Shuttle, a world-leading PC manufacturer focused on high-performance small form factor desktops, today announced the availability of the Shuttle H7 5800G Pro and H7 5800P Pro extreme performance PC models for purchase through Shuttle's USA online shop, starting today.

Ready for gamers and enthusiasts, the Shuttle H7 5800G Pro features a 3.06GHz Intel Core i7 950 quad-core processor (up to 3.33GHz Core i7 980X Extreme Edition), NVIDIA GeForce performance graphics (up to GeForce GTX 580 or Radeon HD 6970), 4GB DDR3 memory (up to 16GB), and 500GB hard drive (upgradeable to SSD), starting at $1,299.99 MSRP.

Here, take some salt. AMD reportedly gave out performance figures in a presentation to its partners, performance figures seen by DonanimHaber. It is reported that an 8-core processor based on the "Bulldozer" high-performance CPU architecture is pitched by its makers to have 50% higher performance than existing processors such as the Core i7 950 (4 cores, 8 threads), and Phenom II X6 1100T (6 cores). Very little is known about the processor, including at what clock speed the processor was running at, much less what other components were driving the test machine.

Taking this information into account, the said Bulldozer based processor should synthetically even outperform Core i7 980X six-core, Intel's fastest desktop processor in the market. Built from ground-up, the Bulldozer architecture focuses on greater inter-core communication and reconfigured ALU/FPU to achieve higher instructions per clock cycle (IPC) compared to the previous generation K10.5, on which its current Phenom II series processors are based. The processor is backed by new 9-series core logic, and a new AM3+ socket. AMD is expected to unveil this platform a little later this year.

iBUYPOWER, a leading innovator in gaming PCs, is excited to announce three systems featuring the powerful new AMD 6800 series graphic cards - Gamer Mage D295, Gamer Mage D355, and Gamer Paladin F820. The new DirectX11 compatible cards help create a truly immersive gaming experience by supporting up to 6 monitors with an external display-port hub and 3D video.

"We take pride in always being able to offer our customers the latest in graphics technology," said Darren Su, Vice President of iBUYPOWER. "That's why we are excited to be among the first to offer the gamer-friendly AMD Radeon 6000 series graphics cards."

As predicted back in June, Intel has introduced a series of price cuts for a wide range of PC processors. The most notable of these is a 47.6% cut in the price of the Intel Core i7 950 quad-core processor, from US $562 to $294. This heats up competition severely in the $250~$300 bracket with Intel-AMD competition as well as competition among Intel processors of various platforms. In this bracket, you will now find the Core i7 860 priced at $283, Core i7 870 and Core i7 930 at $289; and now Core i7 950 at $294, quite a mix danger-close to each other. If you add AMD to the concoction, the six-core Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition is going for $290. If you're a high-end dual-core fan, Intel has Core i5 670 for you at $299. In addition to this, Intel released some new chips that include Core i3 560 at $138, Pentium Dual Core E6800 at US$86, and Celeron E3500 at $53.

A recent report by HKEPC shows that Intel will be cutting the prices of certain key SKUs to make them and the price-point they're targeting, more competitive. For instance, until now available for over US $500, and replaced by the Core i7 960, the Core i7 950 (LGA1366, 3.06 GHz, quad-core) chip will be placed at the $294 price-point, displacing the Core i7 930 2.80 GHz chip.

With the value segment, the socket LGA1156 Core i3 500 series chips will have a new SKU, the Core i3 560. This dual-core chip is clocked at 3.33 GHz, and priced at $138. Intel has recently released its new $200 LGA1156 quad-core chip, the Core i5 760 2.80 GHz. The new pricing will be effective from August 29.

A lot of controversy and uncertainty is surrounding the future of lower end Core i7 models. Recently surfaced information suggested that the company would phase out lower models of Core i7 to make room for higher Core i5 ones. The recently introduced Core i7 950, is already staring at its successor, which will displace it from its price point, and put in in line for being phased out, as early as in Q4 2009.

