Intel's and AMD's dual-core processor introductions have been an unqualified success, with the Pentium D and Athlon 64 X2 slugging it out in the desktop segment; dual-core Opteron and Xeon CPUs gearing up for a server war; and the impressive Intel Core Duo enjoying incredible popularity as the first dual-core mobile solution. The speed of dual-core adoption has been simply amazing, and the fact that the Core Duo has found its way into Apple systems suggests the movement is virtually unstoppable.

Only one area has so far been unaffected by the dual-core revolution -- the entry-level PC market. While the Athlon 64 X2 has the advantage in benchmarks, Intel can still make AMD sweat in price/performance comparisons, especially at the low end. And in a surprising move, that's exactly what the silicon giant has done, introducing the Pentium D 805 at a price even lower than anticipated. Intel's Economy Model Affiliate Programs::VOIP Phone Service

Usually a new CPU release offers greater clock speed, faster performance, and a higher price tag, as well as unwelcome increases in power consumption and heat production. The Pentium D 805 is the direct opposite, with a 2.66GHz clock speed and a miniscule $150 (or lower) estimated retail price. This is an astounding price point for a dual-core processor, and it will certainly hasten the obsolescence of single-core chips in this price range.

Intel has trimmed the 805's price in the usual fashion, reducing both clock and bus speeds to not only deliver a more affordable Pentium D but to ensure the new model doesn't hamstring its higher-priced siblings. The processor core itself is a new stepping of the 90-nanometer-process Smithfield design, which uses the LGA775/Socket T package and features 2x1MB of Level 2 cache. This is the processor's only real negative, as many would rather see the 65-nanometer/2x2MB core of the Pentium D 900 series.

Platform support remains consistent with other Pentium D models, utilizing Intel chipsets starting with the 945 and climbing all the way to the 975X. Intel also has a ready-made i945PL platform that incorporates some design limitations compared to the i945P (such as a single DDR or DDR-2 module per channel restriction), but also allows motherboard makers to support the Pentium D at very low price points. While the release of the i945PL made little sense initially, it now seems to be part of an overall Intel strategy. - world of warcraft powerleveling EU::wow powerleveling EU::wow power leveling US::world of warcraft power leveling US:: Not for Enthusiasts

The 2.66GHz clock speed is not that far below the Pentium D 820's 2.8GHz, but the bus speed of 533MHz makes a definite step down from the 800MHz bus of other Pentium D processors -- besides cutting CPU bandwidth quite noticeably, it puts a damper on memory performance as well. Since the new processor uses a 90nm core, its base thermal and power specifications are consistent with the Pentium D 820's -- or, for that matter, the 65nm Pentium D 920's and 930's -- so don't expect any big gains in those areas. Plantronics S12

But ultimately the Pentium D 805 is all about price. The 2.8GHz Pentium D 820 was already approaching the $200 range, undercutting the 2.0GHz Athlon 64 3800+ by almost $100. Now the lowest-priced Pentium D has dropped even further, with some vendors even skipping the official estimate to sell the 805 retail box in the low $140s. A dual-core price gap approaching $150 is guaranteed to give AMD headaches.

The Pentium D 805 obviously won't be hailed as the savior of the hardcore gaming crowd, but the new CPU has made a definite splash with both entry-level and mainstream buyers. Retail stores are trumpeting the availability of a "dual-core processor for the masses," while consumers who never would have envisioned a dual-core desktop in their future are taking the plunge. The online community has been abuzz with the news of a low-cost dual-core option, and even high-end users have been busy configuring new secondary PCs or helping family and friends board the dual-core bandwagon. The Dual-Core Circle Is Now Complete

The key is that buyers are not just looking for high performance, but are instead being drawn by the promise of smoother operation and seamless multitasking. Even enthusiasts running hot-rod Athlon 64 X2 or Pentium D 900-series systems realize the inherent benefits of dual-core architecture, and have been offering positive support for the 805 rather than derision. Another driver is the growing popularity of audio and video encoding -- an application in which processing power means little to system smoothness and even the slowest dual-core CPU can offer better responsiveness than the fastest single-core Athlon 64.

The Pentium D 805 may look like an innocuous processor release on the surface, but its introduction has had a surprising impact on the PC landscape. Consumers looking for entry-level PCs now have a dual-core option to consider, while a bargain Pentium D spells good news for developers working on multithreaded code and companies getting ready for Windows Vista. Finally, AMD will have to respond in some way, either through a new product release or a spate of price cuts. Either will benefit consumers more than it harms Intel.

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