14 DAY TRIAL // There's no doubt that the media frenzy generated by Intel's upcoming Core i7 processors has reached impressive levels, especially since these CPUs have already surfaced on several occasions in leaked pictures. However, if you truly want a sneak peak at the future of desktop processors, the Core i7, which is just around the corner, might not satisfy your geeky curiosity, but we might know something that will.
How about an Intel processor that isn't expect to arrive until sometime in mid-2009 and that is designed to make use of yet another new socket? We’re talking here about Lynnfield, a desktop computer processor that is designed on the same Nehalem architecture as Intel's upcoming Bloomfields, but with a few differences.
Now, as it turns out, the Lynnfield isn't shy of the camera either, much like the upcoming Core i7 CPU, which has already been pictured a couple of times. However, with the Lynnfield, it's a whole new story, as this LGA1160-loving processor isn't expected to drop until mid-2009, when it should come as a more affordable Nehalem-based CPU. Pictures of it have been uploaded on the XtremeSystems forum.
Unfortunately, the technical details are rather scarce, but you should expect a 45nm-based quad-core CPU that will support dual-channel DDR3 memory, and will come with 8MB of shared L3 cache. No word on core speed, pricing or even branding just yet, but it's likely that the Lynnfield lineup be part of Intel's Core product offering.
Aside from all the technical specifications, the Lynnfield appears to be similar in size to the Bloomfield, although, unlike the Core i7, this CPU will require a different socket altogether, which actually means that Intel will also be releasing a new chipset. And, because the Lynnfield is expected to be priced lower than the Core i7 processors, most users might just be going for Lynnfield-based desktop rigs, instead of upgrading to the upcoming X58 and Core i7-enabled platforms.