AMD Launches the ATI Radeon™ HD 4770, World’s First Desktop Graphics Card Utilizing Industry-Leading 40nm Process Technology
(NYSE:AMD) today launched the ATI Radeon™ HD 4770 graphics processor, a groundbreaking product that harnesses the state-of-the-art 40 nanometer manufacturing process for the desktop PC market, delivering best-in-class performance and energy efficiency at anticipated launch prices as low as $991. The ATI Radeon HD 4770 graphics card is the newest addition to the award-winning ATI RadeonTM HD 4000 series.· The new card features third-generation hardware support for the latest DirectX® 10.1 games like Battleforge, HAWX, S.T.A.L.K.E.R Clear Sky and Stormrise, delivering higher game performance and improved visual quality when compared to DirectX® 10.
· The ATI Radeon HD 4770 continues the AMD tradition of bringing industry-leading technology to market that drives a superior user experience. The ATI Radeon HD 4770 makes use of the latest GDDR5 memory technology, providing incredibly high data rates for fast game performance.
· Gamers looking to get the most value out of their graphics hardware investment can scale their performance using ATI CrossFireX™ technology, allowing a second ATI Radeon HD 4770 card to be added for a near-linear increase in performance.2
· The ATI Radeon HD 4770 graphics card allows users to enjoy HD digital content3 with incredible visual fidelity. The new card helps enhance the definition and clarity of lower resolution media, and through the second generation AMD Unified Video Decoder (UVD 2.0) technology, users can be assured of smooth video playback, crisp images, and vibrant colors on all HD content including Blu-ray discs.4 With support for HDMI, picture-in-picture (PiP) and the latest HD audio technologies like 7.1 surround sound, the new graphics card enables an impressive cinema-quality home entertainment experience.
· Celebrating the company’s 40th Anniversary, AMD continues its heritage of focusing on the design and development of new products and platforms that deliver compelling user experiences at an exceptional value. By combining new AMD Athlon™ X2 7850 processors, AMD 7-Series chipsets and ATI Radeon™ HD 4770 series graphics cards, AMD enables a PC platform that can bring HD video to life while delivering massive performance headroom and video processing acceleration.
“Consumer pressure in this economic downturn is shifting demand to lower prices and the price band around $100 has the highest demand and highest volume,” said Rick Bergman, senior vice president and general manager, Graphics Products Group, AMD.5 “AMD has responded with the launch of the ATI Radeon HD 4770, targeting this market with cutting-edge technologies like 40 nm processors, support for DirectX 10.1 gaming and GDDR5 memory. This strategy stands in stark contrast to the old “trickle down” technology approach some still use to address this important segment.”
“As a leading source of cutting-edge game development tools, Emergent has a passion for delivering realistic, visually stunning game play as well as improved performance,” said Doug Kubel, vice president, Product Development, Emergent. “By supporting DirectX 10.1 in the Gamebryo LightSpeed development system, we are able to deliver improvements in both image quality and frame rates. DirectX 10.1 graphics hardware like the ATI Radeon HD 4770 makes it possible to fully unlock the experience delivered by the combined power of DirectX10.1 and Gamebryo LightSpeed.”
MSI 1GHz HD 4890
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MSI is working on a special Radeon HD 4890 which should be called MSI R4890 Cyclone, according to a recent post at Fudzilla.
The card features MSI SuperPipe cooler with four 8mm heatpipes, Hi-C CAPS which generates clean and stable power for the GPU, and 5+2 phase power supply. It might be another card with a GPU clock set at 1GHz, but it’s uncertain yet as the card is still under development.
MSI R4890 Cyclone is expected to show its face at ComputeX 2009 next month.
The card features MSI SuperPipe cooler with four 8mm heatpipes, Hi-C CAPS which generates clean and stable power for the GPU, and 5+2 phase power supply. It might be another card with a GPU clock set at 1GHz, but it’s uncertain yet as the card is still under development.
MSI R4890 Cyclone is expected to show its face at ComputeX 2009 next month.
