Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650

The Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 is a desktop processor from Intel’s Core 2 Extreme line, built on the Yorkfield (Core 2 Extreme) generation and Intel’s 45 nm process. It provides four cores and four threads at a 3.00 GHz base clock, with no boost clock listed, a 130 W TDP, and an Intel Socket 775 interface. It is an end-of-life part released on 2007-11-29, with 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 12 MB of shared L2 cache, and an unlocked multiplier. In the database, the QX9650 sits at the 50th percentile of all CPUs, though its benchmarks array is empty and its average benchmark score is listed as 0.

Benchmark Performance

There are no benchmark scores for the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 in the fact pack. The benchmarks array is empty, and the average benchmark score is 0, so no measured performance value can be reported. The only relative data point is percentileVsAllCpus, which is 50. That places the CPU at the median of the database’s all-CPU distribution, but the empty benchmark list and zero average score mean that median rank is not supported by visible workload results.

Because nearestRivals is also empty, there are no rival names, scores, or deltaPct values available for comparison. This means exact percentage advantages or deficits cannot be calculated against any other processor. The benchmark data simply does not contain the measurements needed for a quantitative ranking. The structural facts — four cores at 3.00 GHz, one thread per core, and a shared 12 MB L2 cache — are the only performance-relevant descriptors in the data. With no boost clock listed, there is no higher-frequency state recorded for lightly threaded tasks. In short, the data shows a median all-CPU rank and no usable benchmark points.

Power and Thermals

The QX9650 is rated for a 130 W TDP. That places it in a thermal class that requires a cooling solution designed for 130 W-class desktop processors. The fact pack does not list a boost clock, so the 130 W figure corresponds to a 3.00 GHz quad-core operating state rather than a higher turbo state.

The processor is manufactured on Intel’s 45 nm process, with 820 million transistors and a die size of 2x 107 mm². The package is therefore described as two 107 mm² dies, a fact that characterizes the physical layout of the CPU. The data includes no measured temperature or dissipation values, so the TDP is the primary thermal specification. The CPU’s production status is end-of-life, meaning it is no longer an active production part. For cooling decisions on existing Socket 775 platforms, the 130 W TDP is the essential number, while the motherboard and cooler mounting remain board-level considerations not specified in the fact pack.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The QX9650 has four cores and four threads, so the thread count equals the core count and each core runs one thread. There is no listed mechanism that would create more than one thread per core. For single-threaded workloads, the relevant clock is the 3.00 GHz base clock, and no boost clock is listed to raise a single core above that value. For multi-threaded workloads, the CPU provides exactly four hardware threads; software that needs more than four threads will not find extra logical processors.

The cache layout also shapes behavior. Each core has 64 KB of L1 cache, and the CPU has 12 MB of L2 cache marked as shared. A shared L2 allows all four cores to access the same pool of cache when working on common data. The fact pack lists no L3 cache, so the shared 12 MB L2 is the outermost cache level in the data. The absence of a boost clock means single-thread and multi-thread operations share the same 3.00 GHz ceiling. Applications that use one or four threads map cleanly onto the hardware, while workloads expecting more than four concurrent threads are capped by the four-thread design.

Who Should Consider It

Because the database contains no benchmark scores for the QX9650, recommendations must be based on its listed structure rather than measured frame rates or render times. The relevant audience is users already on Intel Socket 775 motherboards, because this is an end-of-life Socket 775 part released on 2007-11-29.

For gaming, the data provides no performance score, so this analysis cannot quantify gaming capability. The listed facts are a 3.00 GHz base clock, four cores, four threads, and 12 MB of shared L2 cache. For creation workloads, the decisive feature is the four-thread limit: a renderer that uses exactly four threads can occupy all available threads, while software that expects more than four threads will have no additional threads to use. For office-style productivity, the dual-channel memory bus and support for DDR1, DDR2, and DDR3 mean the motherboard determines the actual memory configuration, while the 12 MB shared L2 can help cache-sensitive tasks.

Enthusiasts may note that the multiplier is unlocked, which allows clock adjustment on compatible Socket 775 platforms. The 50th percentile and zero average benchmark score mean the QX9650 cannot be positioned as a high-performing or low-performing part from measured data alone. Ultimately, it is a four-thread desktop processor with an unlocked multiplier, designed for Socket 775 systems.

How It Compares

The nearestRivals field in the fact pack is empty. There are no comparison entries for the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650, so no rival names, scores, or deltaPct values are available. Without that data, no exact percentage difference can be computed, and no competitor can be declared faster or slower based on the fact pack.

The only relative value in the data is percentileVsAllCpus, which is 50. That places the QX9650 at the middle of the all-CPU distribution in the database. However, this median position cannot be converted into a direct comparison to any named processor because the nearest-rival list contains no records. In short, the comparative analysis is limited to observing a 50th percentile rank and the complete absence of rival benchmark deltas.

Platform and Compatibility

The Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 uses Intel Socket 775. It is an end-of-life desktop part released on 2007-11-29. The processor supports DDR1, DDR2, and DDR3 memory through a dual-channel memory bus, so the memory type usable in a system depends on the motherboard’s slots and chipset. ECC memory is not supported. The PCIe generation listed is Gen 2.

Integrated graphics are listed as “On certain motherboards (Chipset feature)”, meaning display output can be provided by the motherboard’s chipset rather than by the processor itself. The multiplier is unlocked, so the CPU does not have a locked multiplier in the data. The part number is SLAN3. Manufacturing facts include Intel as the foundry, a 45 nm process, 820 million transistors, and a die size of 2x 107 mm². Because production status is end-of-life, the CPU is no longer in active production, and platform compatibility remains tied to Socket 775 boards.

The 130 W TDP is a key platform requirement when selecting a board and cooling solution. No boost clock is listed, so the CPU’s only rated clock is the 3.00 GHz base. There is no L3 cache in the data, leaving the 12 MB shared L2 as the top-level cache. The broad memory support across DDR1, DDR2, and DDR3, combined with a dual-channel bus, gives Socket 775 boards flexibility in memory choice, but the exact memory speed and configuration are outside the fact pack.

FAQ

Q: What socket does the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 use?

A: It uses Intel Socket 775.

Q: How many cores and threads does the QX9650 have?

A: It has 4 cores and 4 threads, meaning each core can run one thread.

Q: Does the QX9650 have a boost clock?

A: No boost clock is listed; the base clock is 3.00 GHz.

Q: What memory types does the QX9650 support?

A: It supports DDR1, DDR2, and DDR3 through a dual-channel memory bus. ECC memory is not supported.

Q: What is the cache configuration of the QX9650?

A: It has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 12 MB of shared L2 cache, with no L3 cache listed.

Q: Does the QX9650 include integrated graphics?

A: Integrated graphics are listed as “On certain motherboards (Chipset feature)”, so display output depends on the motherboard and chipset rather than on a processor-integrated graphics block.