There's a significant buzz at the moment about Intel's newG0 stepping processors. It shows how much we've become connoisseurs of PCtechnology over the last decade or so. We don't just await the next processormodel - we're after specific sub-versions of those models.

So, why is Intel's G0 so eagerly awaited?

Mainstream overclocking

Well, it all comesdown to just how mainstream overclocking has become over the last few years.The appeal is fairly obvious, and not far off the car modding craze which obsessesa significant niche of people in most developed countries - including me!

It'sa simple idea - take something bog standard (a PC made of off-the-shelfcomponents or a cheap Japanese car), add your own customisations andperformance enhancements, and voila! - you've got something faster and cooler-lookingthan more expensive, readymade alternatives.

In a PC context, component pricing is a key factor.

The Core2 Extreme QX6850, Intel's top quad-core processor, is a G0 processor, but thisis not the one everyone is excited about. While the QX6850 is over £600, the entry-level Intel Core2 Quad Q6600 is priced well under £200. The buzz around G0 stepping is centered on thisQ6600 version.

Why G0 matters

G0 has a reduced Thermal Design Power of 95W compared to the105W of the previous B3 stepping. The G0 also has a 'Tcase' that's 11 degrees morethan the B3, which means it can endure a higher temperature before any thermalthrottling kicks in.

In layman's terms, a G0 processor will draw less power and create lessheat, but with a greater ceiling available. This will make it compatible withless meaty motherboards, but overclocking headroom should also be significantlymore than its predecessor.

Enthusiasts are very excited about how many extraMHz will be available from G0 compared to B3.

The Q6600 runs at 2.4GHz by default, and carefuloverclocking techniques have pushed the B3 version as far as 3.6GHz. But peoplewho have the G0 already are finding they can clock it close to 3GHz simply byplaying with the FSB and clock multiplier, with standard air cooling.

Revving up to 4GHz

Withcareful adjustment of more frightening variables such as core voltage, and moreelaborate water cooling, 4GHz has already proven possible.This is nearly 70 per cent faster than Intel intended, and 33 per cent quickerthan the Core2 Extreme QX6850 - which is more than three times the price. Hence, thebig hoo-hah over G0.