MSI 1GHz HD 4890
Intel New Chip Logos and Star Rating System
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Intel has rolled out with new chip logos for its Core i7, Core 2, Centrino, Celeron and Pentium processors, and unveiled its Star Rating System with one star denoting the lowest performance and five stars the highest.
The 5-star level consists of Core i7 Series, QX9000 Series and several other high-end mobile CPUs. And Celeron falls to the lowest segment, including Celeron E1000, 400, T1000, 900, 700 and 500 Series.
The 5-star level consists of Core i7 Series, QX9000 Series and several other high-end mobile CPUs. And Celeron falls to the lowest segment, including Celeron E1000, 400, T1000, 900, 700 and 500 Series.
Intel New Chip Logos and Star Rating System
Intel D-0 Stepping Core i7-920
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In February Intel indicated that it’s initiating a C-0 to D-0 stepping conversion for the Intel Core i7-920 processor.
The overclocking performance of D-0 Core i7-920 is superior to that of C0/C1 stepping. New stepping Core i7-920 features a few changes including S-Spec from SLBCH to SLBEJ, and the CPU ID from 0×000106A4 to 0×000106A5, so a BIOS update is required. Besides, the Ink Swatch number has been also removed.
D0 Core i7-920 has hit retail at AKIBA at price tag of Yen 30780 which is about $306.
Source: [AKIBA]
The overclocking performance of D-0 Core i7-920 is superior to that of C0/C1 stepping. New stepping Core i7-920 features a few changes including S-Spec from SLBCH to SLBEJ, and the CPU ID from 0×000106A4 to 0×000106A5, so a BIOS update is required. Besides, the Ink Swatch number has been also removed.
D0 Core i7-920 has hit retail at AKIBA at price tag of Yen 30780 which is about $306.
Source: [AKIBA]
Intel launches 2GHz Atom Z550
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Intel will announce a couple of new Z-series chips for MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices). Already rumored, the 45nm Atom Z550 and Z515 are clocked at 2 and 1.2 GHz respectively, and feature a 533 MHz FSB and 512kB of cache. The Z515 also have the Burst Performance Technology which enables it to automatically adjusts its working frequency depending on computing needs.
Intel has marked the Atom's first anniversary with the launch of two new parts, the Z550 and Z515.
The Z515 runs at up to 1.2GHz and supports Burst Performance Technology, which allows it to adjust the frequency automatically depending on performance demands. It supports US15W and UL11L chipsets and it will primarily be used in MIDs.
The Z550 runs at 2.0GHz, but still stays withing the 3W power envelope. We are not sure if the Z550 will find its place in new products any time soon. When it comes to Atoms, there is usually a hefty price premium to pay for a slightly higher clock, and for example, a 1.8GHz model costs twice as much as the 1.6GHz we see all over the place.
Both chips have a 2.4W TDP, they idle at 0.22W, have 512KB of L2 cache and run on a 533MHz FSB.
Intel has marked the Atom's first anniversary with the launch of two new parts, the Z550 and Z515.
The Z515 runs at up to 1.2GHz and supports Burst Performance Technology, which allows it to adjust the frequency automatically depending on performance demands. It supports US15W and UL11L chipsets and it will primarily be used in MIDs.
The Z550 runs at 2.0GHz, but still stays withing the 3W power envelope. We are not sure if the Z550 will find its place in new products any time soon. When it comes to Atoms, there is usually a hefty price premium to pay for a slightly higher clock, and for example, a 1.8GHz model costs twice as much as the 1.6GHz we see all over the place.
Both chips have a 2.4W TDP, they idle at 0.22W, have 512KB of L2 cache and run on a 533MHz FSB.
AMD Phenom II X4 955 CPU Coming on April 20th
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AMD was planning to launch 3.1GHz Phenom II X4 950 in Q2 according to our previous source, but Phenom II X4 955 is said to replace it as the fastest AMD CPU.
