Core i5 Specifications and Prices Surface

Tejstar · 17 Apr 2009 at 14:28

Just seen this over at TechPowerUp. Seems a little expensive to me.

Intel's next big thing in the making, the Core i5 series processors are nearing launch, which is reportedly delayed to October. The new processors replace the Core 2 Quad and Core 2 Duo series of processors, while leaving the high-end market for Core i7 to play with. These processors are based on the LGA 1156 socket, and are incompatible with Core i7 motherboards. Recent reports shed light on three models in the making to start the lineup, all of which are quad-core processors based on the Lynnfield core, built on the existing 45 nm process.

The common features of these processors include: four x86 processing cores with support for HyperThreading technology, an integrated dual-channel DDR3 memory controller specified to run DDR3-1066 and DDR3-1333 modules, 8 MB of L3 cache, and support for TurboBoost technology. The three models will come with core clock speeds of 2.66 GHz, 2.80 GHz, and 2.93 GHz. The three will be priced at US $196, $284, and $562 respectively. With the TurboBoost technology enabled, the clock speeds card be stepped up to 3.2, 3.46 and 3.6 GHz respectively, on the fly. Shortly after launching these processors, Intel may introduce the industry's first 32 nm processors. With these prices, the chips clearly intrude the price-domain of Core i7, though perhaps their lower platform costs could serve as deal-makers.

icey_haj · 17 Apr 2009 at 14:44

I agree, quite expensive.

BS Dave · 20 Apr 2009 at 21:27

really the cheap one could be 100 pound cheaper than the current i7, and i didn't think all that bandwidth was needed on a desktop anyway...add that to a cheaper p55 motherboard - presumably - 2/3 for ram (only need 4 gigs not 6) and you're looking at at least 150 off for a system...

jbloggs · 20 Apr 2009 at 21:29

With the i5 at that price, I would be inclinded just to go for i7...

NightmareXX · 20 Apr 2009 at 21:34

Not to mention the prices of the motherboards with yet another socket type

Ninja Please! · 20 Apr 2009 at 21:37

That looks like dollars folks USD, well at least according to the op's cite.

Helios1234 · 20 Apr 2009 at 22:38

Why would anyone buy a 2.93ghz corei5 at $562 when you can get a core i7 920 and a mobo for that price?

widdyst · 20 Apr 2009 at 22:53

why oh why do we need another socket type :?

Yewen · 20 Apr 2009 at 23:04

Bit hard to determine pricing when the launch is not around the corner, in the current climate those prices could be 10% out if the platform was launching next week yet alone further in the future.

Why would Intel release a competitor to its own flagship product is all I will say on the matter.

sja360 · 20 Apr 2009 at 23:13

Yewen said:
Why would Intel release a competitor to its own flagship product is all I will say on the matter.

i dont think they planned it on being a competitor to its own cpu's, its probably intended to provide a new "path" for the people that still buy core 2 duo's and quads. to try and get people onto the newer hardware. as for why buy the new hardware... not sure really afaik the core 2 duo and core 2 quad are good cpu's, the i7 is a bit better but the costs involved are a bit ott unless you MUST have the best.

Tute · 20 Apr 2009 at 23:15

What is the point in doing this on yet another socket?

I think i'll just go over to AMD if Intel carry this crap on.

HighlandeR · 20 Apr 2009 at 23:25

Hmm October delay sounds bad was hoping of a Summer launch.

I think by October Core i7 will be cheaper/wider appealing especially if people can simply plonk a highend 32nn cpu into it

Those prices look completly wrong to me look like the Core i7 launch prices or something else !

Ninja Please! · 20 Apr 2009 at 23:26

Tute said:
What is the point in doing this on yet another socket?

I think i'll just go over to AMD if Intel carry this crap on.

The point is profit. which if AMD can't get more of they will continue to fall way behind while intel investors reap profits.

Goksly · 20 Apr 2009 at 23:34

Won't the i5's have on die graphics, or have I been smoking some chemicals again?

Ninja Please! · 20 Apr 2009 at 23:34

Personally I think new technology is exciting. I can't wait to be one of the first to throw an i5 rig together and go toe to toe with it's big brother. Who really knows how much better it will be than the 775 socket. Right now it's anybody's guess but I'll put my money on intel and the fact that there will be some major improvements over the 775 socket.

Lightnix · 20 Apr 2009 at 23:49

It doesn't seem that expensive... Well, not for the cheapest version at least, the other two are at a fairly massive premium. The 2.66GHz version, however, is actually priced only ever so slightly higher than the Q8300 (about $189, compared to $194).

The LGA1156 platform should also be significantly cheaper than LGA1366 because of its cut down features - the motherboard prices for P55 chipset boards should be more akin to what we're seeing with P45 motherboards at the current time, about £90 upwards. What you'd be seeing is slightly slower than Core i7 performance for, in terms of the platform as a whole, a significantly lower price.

I agree, the platform segregation thing is a bad idea, but the 1156 platform should offer a lot more value than the current 1366 platform. To be honest 1156 will end up being the more attractive platform for end consumers I'd imagine, 1366 is just the 'flagship' platform, which typically doesn't represent the best value for money. Just to be clear, though, 1366 should be running concurrently with 1156. Also I think there's some technical issues which prevent the GPU-on-CPU technology from working on 1366, but it can on 1156 - it at least offers the buyers of lower end dual core 1156 systems a decent upgrade paths to faster quad core lynnfield products.

widdyst · 21 Apr 2009 at 06:30

Just over a year ago I spent over a grand on a 775 "flagship system" Now Here I am looking at 2 more different socket types from the same manafacturer both of which are better than mine . Well I guess I just have to give in and realise that my income cant keep up with the pace at which new technology arrives

CK61938 · 21 Apr 2009 at 09:40

The prices listed from OP are in $...if we were to convert those to £ with the current exchange rate...I can honestly say the new i5's will be much cheaper than the i7 is right now...and of course having to change sockets is going to be one of the biggest (if not the biggest) headaches for us enthusiasts...but with Intel being on a high right now...they feel they can do this...simply cos they can...

bledd · 21 Apr 2009 at 10:03

widdyst said:
why oh why do we need another socket type :?

yup

this is trully retarded, like socket 754 for amd, a pointless stop gap :/

Helbore · 21 Apr 2009 at 16:15

CK61938 said:
The prices listed from OP are in $...if we were to convert those to £ with the current exchange rate...I can honestly say the new i5's will be much cheaper than the i7 is right now...and of course having to change sockets is going to be one of the biggest (if not the biggest) headaches for us enthusiasts...but with Intel being on a high right now...they feel they can do this...simply cos they can...

It rarely ever works like that, though. Because Britain is so well loved by these American manufacturers, we tend to see a price comparison of 1:1 dollors to pounds.

Exchange rates be damned when manufacturers can rip off the Brits! Still, i'd love to be proved wrong, as then I might be able to afford an upgrade!