Intel Pentium Extreme Edition microprocessor family

Pentium Extreme Edition CPU family is a family of dual-core microprocessors offering top performance for computer enthusiasts. The Extreme Edition processors either included some features that were not available on other dual-core (Pentium D) CPUs, or ran at higher frequencies than other processors. Usually these features or enhancements let the Extreme Edition processors run faster than standard Pentium D CPUs. The top performance of these microprocessors came with the premium prices. For example, the first Pentium Extreme Edition 840 CPU was priced at $999, or almost twice as high as Pentium D 840 CPU which was running at the same frequency.

The first processor from this family, Pentium Extreme Edition 840, was introduced on April 18, 2005 and it was the first dual-core processor based on NetBurst micro-architecture. The 840 CPU included Hyper-Threading technology - this feature was not available in 0.09 micron Pentium D processors that were released just in a month after the 840. Hyper-threading technology was the main reason why in some applications the Pentium Extreme Edition 840 was 15% - 20% faster than Pentium D 840. At the same time in many other applications, especially single-threaded applications, performance of both 840 processors was the same.

Next two processors from this family, Pentium Extreme Edition 955 and 965 CPUs, also included Hyper-Threading technology. In addition to that, both processors had faster Front-Side Bus frequency - 1066 MHz compared to 800 MHz FSB of Pentium D CPUs, and the 965 CPU was running at higher frequency than any other Pentium D microprocessor.