Phenom II X4 955 has employed 45nm processing and Socket AM3. Clocked at 3.2GHz (16*200MHz), it’s coming with 2MB (4*512KB) L2 Cache and 6MB L3 Cache. With 125W TDP, Phenom II X4 955 is said to be launched on April 20th.
Phenom II X4 955 has employed 45nm processing and Socket AM3. Clocked at 3.2GHz (16*200MHz), it’s coming with 2MB (4*512KB) L2 Cache and 6MB L3 Cache. With 125W TDP, Phenom II X4 955 is said to be launched on April 20th.
Intel prepping 2.0 GHz Atom Z550 processor
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With the Atom dominance expected to continue, even with the competition from ARM, VIA and others, Intel is reported to be planning the introduction of a 2.0 GHz version of its low-power 45nm CPU. Named Z550, the MID-targeting processor would start selling next month and have 512kB of L2 cache, a FSB of 533 MHz and a TDP of 2.4W, just like its brothers, the 1.86 GHz Z540, and the rather popular 1.6 GHz Z530 which is used in a few netbook models on sale today.
The price of the Atom Z550 is yet unknown but Intel could simply ask $135 and thus lower the price of the Z540, and, consequently, the Z530. Were all for cheaper and more powerful.
32nm CPUs next year from AMD
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Although Advanced Micro Devices was previously expected to get ready to produce central processing units under the 32-nanometer process technology only in 2011, it seems that the chip maker plans to speed things up a little. Dirk Meyer, chief executive of AMD, stated recently that the company was set to “ramp up” production in the middle of next year, and that it expected volume production to start in the fourth quarter of the year.
Currently, the CPUs shipped by both AMD and Intel are fabricated using the 45nm process. The Sunnyvale company has managed to come to the market with processors manufactured under the 45nm process only in the fourth quarter of last year, but it seems that it expects to be able to move to the next-generation 32nm fabrication by mid 2010.
Unlike the previous generation of chips made by AMD, the 32nm CPUs will only be designed by the company, The Foundry Company being the one that will take on the manufacturing process. It seemsthat the spinoff of its facilities into a new entity helped the chip maker keep on track with rolling out new-generation processors only about a year behind archrival Intel.
According to Meyer, AMD and Advanced Technology Investment Co., formed by the Abu Dhabi government, will close today the deal regarding the spinoff of the chip maker's manufacturing operations into a joint company. This move is expected to help AMD put an end to an entire line of quarterly loses.
Meyer says that the chip maker expects the Foundry Co to provide it with the necessary resources, mainly due to the fact that AMD will own 34 percent of the newly formed joint venture. At the same time, he seems to believe that the spinoff was a great move for AMD. “We've been actually impressed to see the quality and depth of the relationship a fabless company can have with its partners,” Meyer said.
source
Currently, the CPUs shipped by both AMD and Intel are fabricated using the 45nm process. The Sunnyvale company has managed to come to the market with processors manufactured under the 45nm process only in the fourth quarter of last year, but it seems that it expects to be able to move to the next-generation 32nm fabrication by mid 2010.
Unlike the previous generation of chips made by AMD, the 32nm CPUs will only be designed by the company, The Foundry Company being the one that will take on the manufacturing process. It seemsthat the spinoff of its facilities into a new entity helped the chip maker keep on track with rolling out new-generation processors only about a year behind archrival Intel.
According to Meyer, AMD and Advanced Technology Investment Co., formed by the Abu Dhabi government, will close today the deal regarding the spinoff of the chip maker's manufacturing operations into a joint company. This move is expected to help AMD put an end to an entire line of quarterly loses.
