Intel to Release First 6-Core CPU in September

If you are among those users whose high-end desktop computer systems are based on one of Intel's quad-core processors, then you should know that your high-performance CPU will soon pale in comparison to what Intel is about to release, namely the 6-core Dunnington processors. The new 6-core CPU should be officially announced on the 14th of September, according to the company roadmap. The lineup will include three new models, the Xeon X7460, E7450 and low-wattage L7455. As a matter of fact, each of these new CPUs is part of the company's extreme and mainstream segments, respectively. The highest performance model will sport a maximum core speed of 2.67GHz, 130W TDP (Thermal Design Power) and 16MB of L3 cache, while the mainstream E7450 model will provide a core frequency of 2.4GHz and 90W for the TDP. The L7455 has been designed to provide a much lower TDP of 65W and a clock speed of 2.13GHz. Regarding pricing, the Xeon X7460 and the Xeon L7455 will be priced at $2729, while the E7450 model will have a price point of $2301. Due to the fact that Intel will be the first to release the six-core processors, it will most certainly gain an important market segment, as AMD is expected to drop its 6-core Istanbul server processors no sooner than the second half of 2009.