Upcoming Intel’s Price Splash: 40% Price Cut to Core 2

[Ciderax]

In the past, AMD once won the performance battle with Intel by its innovative and excellent processor micro-architecture, and then Intel got back the leadership by the introduction of its new Core architecture.

From this history, instead of clock speed and FSB, we know micro-architecture really does matter to the performance race. With improved micro-architecture, AMD will release its next-generation AM2+ processor in Q3 2007, trying to make a fight with Intel Core 2. Due to this reason, Intel just released the company’s plan on Core 2’s price cut to maximize its combat efficiency in the battle, in which Intel Core 2 Quad has a noticeably price cut of 40%.



The upcoming rivals, AMD’s Agena (formerly codenamed Altair) and Kuma (formerly codenamed Antares) have already put in schedule to be releasing in Q3 2007. The new micro-architecture has lots of improvements includes : Hyper-Transport 3.0 (from 2GT/s to 5.6GT/s), 32B Instruction Fetch, more precise Branch Prediction and Out-of-Order Load Execution, 4 Double Precision FLOPS/Cycle, Dual 128Bit SSE calculation, and Load per Cycle. Once AMD has told to the market that the new micro-architecture was hopefully will get back the performance leading which is now owned by Intel.

As the threat arises, Intel has decided to take a remarkable price cut to minimize the risk in the market. This plan included a huge price cut to Intel Core 2 Quad and Duo models. One of the most noticeable cut, Core 2 Quad Q6600 (2.40 GHz/4MB L2 x 2/1066MHz FSB ) , which is going to launch on Jan 7 2007, is planned to be cut from $851 to $530, a 37.7% off. Meanwhile, Core 2 Duo E6700 (2.66 GHz/4MB L2/1066MHz FSB ) and E6600 (2.4 GHz/4MB L2/1066MHz FSB ) is planned to cut from $530 and $316 to $316 and $224 respectively, a 40.3% and a 29.1% off.

Over and above, though Core 2 Duo E6400 (2.13 GHz/2MB L2/1066MHz FSB ) and E6300 (1.83 GHz/2MB L2/1066MHz FSB ) haven’t got too much cut in this plan, says from $224 to $183 (18.3%) and from $183 to $163 (10.9%), Intel would like to give a special gift to this models, a 2MB extra L2 Cache (total 4MB L2 Cache). These 4 MB L2 Cache versions, namely Core 2 Duo E6420 (2.13 GHz/4MB L2/1066MHz FSB ) and E6320 (1.83 GHz/4MB L2/1066MHz FSB ), are going to launch on the same day of price cutting.

In addition, the previously planned Intel Core 2 Duo E6390, which does not support for VT, has been cut in the future plan.

On the entry-level dual core market, besides Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 (1.8 GHz/2MB L2/800MHz FSB ), which will be launched on Jan 21 2007, there is another E4400 (2 GHz/2MB L2/800MHz FSB ) coming in Q2 2007 set at a price of $133. On the day of E4400’s launch and onward, E4300 will has a new price from $163 to $113, a 30.7% off.

As an Intel expected, Intel Core products is hopefully exceed 50% of the total shipment during Q2 2007, making a crossover to the previous-generation product. Since Pentium 2000 and Celeron 400 family are going to release in Q3 2007, it’s expected that the shipment share would further increased to 80%.

News Source: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[Einhanderkiller]

Looks like AMD has a tough year ahead of them seeing as how their current processors can't compare with Intel's Core 2 Duos. Well, they can, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg in energy bills to keep that 4x4 platform running.

I can't wait to see what AMD has up their sleeves to counter Intel's C2D.

[ch1pz]

Whether you support AMD or not there is nothing like a little competition to help the consumers. From this article it seems AMD is really forcing Intel to cut their prices in the near future which is great for us.
Will make building a nice new computer fairly cheap.

[zarien]

:D Good News!! This means that we can build a computer wayy cheaper...:P awesome!! keep competing guyz!!

[Dark.Zero]

hell ya zarien, when they compete we can make comps cheaper. better for all of us

[xenkenny]

Omg! I have to get me one of those bad boys, my processer is a 1.9ghz lol. It's driving me crazy trying to play games on my comp.

[mr. t]

You cannot asume that intel is better by looking at thoose stats because there are other factors as well. Intel has almost always had higher internal frequecies but AMD has always been better. you would need to do some bench-marking tests to find out.

[Einhanderkiller]

Originally Posted by mr. t

You cannot asume that intel is better by looking at thoose stats because there are other factors as well. Intel has almost always had higher internal frequecies but AMD has always been better. you would need to do some bench-marking tests to find out.

Benchmarks have been done. The Core architecture beats K8 by a significant amount.

[sylv3rblade]

wow. 40% cut >_< It's a significant slice that'll attract more people to Intel's Core 2. AMD is in dead doo doo

[Assinator]

yup, wonder what AMD's reaction will be. i wonder if Intel is forced to do this or not. do they still make enough profit from it? not that they go Sony style ;)