Wolfdale (microprocessor)
Intel's 45 nm dual-core desktop and server processor family.
Wolfdale is the internal name for an Intel processor line that appears under the Core 2 Duo, Celeron, Pentium, and Xeon brands. It belongs to the 2007–2008 “Tick” phase of Intel’s Tick-Tock cycle, representing the Penryn microarchitecture—a 45‑nm shrink of the earlier Merom design (CPUID model 23). Wolfdale took over from the Conroe processor.
The chips come in four cache configurations: 6 MB and 3 MB L2 for Core 2 Duo (the smaller one often called Wolfdale‑3M), 2 MB L2 for Pentium, and 1 MB L2 for Celeron. The mobile equivalent is Penryn, and the dual‑socket server version is Wolfdale‑DP. Yorkfield, a quad‑core desktop processor, is a multi‑chip module built from two Wolfdale dies. Wolfdale was later succeeded by the Nehalem‑based Clarkdale.
**Variants**
*Wolfdale* – This covers the E8000 series Core 2 Duo desktop chips and the Xeon 3100 server family, launched on January 20, 2008. They use a 45‑nm process, two cores, and clock speeds of 2.53 GHz, 2.66 GHz, 2.83 GHz, 3.0 GHz, 3.16 GHz, 3.33 GHz, and 3.5 GHz (the last, E8700, was never released). The E31x0 and E8xxx models have 6 MB L2 cache and a 1333 MT/s front‑side bus, plus SSE4.1 instructions. The product code is 80570.
*Wolfdale‑3M* – The successor to Allendale, using an 82 mm² die with 3 MB L2 cache (like Penryn‑3M), product code 80571. It appears in Core 2 E7xxx, Pentium Dual‑Core E5xxx/E6xxx, and Celeron E3xxx processors. The E5xxx series enables only 2 MB L2, replacing the E2xxx Pentium Dual‑Core line; the E7xxx uses the full 3 MB L2 with a 1066 MT/s FSB, replacing the Core 2 Duo E4xxx series; and the Celeron E3xxx series, with 1 MB L2 enabled, follows the Celeron E1xxx series.
*Wolfdale‑DP* – (No further details in source.)
*Wolfdale‑CL* – The Xeon L3014 and E3113 processors carry product code 80588 and come in an LGA 771 package. The L3014 has a single core, 3 MB L2 cache, and lacks Intel VT‑x; the E3113 is identical to the E3110 except that the former uses LGA 771 while the latter uses LGA 775. Both run at 3 GHz on a 1333 MHz FSB. These chips do not fit LGA 775 desktop boards and are typically used in single‑socket LGA 771 blade servers that would otherwise require costlier DP server processors. Wolfdale‑CL follows the earlier Conroe‑CL, and Yorkfield‑CL is its quad‑core counterpart.
**Successor** – Wolfdale was replaced by the 45‑nm Nehalem processor.
Quick Facts
- Produced-Start
- 2008 H1
- Produced-End
- 2012
- Slowest
- 2.5
- Fastest
- 3.5
- Slow-Unit
- GHz
- Fsb-Slowest
- 800
- Fsb-Fastest
- 1333
- Fsb-Slow-Unit
- MT/s
- Soldby
- Intel
- Code
- Wolfdale: 80570 Wolfdale-3M: 80571 Wolfdale-CL: 80588
- Cpuid
- 1067x
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Wolfdale is the code name for a processor from Intel that is sold in varying configurations as Core 2 Duo, Celeron, Pentium and Xeon. In Intel's Tick-Tock cycle, the 2007/2008 'Tick' was Penryn microarchitecture, the shrink of the Merom microarchitecture to 45 nanometers as CPUID model 23. This replaced the Conroe processor with Wolfdale. The Wolfdale chips come in four sizes, with 6 MB and 3 MB L2 cache (Core 2 Duo); the smaller version is commonly called Wolfdale-3M, 2 MB L2 (Pentium), and 1 MB L2 (Celeron). The mobile version of Wolfdale is Penryn and the dual-socket server version is Wolfdale-DP. The Yorkfield desktop processor is a quad-core Multi-chip module of Wolfdale. Wolfdale was replaced by Nehalem based Clarkdale.
Wolfdale is the codename for the E8000 series of Core 2 Duo desktop processors and the Xeon 3100 server processor family. Released on January 20, 2008, the chips are manufactured using a 45-nanometer process and feature two processor cores. The Wolfdale models operate at 2.53 GHz, 2.66 GHz, 2.83 GHz, 3.0 GHz, 3.16 GHz, 3.33 GHz, and 3.5 GHz (unreleased Core 2 Duo E8700); the E31x0 and E8xxx series utilizes 6 MB of L2 cache and a 1333 MT/s FSB. These processors include the SSE4.1 media extensions. Wolfdale uses a product code 80570.
Wolfdale-3M is the logical successor of Allendale and uses the 82 mm² dies with 3 MB L2 cache similar to Penryn-3M; its product code is 80571. It is used in the Core 2 E7xxx series as well as the E5xxx/E6xxx Pentium Dual-Core and E3xxx Celeron processors. The E5xxx enables only 2 MB of L2 cache, replacing the E2xxx series of Pentium Dual core chips; the E7xxx series uses the full 3 MB of L2 Cache, and a 1066MT/s FSB, replacing the Core 2 Duo E4xxx series; and the Celeron E3xxx series with 1 MB L2 cache enabled is the follow-on to the Celeron E1xxx series. The Xeon L3014 and E3113 processors are Wolfdale-CL with product code 80588, in an LGA 771 package. L3014 has only one core, 3 MB L2 cache and it does not support Intel VT-x, while E3113 is identical to E3110 except that the former fits in an LGA771 socket while the latter fits in LGA775. Both E3113 and E3110 clock to 3Ghz on a 1333Mhz FSB. The Xeon L3014 and E3113 processors do not fit in LGA 775 based mainboards used by mainstream desktop processors but are typically used in single-socket LGA 771 blade servers that otherwise require the more expensive DP server processors. Wolfdale-CL follows an earlier Conroe-CL processor, and Yorkfield-CL is the respective Quad-Core version of Wolfdale-CL. Wolfdale was replaced by the 45 nm Nehalem processor.
Reader's Guide
Wolfdale represents Intel's 45 nm shrink of the Merom microarchitecture, marking the 'Tick' in the Tick-Tock cycle for 2007/2008. It replaced the Conroe processor and was itself replaced by the Nehalem-based Clarkdale. The family spanned desktop, server, and embedded variants, including the Wolfdale-3M with reduced cache and die size, and the Wolfdale-CL for LGA 771 blade servers. The Yorkfield quad-core processor was a multi-chip module of two Wolfdale dies. Wolfdale introduced SSE4.1 media extensions and offered front-side bus speeds of 1333 MT/s and 1066 MT/s. Its product codes (80570, 80571, 80588) distinguished the different cache and packaging configurations. The Wolfdale-DP variant served dual-socket server systems. The unreleased Core 2 Duo E8700 at 3.5 GHz was planned but never shipped. Wolfdale's significance lies in its role as Intel's mainstream dual-core processor during the transition to 45 nm, providing a foundation for the subsequent Nehalem architecture.
Did You Know?
- Wolfdale was released on January 20, 2008.
- The unreleased Core 2 Duo E8700 would have operated at 3.5 GHz.
- The Xeon L3014 has only one core and does not support Intel VT-x.
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