Intel Cuts CPU Prices... Again

[Draft]

Are you considering a new PC? Perhaps a PC upgrade? Wait till July 22nd. (http://www.hkepc.com/bbs/itnews.php?tid=789466)While AMD AM2+ processors are due out this summer, Intel announced another plan on price reduction just 3 months after the previous drop on April 22. With a remarkable cut at 50%, AMD is facing another harsh battle with Intel.

As reported before, Intel has had hinted a price drop in Q3, expecting a second price drop someday in August and September. However, the exact date turns out surprisingly on July 22 as the first hand information we have received. undoubtfully, the move give certain impact on the sales of AMD processors. Not until the release of next-generation AM2+ processors, it’s hard for AMD to get profit from their existing products.

In the most updated plan, Intel Quad-Core Core 2 Quad Q6600 (2.4GHz/4MB L2 x2/1066MHzFSB) will be further cut to $266, a second drop within 4 months since its release on March with 68.7% accumulated price drop. For the original price segment of Core 2 Quad Q6600, now it will be replaced by a new model Quad Q6700 (2.66GHz/4MB L2 x2/1066MHzFSB), pricing at $530.

For the mainstream desktop processors, while Core 2 Duo E6000 family has no price update information at this moment, its relatives, Core 2 Duo 6050 family which features 1333MHz FSB releasing on July 22, has got a very impressive price advantage. The 3 models including E6550 (2.33GHz), E6750 (2.66GHz), and E6850 (3GHz) are only priced at $266, $183, and $163, around 40% cheaper than its 1066MHz version. Together with the new release of Bearlake featuring 1333MHz FSB, the both releases are expected to have great sales.

For the Value segment, Core 2 Duo E4500 will be a new release on July 22. Featuring 2.2GHz clock speed, 2MB L2 Cache and 800MHz FSB, its price is set at $133, while E4400 will further drop to $113. 2.4Ghz Quad Core CPU for $266. Were you worried about breaking the bank building a Crysis box? Well... don't.

[Disgustipated]

Excellent... I was looking forward to the $250-ish Core 2 Quad.

[Sazime]

Wow. I feel like a chump for buying things 4 months ago. Then again, I've had a kick ass PC for 4 months....

[Grimmjow]

I knew this was coming but I feel like chump...I just bought a Core 2 Duo (2.4ghz) overclocked it to 2.66, so I may just pick up a quad core now :(

[Schnoogs]

Excellent...I've been wanting a new rig.

This makes the OchoCore rig I have in mind all that more affordable...I need the Xeons to drop as well.

[harle]

That is one serious price cut. Intel has been reaping such economies of scale that their chips prices keep getting cut by 1/2 every year or so. It great to see those benefits finally coming back to the consumer. :)

[flinxz]

...Intel Quad-Core Core 2 Quad Q6600 (2.4GHz/4MB L2 x2/1066MHzFSB) will be further cut to $266...
This is indeed good news, my Opty is 15 months old, this price drop puts a new PC in the right time frame.

[hund_]

since i'm not building a new box till oct i'll wait and see what amd Phenom has to offer.

[JCtheMC]

Mine is exactly 15 months old too. When the Vista beta is ov.. i mean when SP1 comes out, i'll actually be able to buy a machine that can run Alan Wake and Crysis without going completely bankrupt.

[torrefaction]

I'll wait for the Phenom, but I'm seriously worried that AMD isn't going to catch up this.

A fucking quad-core for $266? I may just buy a new computer, and use this one for the living room.

[abso]

Now if only games were optimized to USE the 4 cores. I'm not sure I need 4 cores to firefox, aim, and irc. I wonder if hl2: ep 2 will be multi-core enabled like was talked about many many moons ago. That would at least make it sort of worth it short term. Has there even been any talk about crysis being multi-core optimized at all?

Looks like Intel is definitely winning this round.

[CptTripps]

Frickin awesome. I have a cheap C2D pc setup as I went for the E6300 right away with upgrading in the future in mind. Looks like upgrade time might come a little early and ease the burden for a DX10 card.

[CptTripps]

Now if only games were optimized to USE the 4 cores. I'm not sure I need 4 cores to firefox, aim, and irc. I wonder if hl2: ep 2 will be multi-core enabled like was talked about many many moons ago. That would at least make it sort of worth it short term. Has there even been any talk about crysis being multi-core optimized at all?

Looks like Intel is definitely winning this round.

Many things will benefit from it without native support, but you are right we need more games built around it. I am pretty stoked to see that Alan Wake as one interview stated you would need a 4Core to play it all jacked up. 2008 will probably be when we start seeing more games supporting it.

[Deadend]

Many things will benefit from it without native support, but you are right we need more games built around it. I am pretty stoked to see that Alan Wake as one interview stated you would need a 4Core to play it all jacked up. 2008 will probably be when we start seeing more games supporting it.
I think many of the games ported over from the 360 and the PS3 will have support for multiple processors built in. Or any game running on a modern engine will, as well. Considering that multicore is becoming the new standard.

[UnderHero5]

I've got to say... my Athlon 64 3700+ is still serving me VERY well.
I'm almost always the very first to load in BF 2142... which is basically the only PC game I play any more, since there's a distinct lack of new games to play (I don't like RTS's, and thought STALKER was junk).

