Intel, is planning significant price cuts to a wide range of processors, including price drops to its flagship, Core i7 range, according to HKEPC. These cuts will be staggered across the summer and will prepare the ground for the new processors being introduced in the next few months.
At the heart of these price cuts, lies Intel's desire to broaden the appeal of some of its key processors by making them more competitive. Additionally, the cuts will strategically free-up price-points for Intel's new releases, expected during the same time frame as that of the price reductions.
The highest performing CPU to have its price slashed will be the Core i7 950 (3.06 GHz). It makes sense that the, recently released, 960 and the 950 could not occupy the same price point ($562) for too long and so, on August 29th, Intel will reduce the 950's price to $294. Please bear in mind that all the prices quoted are for 1,000 unit orders and that retailers will each structure their pricing policy differently.
Price cuts are not reserved for the i7's however and Intel also plans cuts in its more affordable ranges. The new Core i5 760, introducing a slight speed upgrade to 2.8GHz from the 750's 2.66GHz, will be priced at $205 although it is not clear whether this price will apply immediately or following July 18th.
On the budget front, Intel will release a new i3 CPU, the 560, which will weigh in at 3.33GHz, will carry the minimum requirement of 2 cores and will also feature a built-in graphics core. This new chip will support Hyperthreading but not Intel's Turbo technology. Upon release, August 29th, this chip will sell for $138 while the i3 550 will see its price drop to $117 on October 17.
Intel's budget range will also feel the hardware giant's scissors as the new Pentium E5700 and E6800 are released on August 8th and 29th, respectively. The E5700 (a dual-core 3.00GHz, no Hyperthreading, no Turbo, no frills CPU) will be priced at $75 upon introduction but will quickly fall to $64 on October 17th. The more ambitious E6800 (3.3GHz, 1066MHz FSB) will cost, on release, $86. The old E6700 (3.2GHz, 1066 MHz FSB) will see its price drop from $86 to $75 on October 17th.
Finally, the new Core i7 970 Hexa-Core is also expected in Q3 with pricing rumored to be around the $500-600 mark. Unless the 960 price also drops to well below current $562, then it is more likely that the Hexa will be closer to the $600 price point rather than the $500 one.
To see the entire Intel roadmap for this coming quarter and the price changes associated, please see the image attached to this story.
