Intel to Introduce Core i7 960 in Q4

[btarunr]

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.

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[buburuza]

Why did they ever come up with this expensive core i7 and they started already to EOL some of them...

 

[h3llb3nd4]

Why did they ever come up with this expensive core i7 and they started already to EOL some of them...

Heh, we dont know intel
I wanna see benchies!!

 

[lemonadesoda]

An i7 rig is falling rather uncomfortably between i5 and Nehalem-EP. For a "budget" machine that gets 90% of i7 performance, go i5. If an i5 just isnt enough (and by that you mean by more than 10%), then for great workstation performance, go Nehalem-EP. It offers double the i7 performance in multi-threaded at least, if not gaming.

So, I can't see the rationale for i7 anymore. It might be EOL'd sooner than we think. While the i7 is clearly better than the i5 for extreme OC'ing, as a market segment, it is too small to warrant an entire product line. Unless they get i7 to 6 or 8 core PLUS HTT, it hasn't got a consumer in 2010.

 

[Error 404]

Heh, we dont know intel
I wanna see benchies!!

It will most likely be slightly slower than a 965 at stock, due to the crippled 4.8 GT/s bus.
Honestly, if i7 is so expensive then how can i5 be cutting into the price range of it unless it is also expensive? Intel wants i5 to be the mass market CPU, so it really should not be touching the i7 market in terms of price or performance.

 

[PCpraiser100]

Intel is being stupid now. I mean really, when will AMD ever make 8-cores available for AM3? I feel sorry for what AMD is going through.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

What the crap? Now Intel isn't making any sense either.

 

[btarunr]

If Intel had a change of heart brain, and isn't scrapping its lower end i7 lineup, an i7 930 (2.80 GHz) sounds very plausible.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

But why? Why have such tiny increments in processor clockspeeds? I bet they're trying to get a $350-400 processor in the lineup because some people might pay that extra $100. Still, the Core i7 lineup is becoming a mess.

 

[wolf]

i'd say a huge amount of their money in the next 3 or so months is in 920 D0's. it may well be worth going X58 now if LGA1366 does get 6-8 core + HTT chips.

 

[snakeoil]

intel thinks that fools with 1000 dollars to spare on an overheating cpu grow in the trees

 

[1Kurgan1]

This should make a lot of performance users without 1k to toss around really happy, kind of like the awesome Q9650 did.

 

[xu^]

Glad im sticking with my C2Q until this i7 mess sorts itself out.

 

[TheLaughingMan]

Pretty damn good

Intel is being stupid now. I mean really, when will AMD ever make 8-cores available for AM3? I feel sorry for what AMD is going through.

AMD is actually doing really good right now. All this confusion and 3 socket types and random Intel "foot shooting" has given them a nice boost in sells. I actually think they are up 5% market share so far this year. That is huge.

This new Intel move, just will create competition against its i7 brothers. I image everyone will just buy the not crippled i7 950 (or whatever it was) in the same price range and OC it. This will end up be the like the 920 and 940 relationship all over again.

I only hope they are planning on continuing this trend. Go Intel stupidity!

 

[Sihastru]

Maybe we should wait and see before drawing our conclusions. Maybe i5 will not suck as much as you're anticipating (and from early tests, i5 is going head to head with i7 920). The i5 platform, on the other hand, will suck, but I already see manufacturers finding ways around that.

You only have AMD to blame because they are not offering an alternative to any i7 CPU. Everyone is buying the relatively speaking inexpensive 920, ignoring slightly faster but way more expensive alternatives, because the 920 will still outperform any AMD. So they aren't making so much money of the i7 lineup.

They realized that some high end i5's and some low end i7's might cross swords, and that's not good for business, so they will eliminate these gray areas.

While overclocked i5's will knock on the performance door of the i7, the rest of the platform might not satisfy you (only up to 2 way SLI/CF). So there is where the actual separation will happen. If all you want is a powerful CPU, the i5 will be the way to go. But if you want a powerful platform (3/4 way SLI/CF) then you'll have to get the i7.

Intel is only trying to get rid of the old Core 2 FSB based architecture. It actually makes a lot of sense. You just have to think about it taking into consideration a larger time frame. You are stuck at now, Intel is thinking about it's (and our) future.

 

[TheLaughingMan]

My 3 cents.

Intel is thinking about it's (and our) future.

Intel is not thinking about you or your future. It is thinking about its pocket. new socket type (which I still don't think was needed) means that board makes will have to buy new chipsets. And thanks to a well placed law suite against Nvidia, only Intel can current make chipsets for i7 and i5. More money in their pockets for an honestly inferior and more expensive chipset.