It is evident that the launch of Intel Core 2 Duo and Intel Core 2 Extreme processors has a very serious effect on the entire computer market. As we could already see, these processors set new performance records for high-end and mainstream PC systems. As a result, Intel earns the prestigious title of the today's fastest x86 processors developer. Unfortunately, the AMD processors that used to be so popular among computer enthusiasts for quite some time, are being pushed back to the background turning into just a good solution for inexpensive systems. In order to retain the sales volumes, AMD undertook an unprecedented reduction of the pricing on their solutions. In other words, the new CPUs based on Intel Core microarchitecture stimulated rapid changes in the computer market.

Today we are going to track down all the changes that took place lately in order to get a clear vision of what is happening with the contemporary dual-core processors. Therefore, we will not only look at the CPU performance, but will also analyze other characteristics of the available solutions and try to estimate how attractive the new and old offerings from AMD and Intel are in the current situation.

Before we pass on to the actual results, we suggest that you take a look at our previous articles devoted to the new Intel Core microarchitecture that led to such dramatic changes in the computer market. These articles are:

• Getting Ready to Meet Intel Core 2 Duo: Core Microarchitecture Unleashed
• Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 + ASUS P5W DH Deluxe: Ideal Mainstream Platform?

Dual-Core Processors: Specifications

Intel CPUs

AMD CPUs