Intel’s first hexa-core processor for retail has been developed under the code name Gulftown and it has long been rumored that it will become the Core i9 series. A recent Intel presentation that is said to have leaked to Chinese PC Online reveals that the processor will in fact be called Core i7 980X. The processor that is a part of the Intel Extreme Edition family is made with 32 nanometer technology and slides into the LGA 1366 socket.
The chipset in question will be the Intel X58 and we have already seen how ASUS have updated its motherboards to support Gulftown, through new BIOS updates.
The processor will not be bringing any specific performance optimizations other than the additional ability to handle more threads, compared to the current Core i7-9xx family and from this point of view it does make a lot of sense to make it a part of the same product family.
The processor that is expected to launch in March 2010 will sport 12MB L3 cache, 130W TDP and a price tag of $999, which is the custom for Intel Extreme Edition processors. But then you also get a new and freshly developed cooler to keep temperatures on the right level.
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