14 DAY TRIAL // In just a few weeks time, Intel is expected to bring the first update to it high-end Sandy Bridge processor lineup with the introduction of the Core i7-2700K CPU, which was just confirmed to have a base operating frequency of 3.5GHz.
The upcoming Intel chip was recently listed by motherboard maker Biostar in the CPU support list for one of its LGA 1155 motherboards.
Besides the improved clock speed, the most important feature brought by the Core i7-2700K is its unlocked multiplier design, as this means overclockers will be able to push the operating frequencies of the processor further than Intel's specifications.
The existence of this chip was uncovered just a few days ago when Intel listed it in the company's updated Material Declaration Data Sheets (MDDS), but no specs were available at that time.
When it arrives, the Core i7-2700K will take the place of the current 2600K in Intel's lineup and will become the fastest Sandy Bridge desktop processor to be released to date.
Unfortunately, we don't know when this is supposed to happen apart from the fact the Intel targets a Q4 launch.
Pricing is also unknown, but the Santa Clara chip maker usually releases its updated top-of-the-line offerings as the same price as their predecessors, in the case of the Core i7-2600K this being set at $317.
When it designed the Sandy Bridge architecture, Intel decided to take a different route as far as overclocking is concerned and it locked the BCLK of the CPUs.
This means that overclocking is severely limited if the processor doesn't come with an unlocked multiplier. Right now, only two of Intel's CPUs have such a multiplier, the Core i7-2600K and the Core i5-2500K, both featuring four processing cores. (via Nordic Hardware)
