Monday, October 31st 2011
Sandy Bridge-E and X79 Motherboards Listed on Chinese Stores
A couple of weeks ahead of its worldwide launch, Intel's much talked about "Sandy Bridge-E" Core i7 processors and compatible motherboards are beginning to surface on an online store in China. Listings include all three of the Core i7 LGA2011 processors Intel will launch in November, that includes the quad-core Core i7-3820, six-core Core i7-3930K and six-core Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition (details on the three here. Apart from these, a few compatible motherboards such as the ASUS ROG Rampage IV Extreme and MSI X79A-GD65 8D, were also listed.
Before getting into the pricing, it's important to note that prices of components in mainland China, in general, are more or less consistent with those in the US. The top-of-the-line Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition is priced at RMB ¥7,800 (converts to US $1,227). The next best LGA2011 offering, Core i7-3930K, is priced at ¥5,800 (US $912). The most afforable of the three, Core i7-3820, goes for ¥3,500 (US $550).
VR-Zone comments that at a first glance, these prices seem way off from the earlier speculated prices of around $300 for the i7-3820, ~$583 of i7-3930K, and ~$999 of i7-3960X Extreme Edition. Perhaps noting that AMD's FX processors didn't quite dent the performance processor segment, Intel is flexing its prices for the HEDT (high-end desktop) segment. If worldwide prices of these chips are anywhere close to where the Chinese are putting it, then a lineup of $550, $999, and $1200 chips is looking more likely. Then again, logic dictates that pre-release pricing is unreliable because it gives vendors the ability to make a quick buck out of pre-release orders.
Moving on to compatible motherboards, the same site is putting ASUS' top-end gamer-overclocker segment offering, the Republic of Gamers Rampage IV Extreme, at ¥5,990 (US $942), and MSI X79A-GD65 8D at ¥2,990 ($420). Again, these prices seem way off. Some European retailers are pre-listing ASRock X79 Extreme4 for as low as €192.40 ($268) and Intel Desktop Board Extreme DX79SI for €266.33 ($372).
Source:
VR-Zone
Before getting into the pricing, it's important to note that prices of components in mainland China, in general, are more or less consistent with those in the US. The top-of-the-line Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition is priced at RMB ¥7,800 (converts to US $1,227). The next best LGA2011 offering, Core i7-3930K, is priced at ¥5,800 (US $912). The most afforable of the three, Core i7-3820, goes for ¥3,500 (US $550).
Moving on to compatible motherboards, the same site is putting ASUS' top-end gamer-overclocker segment offering, the Republic of Gamers Rampage IV Extreme, at ¥5,990 (US $942), and MSI X79A-GD65 8D at ¥2,990 ($420). Again, these prices seem way off. Some European retailers are pre-listing ASRock X79 Extreme4 for as low as €192.40 ($268) and Intel Desktop Board Extreme DX79SI for €266.33 ($372).
36 Comments on Sandy Bridge-E and X79 Motherboards Listed on Chinese Stores
I was hoping for the i7 -3930k to be down around $550, not $900+
What makes me think it's not true is the board prices. I know Asus is usually more expensive then the rest but over $900? Come on!!!!
900 for a board.....yeah that's believeble. if you really want to be 1rst and your epeen demands it ....sure pay more. Waiting for some. One to post their preorder.:shadedshu
Sb was a steal don't see intel doing a 180 that quick prob just some site out for fools with trust funds.
On pricing, looks like a douche site trying to make an early buck. Me hopes..
Truly a kick in the balls to what I was hoping for (Intel -->):nutkick:(<--Me)
Intel have not yet been foolish enough to exploit their superiority to the extent of massive price hikes for a few reasons:
1. AMD aren't that far behind...
2. Raising the price would mean a drop in new PC sales (given that the majority are Intel based) to the extent that it's unlikely that the price rise would cover the sales volume fall.
3. Given high prices for long enough would attract new blood into the arena, and Intel would not want to risk more competition.
I know the article forewarns that the prices are likely artificially inflated... but seriously? Intel is releasing a new chip, with the Ivy Bridge being only months away from hitting the market. The SB-e chips are known to have a hardware defect that will make virtualization impossible unless it's done through software. The TDP of SB-e is substantial, so much so that even Intel is recommending a water cooler right out of the box. All of these caveats, and they might be a grand for the first chip to come anywhere near being an upgrade from a 2600k (or 2700k) for 99% of consumers (I assumer if you're in these pricing eschelons you'll go for the extreme processor sooner than the k version)?!?
Here's to the hope that China produces crap, just like usual. I for one will never put my money down on something above $600, when the next step in Intel's development is only a couple of months away. Hopefully Intel feels the same and realizes that this kind of pricing is absolutely insane. Hopefully.
Having said that, any fool willing to pay $942 for a desktop grade board deserves nothing but to have his DNA removed from humanity's gene pool :shadedshu
I've read one post blaming AMD for this price because BD isn't competitive enough. Yes, right, blame the competition for not being good enough. Utter nonsense.
Intel will charge this because they do for their extreme platform. That being said i don't believe release prices will be anywhere near this high.
If the release prices are this high then good luck to the fool that buys now. We've yet to see any benches but the price premium doesn't reflect the performance increase (it can't be 5 x better than SB - given board and cpu price).
Well, i'm quite content i stashed my 2k away for an insane IB rig sometime next spring. Unless AMD's 7 series gfx is disgustingly awesome and Piledriver isn't drivel, maybe i'd go AMD?
But SB-E, no thanks.
Blame Intel for their own pricing.
I work for a place that already has these CPU's.... While NDA isn't gone yet.... I will ask our sales department tonight and check to see if this is true..... For those who don't believe me as a Matter of fact I have seen these already in action! I can tell you the Xeon E5 2670 8/16 2.6 Ghz CPU is freaking awesome.
But Like I said I saw Intel's pricing sheet on the salesman's desk I should've asked what their pricing is already.... I will do that tonight.
I posted last week already in the EVGA SR3 prices for the Sandy-E cpu's in UK, Australia and Canada.
23 Oct 2011
www.techpowerup.com/153916/EVGA-SR3-Super-Record-3-Motherboard-Pictured.html?cp=3#comments
With these prices, people that want/need multi-thread power and don't want a huge hole in their wallets will be forced to buy AMD's FX instead of SB-E. Seems like AMD is going to be fine.
And no, AMD FX won't do much better because SB-E would be too expensive, as it competes with lga 1155 not 2011