Meyer says that the chip maker expects the Foundry Co to provide it with the necessary resources, mainly due to the fact that AMD will own 34 percent of the newly formed joint venture. At the same time, he seems to believe that the spinoff was a great move for AMD. “We've been actually impressed to see the quality and depth of the relationship a fabless company can have with its partners,” Meyer said.
source
Intel intros specialized Atom for cars and other devices, outsources some Atom manufacturing
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Intel intros specialized Atom for cars and other devices, outsources some Atom manufacturing
Relying on the same 45nm manufacturing process, the new Atom Z5xx series processors expectedly aren't too radically different from the average Atom, with them clocking in between 1.1GHz and 1.6GHz, and boasting a TDP rating of 2.0 or 2.2 watts, although they do have some "embedded lifecycle support" thrown in for good measure. In related news, Intel has also announced that it'll be outsourcing "some" Atom manufacturing to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (or TSMC), which apparently marks the first time that Intel has licensed its CPU core to a foundry.
Relying on the same 45nm manufacturing process, the new Atom Z5xx series processors expectedly aren't too radically different from the average Atom, with them clocking in between 1.1GHz and 1.6GHz, and boasting a TDP rating of 2.0 or 2.2 watts, although they do have some "embedded lifecycle support" thrown in for good measure. In related news, Intel has also announced that it'll be outsourcing "some" Atom manufacturing to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (or TSMC), which apparently marks the first time that Intel has licensed its CPU core to a foundry.
Dual-CPU Nehalem systems pump up the bandwidth
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Intel will officially introduce the dual processor Nehalem-EP, aka Gainestown.
Essentially, it keeps the same format and LGA1366 socket as the uni-processor Core i7, just dual CPU support and two QPI links per chip this time - one to talk to the Tylersburg chipset, another for high speed whispering to its twin Nehalem brother.
Even the workstation flavour of the Tylersburg is identical to the desktop one (X58) plus of course an extra QPI link to talk to that second CPU - or the second Tylersburg in dual North Bridge configuration for, say, quad PCIe x16 monster boards. Just count the PCIe lanes on this diagram.
Intel changes all logos
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Intel just got into business of changing logos, and we just found out how the rest of the line up looks like.
The new logo is much wider than the previous one and on the top right corner you can see something that looks like chip. Core i7 and Core 2 Extreme logos are black, while Core 2 Quad, Core 2 Duo, Core 2 vPro are blue and very similar.
Many Centrino logos are all in white, and the top one is Centrino 2 inside, runner up is Centrino 2 vPro followed by Centrino inside and Centrino vPro inside.
Itanium, Xeon, and Core 2 Viiv sort of didnt change their format, while Xeon will come in new blue colour, probably for Nehalem based Xeons. New logos will be effective as of April 1st, the first day of Q2 2009.
Demand for three-core Phenoms II on the rise
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Following fourth core unlock reports
Demand for AMD three-core Phenom II chips is on the rise, following reports that the fourth core on many units can be activated after fiddling with some bios settings.
Of course, the hack doesn't work on all CPUs, but only certain batches, so consumers can't really expect a 100 percent success rate, but nevertheless, the prospect of a free fourth core seems quite appealing to some.
Of course, AMD refuses to officially comment the three-core to quad-core five-finger discount hack.
Several readers have already contacted us to confirm they managed to succesfully enable the fourth core, and in case you have a three-core Phenom II, and you've tried enabling the disabled core, we would like to hear from you.
More here.
Nehalem based Xeons on last day of March
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Official launch on March 30th
Intel will officially launch the Nehalem generation of Xeons on the very last day of March. While it will show itself in Intel’s pricelist on March 28th, the official launch and availability is planned for the last day in Q1.
The new Xeon will also get a new logo, which is slightly different then the existing one, with a different colour scheme. We are not sure that many customers will be ready to swap their Penryn based servers for Nehalem based ones, mainly due to cost related issues, but we are quite sure that Nehalem based Xeons should end up much faster than Penryn 45nm based Xeons.
AMD Phenom II X4 hits 4.4GHz
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AMDs Phenom II processors are truly mean overclockers under extreme cold, but with more conventional cooling the processors are yet to really impress. They are still much better than the last series of Phenoms, but compared to Intels Core architecture they are still several MHz short. AMD overclockers have started looking for The Golden One among Phenom II processors and we now hear about a Phenom II X4 processor that does 4.4GHz with air cooling and "only" 1.55V.
