Intel to Cannibalize Core i7 920 / 940

[btarunr]

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.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Weer]

This is what makes i5 possible. Everyone who can - get a 920 now.

 

[btarunr]

Order placed.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Oh #@&%!

Makes sense but still...

 

[freakshow]

wow that kind of sucks dont it lol.....im glad i got mine 3 months ago

 

[Binge]

That says nothing about the xeon chips available for the i7.

 

[zAAm]

I wondered if the i5 and i7's performance wasn't a bit too close for the price difference... But didn't think they'd stop making the i7 in the process. Glad I got mine a month ago then

 

[DrPepper]

Ugh I wanted a cheap 920

 

[lococol]

It could also be a very good way of making people think they are going to miss out so they rush to part with their cash , i'm quite happy with my e8500@4Ghz for now , but the first thing i thought when i read this was " quick , where can i buy one " ,lol , i don't have the money and i don't really need one yet

 

[Wile E]

Perhaps when i5 releases, i7 will see 8 core cpus, thus moving the entire platform up a notch?

 

[Assassin48]

Perhaps when i5 releases, i7 will see 8 core cpus, thus moving the entire platform up a notch?

how much would they cost? $1000+

 

[alexp999]

Its always been said that i7 was like the EX and QX of the Core 2 range, now that they will be able to bring out mainstream chips it only makes sense to drop off the "affordable" enthusiast chips.

i5 should be good, its what I have been planning since it was announced, i7 is far too over priced IMO, and seeing as that they should be (or not long after) built on lower fab processes, they should run cooler too.

 

[Wile E]

how much would they cost? $1000+

My guess is $1200 and up.

 

[Assassin48]

My guess is $1200 and up.

that's 900 more then what I would pay

 

[Munki]

Other than the obvious, who can afford to run out and buy a $1300 CPU? I for one cannot.

 

[DanishDevil]

Now the announced Core i5 Quad prices make sense. They are going to replace the current i7 920 and i7 940 price bracket. Dirty :shadedshu

Looks like I may be grabbing a D0 920, some DDR3, and an EVGA mATX X58 soonish.

 

[MTnumb]

im not rushing anywhere. from a few benches i saw over at anandtech you could see the cheapest I5 performs very I7ish 920ish. and if you consider the platform price..920 performance for 200$ less then I7 i dont see why people are rushing to get the 920...its like waiting a month before HD5870X2 to go rush and buy a HD4870X2.

 

[Wile E]

At any rate, I'm not so sure I believe this yet. Wouldn't it make sense to cut this level of performance from the cheaper line, and try to force people into the more expensive platform instead?

 

[Gzero]

:'( seems Intel still don't want to go below £200 for a starting range product. We'll just have to wait and see how AMD undercut them.

 

[jamesrt2004]

Just get the equivalent Xeon's..

 

[Black Hades]

im not rushing anywhere. from a few benches i saw over at anandtech you could see the cheapest I5 performs very I7ish 920ish. and if you consider the platform price..920 performance for 200$ less then I7 i dont see why people are rushing to get the 920...its like waiting a month before HD5870X2 to go rush and buy a HD4870X2.

Without going in the details, don't forget that i7 > i5 and also more future proof as a platform. So your HD5870X2 analogy is a bit faulty. LGA 1156 shouldn't be at all, that's my opinion. What intel seems to be doing is artificially keeping a high price for the i7 by inserting a new marked segment.
i5 would only make sense for me as a consumer if it would replace the core 2 duo/quad price range.
Maybe in a year's time i7 will be affordable and you'l be sorry for ever buying a i5...

 

[alexp999]

i5 would only make sense for me as a consumer if it would replace the core 2 duo/quad price range.

Thats exactly what it should be doing

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Without going in the details, don't forget that i7 > i5 and also more future proof as a platform. So your HD5870X2 analogy is a bit faulty. LGA 1156 shouldn't be at all, that's my opinion. What intel seems to be doing is artificially keeping a high price for the i7 by inserting a new marked segment.
i5 would only make sense for me as a consumer if it would replace the core 2 duo/quad price range.
Maybe in a year's time i7 will be affordable and you'l be sorry for ever buying a i5...

i7/X58 is the new Skulltrail platform. It is a multi-way architecture that doesn't take the FB-DIMM penalty that hurt the Xeon-based Skulltrail platform. Just as the original Skulltrails were ridiculous, Core i7 is going there too. I'm just happy there was a window where Core i7 wasn't ridiculous. I highly doubt i7 will ever be cheap again.

I think Core i5 will be filling the Core 2 Duo/Quad void a few months after release. It will intro more expensive but that is likely to change pretty quick.

 

[mtosev]

Meh i dont like this. will the stock of 920 cpus last untill Sept?

 

[Black Hades]

i7/X58 is the new Skulltrail platform. It is a multi-way architecture that doesn't take the FB-DIMM penalty that hurt the Xeon-based Skulltrail platform. Just as the original Skulltrails were ridiculous, Core i7 is going there too. I'm just happy there was a window where Core i7 wasn't ridiculous. I highly doubt i7 will ever be cheap again.

I think Core i5 will be filling the Core 2 Duo/Quad void a few months after release. It will intro more expensive but that is likely to change pretty quick.

Hmm I WAS presuming that i7's LGA 1366 is going to (eventually) be the next 775... I'm sure I wasn't the only one thinking this. As far as I know LGA 1156 could be as futureproof as amd's 754.