Intel will launch its first 32nm Westmere processors in the fourth quarter 2009. The dual-core Clarkdale models will reach the market in the first quarter next year, 2010, but those who are awaiting the new performance models will have for long, and save up in the meantime. Intel is said to be planning to launch its Gulftown processor, with six cores and HyperThreading for up to 12 simultaneous instructions, in the second quarter 2010. When Gulftown launches there will only be an Extreme Edition, which most likely means a price tag of $999.
Even if the may sound both late and expensive, Intel has a comfortable lead in the performance segment as AMD has been unable to compete in terms of raw performance and Intel is more or less dictating its own conditions.
Until Gulftown arrives Intel’s performance segment will be carried by the current 45nm Core i7 family which will result in an unusually long lifespan of Intel’s performance platform, especially since Gulftown will be compatible with Intel’s LGA1366 socket and X58 chipset.
No active posts found.