The Intel Core i7-965 was a desktop processor with 4 cores, launched in November 2008. It is part of the Core i7 Extreme lineup, using the Bloomfield architecture with Socket 1366. Thanks to Intel Hyper-Threading the core-count is effectively doubled, to 8 threads. Core i7-965 has 8 MB of L3 cache and operates at 3.2 GHz by default, but can boost up to 3.466 GHz, depending on the workload. Intel is building the Core i7-965 on a 45 nm production process using 731 million transistors. You may freely adjust the unlocked multiplier on Core i7-965, which simplifies overclocking greatly, as you can easily dial in any overclocking frequency. With a TDP of 130 W, the Core i7-965 consumes a lot of power, so good cooling is definitely needed. Intel's processor supports DDR3 memory with a triple-channel interface. For communication with other components in the system, Core i7-965 uses a PCI-Express Gen 2 connection. This processor does not have integrated graphics, you will need a separate graphics card. Hardware virtualization is available on the Core i7-965, which greatly improves virtual machine performance.
This processor comes with an unlocked FSB multiplier, allowing users to set the multiplier value higher than shipped value, to facilitate better overclocking. It is branded under the Extreme Edition label.