Legit Reviews take a further look at the Intel Core 2 Quad 9300 Processor. This 45nm quad-core 'Yorkfield' processor is operates at 2.50 GHz with a 1333MHz FSB and 6MB L2 cache. The Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 processor should be a decent overclocker as it has a 7.5 multiplier:

Intel has a winner on their hands with the Core 2 Quad Q9300 processor. At $285.99 shipped to your door it is priced higher than any AMD Phenom quad-core processor, but rightly so as our benchmarking showed it out performing Phenom in every benchmark except memory bandwidth. Not too shabby for the entry level 45nm quad-core processor!

Intel has also released Q9450 and Q9550 processors, which have higher clock frequencies and twice as much cache as the Q9300 that we reviewed here today. The Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 will set you back $620.99, so the Q9300 looks like a pretty good deal considering how it performs and overclocks. Speaking of overclocking, being able to hit 470MHz FSB with just ~1.31Vcore was very impressive. Our top overclock was over 1GHz higher than the stock frequency and that pushed the final clock frequency to 3.5GHz! For those wanting more performance the Q9300 didn't disappoint. The only negative on the Q9300 is the relatively low multiplier of 7.5 and this is only a negative for those wanting to reach over 4GHz. With a 7.5 multiplier a FSB of 533MHz will need to be reached to hit the magical 4GHz mark. This is beyond the limits of most motherboards, so if you plan on overclocking don't expect to get much more than 3.5GHz with the Q9300.

In related news, HardwareLogic tested INTEL Q9450 Core 2 Quad Processor:

The performance gains over a similarly clocked Q6600/Q6700 Kentsfield are not earth shattering but definitely noticeable. With that said, there are distinguishable improvements in power requirements and performance which places this chip a step ahead. So if you are looking to start a new build or ready to upgrade your processor, Intel's Q9450 quad core CPU is definitely worthy for consideration and should be at the top of your list.