probability that each core can access data from fast L2 cache,
significantly reducing latency to frequently used data and improving performance.
Intel® Advanced Digital Accelerates the execution of Streaming SIMD Extension (SSE) instructions to significantly improve the
performance on a broad range of applications, including video, audio, and image processing, and multimedia,
encryption, financial, engineering, and scientific applications. The 128-bit SSE instructions are now issued at a
throughput rate of one per clock cycle effectively doubling their speed of execution on a per clock basis over
previous generation processors. 45nm versions include a new Super Shuffle Engine, which improves existing
SSE instructions while enabling significant gains on the latest SSE4 instruction set. SSE4-optimized applications,
such as video editing and encoding in high-definition resolution, will see additional performance improvements.
Intel® Virtualization Technology
(Intel® VT)4/5
Intel® VT allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. For businesses, Intel VT
offers improved manageability, limiting downtime and maintaining worker productivity by isolating computing
activities into separate partitions.
Intel® Trusted Execution
Technology (Intel® TXT)4/5
Intel® TXT provides hardware-based mechanisms to help protect against software-based attacks and help protect
the confidentiality and integrity of data stored or created on the system. It does this by enabling a trusted
environment where applications can run within their own space, protected from all other software on the system.
Intel® 644
 Architecture Enables the processor to access larger amounts of memory. With appropriate 64-bit supporting hardware
and software, platforms based on an Intel processor supporting Intel 64 architecture can allow the use of
extended virtual and physical memory.
Execute Disable Bit6
Provides enhanced virus protection when deployed with a supported operating system. The Execute Disable
Bit allows memory to be marked as executable or non-executable, allowing the processor to raise an error to
the operating system if malicious code attempts to run in non-executable memory, thereby preventing the
code from infecting the system.
Intel Designed Thermal Solution
for Boxed Processors
Includes a 4-pin connector for fan speed control to help minimize the acoustic noise levels generated from
running the fan at higher speeds for thermal performance.7
 Fan speed control technology is based on actual
CPU temperature and power usage.