Intel expands Core 2 Duo line-up

Intel has extended its line of desktop dual-core Core 2 Duo processors, adding an extra model to the set limited to an 800MHz frontside bus and beefing up the cache size of a number of 1066MHz FSB versions.

So, in comes the 2GHz Core 2 Duo E4400, fitted with 2MB of L2 cache. The existing E6300 and E6400, clocked at 1.86GHz and 2.13GHz, respectively, also contain 2MB of L2, but are now joined by versions at the same clock speed but with 4MB of L2 as per the remainder of the Core 2 Duo E6xxx series.

The two new 4MB L2 CPUs are the E6320 and E6420. Both are capable of 64-bit processing and support Intel's Virtualisation Technology, something the E4400 lacks.

Earlier this week, Intel cut its desktop processor prices by up to 40 per cent.