New four-core Core 2 Extreme tips up

ACCORDING TO SOURCES within Taiwan, Intel is set to release an update to the Core 2 Extreme range of CPUs in the third quarter of this year.

Chinese site HKEPC reports that the successor to the quad-core 2.66GHz QX6700 will be branded the QX6800 and will run at a speedy 2.93GHz. Obviously, it too is a four core processor.

The processor will be operating on an FSB of 1066MHz - considering Core 2 Duos will be launched alongside it running on a 1333MHz FSB, this seems an odd choice for an 'Extreme' enthusiast CPU.

The CPU will come coupled with 2 x 4MB of level 2 cache, and will cost $999 - the same price is the QX6700 on launch.

Most interesting of all is the fact that speeds in the Extreme-range, similar to the frequency of this CPU, weren't expected until 2008 - and then using the newly implemented 45nm fabbing process.

It will be interesting to see if the Yorkfield 45nm 1333MHz FSB version has been pushed back to make way for the new QX6800.

Coming shortly after news of very cheap next-generation 1333MHz FSB Core 2 Duos from Intel, AMD has interesting times ahead. µ

L'INQS
HKEPC Hardware
HKEPC Translated