The overclock was with all four cores, but and the air was a bit colder than normal (processor temperature was about 25°C) and the memories downclocked to reach 4.4GHz. The system was just stable enough for a CPU-Z screendump but it still shows that the Phenom II architecture can reach respectable frequencies with regular air cooling.
AMD Sempron X2 2300 in Store in Japan
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AMD’s dual-core Sempron X2 2300 has been available in Japan at JPY2480 (about $27), according to the guys at AKIBA. This is the second model of Sempron dual-core CPU after Sempron X2 2100 announced in last March.
With 512KB L2 cache, 65nm Socket AM2 and TDP of 65W, Sempron X2 2300 is almost the same as Sempr
on X2 2100. But it features frequency of 2.2GHz, up from 1.8GHz on Sempron X2 2100.
AMD Sempron X2 2300 in Store in Japan
AMD six-core 'Istanbul' Opteron Tests
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AMD has given a glimpse at what its upcoming six-core Opteron processors (amd Istanbul). As reported by The Tech Report, the server CPUs were shown off in three systems - two quad-socket and one dual-socket, running everything from Windows Server 2008 to Server 2008 plus three virtual machines with Windows Server 2003, Red Hat Linux and SLES 11 x64 installed.
The dual socket server with 12 cores
Manufactured using the 45nm process technology, the six-core CPUs are compatible with current Socket F motherboards making the upgrade simple and easy, have dual-channel DDR2 memory controllers, HyperTransport 3.0 and 6MB of L3 cache. The Istanbul Opterons are expected to make their debut in the second half of this year and will be followed in 2010 by the DDR3-supporting Sao Paolo models.
Four sockets = 24 cores ready for battle source The Tech Report.
Propus Athlon X4 delayed to Q3
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AMD plans to bring more Deneb and Heka based Quad and Three core CPUs in Q2, but the Propus non energy efficient will be pushed to early Q3. This looks like a business decision as the company already plans a 45W Propus in early Q2.
The specifications seem to be locked and Athlon X4 615 will work at 2.7GHz, come with 2MB L2 cache and will sit under the 95W umbrella.
The runner up is Athlon X4 605 that runs at 2.5GHz. Funny enough, the Athlon X4 605e works at 2.3GHz but has only a 45W TDP while the non e version has a massive 95W TDP.
At least you can expect these CPUs in back to school period.
Intel ready with its first 8-Core xeon processors
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Santa Clara, California-based Intel is expected to detail one of its highest-anticipated server processors at the upcoming International Solid-State Circuits Conference in San Francisco between February 8 and 12, 2009. The chip maker is expected to provide an early look at its first eight-core chip, which will be part of the company's Xeon family of processors. These chips are to provide a new level of performance for server systems based on a dual-socket motherboard.
Unfortunately, at this time, there aren't any details regarding the Xeon processors to be discussed at the February 9 presentation. According to the ISSCC programme, executives of the global leading chip maker will be discussing an 8-core, 16-thread Xeon processor, which will be manufactured using a 45nm process technology. According to additional info, said processor will also be featuring 2.38 transistors and support operation of up to 6.4GT/s.
As expected, Intel is yet to officially comment on the respective Xeon processor, which it will likely do during the ISSCC event. “We are presenting 16 papers at ISSCC, but don't haveanything further to share at this point,” said Nick Jacobs, a company spokesman in Singapore.
According to the available details, Intel's presentation might just be related to the company's highly-anticipated Xeon processor that will be based on the Nehalem EP architecture. This server CPU is known to have been designed specifically for dual-socket servers and workstations. According to previous details, this processor line is due to be released sometime in early 2009.
The upcoming chips will sport some of the features currently available for Intel's other Nehalem-based chips, including the use of Intel's Quick Path Interconnect (QPI), which basically replaces the front side bus, featured on Intel's previous generation of Xeon processors. This feature boosts the computer's overall performance.