The Core i7 960 inherits a part of its specifications from the Core i7 965 Extreme Edition, which is now replaced by the 975 Extreme Edition. The i7 960 comes with a clock speed of 3.20 GHz, with a bus multiplier of 24 (24 x 133 MHz). Unlike the 965 Extreme Edition chip, the multiplier will be capped at 24x, and it will use a 4.8 GT/s QPI interface, unlike 6.4 GT/s for the 965. The rest of its specs remain standard. It comes with a triple-channel DDR3 memory interface, and 8 MB of L3 cache. It is expected to be priced at US $562, displacing the Core i7 950 from its range.

Prepare to bid farewell to the $400 Core i7 upgrade dream. Chip major Intel is reportedly planning to discontinue some of the relatively affordable Core i7 processors, including the most commercially successful model, the 920. Cannibalizing the Core i7 920 and 940, will create market headroom for the company's upcoming Core i5 "Lynnfield" processors. Internal analysis reportedly show that the high-end Lynnfield processors perform too close to the lower models of Core i7, and that could potentially affect sales of those high-end Core i5 chips. Perhaps Intel is trying to oil the segment to make the most profits. Sources at motherboard manufacturers tell that the companies are already working on adjusting their X58 product lines to cater to the future lines of Core i7 processors, which, may start with the $649 Core i7 950 and beyond. What's more, 950 is expected to get the axe later down the line. It may have certainly been a good couple of quarters for you, saving for triple channel memory, true dual PCI-E x16 motherboards, and the elusive Core i7 920. You may want to execute your plans now, or change them.

Intel's Core i7 has proven to be a fitting successor to Intel's higher-end Core 2 series processors, and is the fastest series of microprocessors the industry has to offer. Introduced in three variants: models 920 (2.66 GHz), 940 (2.93 GHz) and 965 XE (3.20 GHz), Intel targeted the sub-$300, sub-$600, and sub-$1100 segments. Due to the reasonably good overclocking potential the chips offer, 920 has been a successful variant due to its price, while 965 XE sold due to the sheer fact that it's a high-end chip with bus multipliers unlocked. The 940, however seems to have fallen in a tough spot, where buyers have to pay almost twice the price of 920 for a small increase in speeds.

To provide a better deal for the sub-$600 segment, Intel is in the works of phasing-out the Core i7 940. In its place, Intel will introduce the Core i7 950. This chip first surfaced in February. Its specifications include clock-speed increased to 3.06 GHz, while retaining the 4.8 GT/s QPI speed. This chip widens the gap between itself and the 920, providing the incentive of a significantly higher bus multiplier (23 x 133 MHz). An increased multiplier value will have its impact on the overclocking potential. As for 940, the company will continue taking orders from channel vendors till September 4th, in both tray and boxed forms, which will be delivered by November 5th and December 4th, respectively.

Taiwanese industry observer Digitimes compiled a comprehensive list of price-cuts sourced from motherboard manufacturers. The list presents some interesting data apart from a few revelations. New CPU models will be added, existing models might be displaced from their price-points, resulting in price-cuts amounting to as high at 20 percent the existing price.

• New CPUs will be added to Intel's lineup, notably the Core i7 975 (3.33 GHz, $999), Core i7 950 (3.06 GHz, $562), Core 2 Quad models Q8400 (2.66 GHz, $183), Q8400S (2.66 GHz, $245), Core 2 Duo E7600 (2.93 GHz, $133), Pentium E6300 ($84) and Celeron E1600 ($53)
• Several existing models will face price-cuts ranging between 10 and 20 percent. The biggest price-cut is that of Core 2 Quad Q9300 (19.92%)
• From the absence of price changes for Core i7 models 940 and 965 XE, and their existing price-points getting new models, we can infer that they will be replaced by models 950 and 975 XE

The changes will be implemented between April to July, 2009. All prices are in USD, prices per unit in 1000-unit quantities.

Earlier this month, news surfaced of Intel working on a new Extreme Edition (XE) Core i7 chip, model 975, that displaces the existing Core i7 965 XE from its existing price-point to grab the $999 in 1,000 unit tray quantities price-point. The 975 XE is to be accompanied by another new SKU in the making: the Core i7 950.

The new chip is bound to displace the Core i7 940 from its existing price point of $562. It features higher clock speed, bus multiplier value and is built on the newer D0 revision of the Bloomfield core. The chip will feature a clock speed of 3.06 GHz. It achieves this speed using a multiplier value of 23X. The new chip is expected to be introduced sometime in Q2, 2009.