14 DAY TRIAL // Intel's next-generation desktop microprocessors dubbed Core i7 are set for launch on November 17th, yet the chips are already listed at some European retailers. The pricing for these highly awaited Nehalem CPUs starts at €378 ($484), which is not that cheap, yet the performance boost expected from the silicon devices matches the cost. Besides, we're talking about quad core processors.
The listed chips are the first ones from the new series Intel announced under the Nehalem architecture. Codenamed Bloomfield, the processors that appeared on the sites mentioned feature a 2.67GHz core frequency. The chip comes under the name of Intel Core i7 920 and is manufactured using the 45 nanometer fabrication process. The CPU comes with a 130W TDP, includes a Triple Channel DDR3-1333 memory controller, as well as the renewed HyperThreading technology and a lot of other features, including Enhanced Halt State (C1E), Extended Stop Grant State (C2E), Deep Sleep State (C3E), Deeper Sleep State (C4E), Deep Power Down (C6), Thermal Monitor 2 and others.
As many of you already know, the Core i7 made it to the headlines the past few weeks. Quite a range of motherboard manufacturers announced new X58 boards featuring support for the ready-to-come chips lately. Besides, the Santa Clara company demonstrated some of the capabilities of the new Nehalem CPUs, including overclocking features and scalability. Nevertheless, there was also news about the limitations of the chip, the most important of which would be the fact that its life is dramatically shortened by high memory voltages.
As stated above, the Core i7 Bloomfield processors are slated for a November 17th launch, yet reviews of the chips will most likely surface before that date. For what is worth, Intel is quite proud of the new CPUs, as they mark a step forward for both the company and the IT industry. Those interested in acquiring one of the new Nehalem processors can take a look at the pricing here.