Unfortunately, at this time, there aren't any details regarding the Xeon processors to be discussed at the February 9 presentation. According to the ISSCC programme, executives of the global leading chip maker will be discussing an 8-core, 16-thread Xeon processor, which will be manufactured using a 45nm process technology. According to additional info, said processor will also be featuring 2.38 transistors and support operation of up to 6.4GT/s.
As expected, Intel is yet to officially comment on the respective Xeon processor, which it will likely do during the ISSCC event. “We are presenting 16 papers at ISSCC, but don't haveanything further to share at this point,” said Nick Jacobs, a company spokesman in Singapore.
According to the available details, Intel's presentation might just be related to the company's highly-anticipated Xeon processor that will be based on the Nehalem EP architecture. This server CPU is known to have been designed specifically for dual-socket servers and workstations. According to previous details, this processor line is due to be released sometime in early 2009.
The upcoming chips will sport some of the features currently available for Intel's other Nehalem-based chips, including the use of Intel's Quick Path Interconnect (QPI), which basically replaces the front side bus, featured on Intel's previous generation of Xeon processors. This feature boosts the computer's overall performance.
First preview of Phenom X3 720 BE
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Tested and overclocked to 3.7GHz
The guys at Donanimhaber.com managed to get their hands on AMD's Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition CPU and test it on both AM2+ DDR2 and AM3 DDR3 motherboard. They even tried to overclock it and the score are very impressive, as they managed to get it all the way from 2.8GHz to 3.7GHz.
The most interesting part is the DDR2 versus DDR3 tests, as the DDR3 memory doesn't bring any significant performance gains, especially if you compare DDR2 and DDR3 prices. The Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition should be launched on February 9th and as a part of the Black Edition series it has unlocked multipliers. Other specifications include a base clock of 2.8GHz, 1.5MB of L2 and 6MB of L3 cache and a TDP of 95 Watt's. According to what we see from these results, AMD might give Intel a run for its money, at least with this Phenom II X3 720 BE which can be found listed at around €140 in Europe.
You can find more here
The guys at Donanimhaber.com managed to get their hands on AMD's Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition CPU and test it on both AM2+ DDR2 and AM3 DDR3 motherboard. They even tried to overclock it and the score are very impressive, as they managed to get it all the way from 2.8GHz to 3.7GHz.
The most interesting part is the DDR2 versus DDR3 tests, as the DDR3 memory doesn't bring any significant performance gains, especially if you compare DDR2 and DDR3 prices. The Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition should be launched on February 9th and as a part of the Black Edition series it has unlocked multipliers. Other specifications include a base clock of 2.8GHz, 1.5MB of L2 and 6MB of L3 cache and a TDP of 95 Watt's. According to what we see from these results, AMD might give Intel a run for its money, at least with this Phenom II X3 720 BE which can be found listed at around €140 in Europe.
You can find more here
Intels 65W Core 2 Quad cpu up for pre-order
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Intels lower-power Core 2 Quad processors are now propping up at various retailers. Two of the three new 65W parts - the Core 2 Quad Q8200s and Core 2 Quad Q9550s - are available to pre-order from Scan.co.uk, but at a notable premium. Here is how pricing compares for 65W equivalents of existing 95W
| Processor | Core 2 Quad Q9550s | Core 2 Quad Q9550 | Core 2 Quad Q8200s | Core 2 Quad Q8200 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU speed | 2.83GHz | 2.83GHz | 2.33GHz | 2.33GHz |
| FSB | 1,333MHz | 1,333MHz | 1,333MHz | 1,333MHz |
| L2 cache | 12MB | 12MB | 4MB | 4MB |
| Manufacturing process | 45nm | 45nm | 45nm | 45nm |
| TDP | 65W | 95W | 65W | 95W |
| Price |
Were sure there are users to whom each degree in temperature makes all the difference, but a price hike of £108 and £74, respectively, currently make both the Q9550s and Q8200s seem far too pricey.
They might be out of reach for the everyday consumer, but 65W quad-core chips are a welcome addition to Intels line-up and wed expect them to appear in numerous systems in the coming weeks - and perhaps in a refreshed iMac, too.
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