Intel Responds to Phenom II X2 BE with Pentium E6500K

With the 45 nm Phenom II AM3 architecture, AMD is able to offer two highly competitive mainstream dual-core processors: the Phenom II X2 (Callisto), and Athlon II X2 (Regor). The Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition chips not only serves as a notable sub-$100 choice for mainstream consumers, but also offers good value to overclockers with an unlocked bus multiplier, and with the right tools, the potential to unlock disabled physical cores. With its prime competitor from the blue camp being Pentium Dual-Core E5000 and E6000 series, Intel decided to up the stakes with a low-cost overclocker-friendly dual-core processor labeled Pentium Dual-Core E6500K, the company's first FSB multiplier-unlocked 45 nm dual-core chip.

Based on the 45 nm Wolfdale-2M core, the E6500K boasts of a default clock speed of 2.93 GHz (11.0 x 266 MHz). The bus multiplier is unlocked, leaving room to play with it. Placed in the Pentium E6000 series, the chip has a FSB frequency of 1066 MHz, compared to its E5000 cousins that sport 800 MHz FSB. Aided with a 2 MB L2 cache, the E6500K is expected to go head-on against competing AMD chips. Currently available in China for RMB 1299 (converts to $190) as part of bundle with Biostar T-Series TP45E motherboard, the E6500K is expected to retail soon for US $89. Incidentally, the "K" in E6500K refers to "black" in digital imaging jargon.