Intel Core i7 "Haswell-E" to Launch in Q3 2014

Intel is planning to launch its 4th generation Core i7 HEDT (high-end desktop) platform, codenamed "Haswell-E," in the third quarter of 2014 (after June), which should space its launch roughly a year from Core i7 "Ivy Bridge-E." With Haswell-E, Intel is expected to increase core counts across the board, launching an "affordable" six-core part around the $400 mark, an eight-core part around the $600 mark, and an Extreme Edition eight-core part around the $1,000 mark. The three will be based on the LGA2011-3 socket, which has the same pin count as today's LGA2011, yet is incompatible with it, because the pin map of Haswell-E will differ from its predecessors'. Driving the platform will be Intel's X99 Express chipset, with support for up to ten SATA 6 Gb/s ports, and a large number of USB 3.0 ports. Some of the first X99 motherboards are expected to be unveiled at Computex 2014.