Digital Home Thoughts: The Dynamic Duo: Intel's Core 2 Duo E6700 CPU & D975XBX2 Motherboard

Product Category: Motherboard and Processor (CPU)
Manufacturer: Intel
Where to Buy: Amazon.com Motherboard and Processor [Affiliate]
Price: $199 USD (motherboard), $509 USD (processor)
System Requirements: ATX computer case
Specifications: Motherboard specifications, Processor specifications.

Pros

• The E6700 Core 2 Duo CPU is incredibly fast;
  
• Big 4 MB cache on CPU;
  
• Motherboard has dual 16x PCI Express slots for ATI Crossfire dual GPU support;
  
• No-fans on the motherboard, everything is passively cooled.

Cons

• The E6700 CPU is at the high end of the price/performance ratio, the E6400 is better bang for the buck;
  
• Motherboard lacks eSATA port, no Firewire 800 either;
  
• Ugly Viiv software install problems due to lack of proper Vista support;
  
• Motherboard RAM slots are too close to top PCI Express slot;
  
• Inconsistant overclocking results.

Summary
Intel turned the tables on AMD last year with the release of their Core 2 Duo processors, taking the performance crown. The Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 is the top-end processor in this line (until you step up to the Extreme processor), and when paired with the Intel D975XBX2 motherboard you get a tantalizing combination of power and speed. How does the combination measure up? I took the motherboard and CPU and had them installed in a case, bought some RAM and other components, then took it all for a spin. This review will focus mostly on the Intel motherboard and CPU rather than the other components.

Read on for the full review!