Intel Core i7 CPUs make their official debut

Top silicon maker and breaker, Intel Corporation has now officially launched the first processors based on the Nehalem architecture. Coming to take over the high-performance desktop segment, the Core i7 CPUs make use of a new Socket - LGA1366, are paired up with a new chipset (X58) and feature a heap of more or less new features.

"Intel has delivered the fastest desktop processor on Earth to the most demanding users on Earth, the ones who are using their PCs for video, gaming and music," said Patrick Gelsinger, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's Digital Enterprise Group. "When you couple what is Intel's biggest leap in chip design with other incredible innovations like Intel's solid state drives, the Core i7 processor has redefined the computer of tomorrow."

Going from 2.66 GHz (Core i7 920), through 2.93 GHz (940) and topping 3.2 GHz (Core i7 965 Extreme Edition), the new 45nm CPUs have four cores and eight threads, integrated triple channel DDR3 memory controller, 8MB of L3 cache, a TDP of 130W and can brag with the auto OC technology called Turbo Boost. As pretty much every performance preview/review has confirmed, the Core i7s are fast as heck but to get them you'll have to dig relatively deep in your pockets as the 'cheapest' model, the Core i7 920, has a price tag of $284 while your average X58 motherboard costs even more (and we didn't include the DDR3 kit). As confirmed by Intel, the Core i7 940 is priced at $562 while the 965 EE is at $999.

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