I'm sure once Allan Wake and Crysis come out, my PC won't run them at full detail, etc... but I'm not going to bother upgrading the entire thing for two games. Good to know that when I finally do upgrade, it will be dirt cheap!

[rinichanraar]

Intel Quad-Core Core 2 Quad Q6600

Not being very computer savvy, this sounds awesome.

Core Quad Quad-Core!

[BlackMako85]

Reasonably priced quad core? It's sexy time!

[Scaryfaced]

Wow. I feel like a chump for buying things 4 months ago. Then again, I've had a kick ass PC for 4 months....

You and me both. I decided to give myself a new honkin rig for christmas, now Im feeling like I could have gotten the same thing for about a grand less. Thats just about when you start feeling like a consumer whore, pimped by the gamin industry. 5000 dolla, sucky sucky.

[Ancalagon]

Now if only games were optimized to USE the 4 cores. I'm not sure I need 4 cores to firefox, aim, and irc. I wonder if hl2: ep 2 will be multi-core enabled like was talked about many many moons ago. That would at least make it sort of worth it short term. Has there even been any talk about crysis being multi-core optimized at all?

I dont need one, but I want one.

Great, now I'll wait till end of July (hope those price cuts reflect here in the UK quickly!), then buy either a new AMD Phlegm or a Intel quad core, depending mostly on price.

Quad core for $266! Thats so cheap its not even funny!

[CptTripps]

Not being very computer savvy, this sounds awesome.

Core Quad Quad-Core!

Haha, indeed. We all know that the longer the name, the bigger the number, and the more expensive it is means better products :D

[Talanvor]

Eh, I'll be using my old A64 3400 for awhile longer. It's a ClawHammer though! No PCI-E, no DDR2, bleh. It's funny, I used to be a PC-only gamer, now I can't even remember the last time I played a PC game. All of that time has gone into the 360 or DS (Puzzle Quest ftw!).

[crashedout]

Since I encode a lot of stuff a cheap quad is great. I was expecting October, July is much much better.

[lockwoodx]

Are you considering a new PC? Perhaps a PC upgrade? Wait till July 22nd. (http://www.hkepc.com/bbs/itnews.php?tid=789466)2.4Ghz Quad Core CPU for $266. Were you worried about breaking the bank building a Crysis box? Well... don't.



I picked up my 3.0 dual core athalon64 6000 for that price. I wonder if the quad core would accually out preform it. Doubt it... but still a nice price for an intel product.

[PathMaster]

Wow. Great cuts. Summer or Fall should be a good time to build. I will wait for Phenom and see what AMD does for prices and performance with them before I make any decisions.

[AntB]

Well that sucks. I just bought a Core 2 Duo 6400. Ack.

[roboninja]

Damn, I just built this Core2Duo 6300 machine, now I might need to upgrade to a quad core if these prices keep coming down. Oh well, maybe I can start that small-formfactor mdeia PC I want, and use my older Core2Duo in that :)

[Xerxes]

Good thing I didn't have the money to buy a computer a few months ago. Although i don't have the money now either. :D

[Klunka]

Well that sucks. I just bought a Core 2 Duo 6400. Ack.

I'm with ya man. I've got a two week old Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe that cost me $230. Now I found out for $30-$40 I could have gone Quad Core? Serious ouch.

[OrangePulp]

Crazy to think that just last December, I picked up my e6600 Core2Duo for about $330. I know prices drop over time, but this is pretty crazy. Awesome for anyone looking to build a new computer. And I thought mine was a bargain.

[Johan]

Good thing I didn't have the money to buy a computer a few months ago. Although i don't have the money now either. :D

You're way ahead of most Americans, who would just go ahead and buy "it" (whatever "it" might be) anyways! :)

[Xerxes]

You're way ahead of most Americans, who would just go ahead and buy "it" (whatever "it" might be) anyways! :)
Pfft. My cards are maxed out. :rolleyes:

[BlackPete]

Good for Intel! Just.... as long as they don't try to bring back the Itanic.

[Phanto]

Yes I read that yesterday and I'm looking forward to that price cut most important I was about to order my new rig this very same week but after seeing that I'm going to make a very good sacrifice by waiting up to July 22 and beside there is no DX10 game and one more thing the other ATi card that is suppose to compete with the GTX is going to be release around mid June or early July I believe so prices should drop by the time those price drops of CPU comes :) .

Let the WAIT begin :D .

[Serapth]

This sounds oftly close to "dumping".

An act that is quite illegal. Intel has the financal stability to play that game, AMD doesnt. Gotta wonder....?

[Schnoogs]

This sounds oftly close to "dumping".

An act that is quite illegal. Intel has the financal stability to play that game, AMD doesnt. Gotta wonder....?

HUH?

Dumping involves different markets.

[Serapth]

HUH?

Dumping involves different markets.


Doesn't have to. Generally it is, but selling at a loss to kill a competitor is still dumping, even if in the same region. Atleast, legally it is.

[Schnoogs]

Doesn't have to. Generally it is, but selling at a loss to kill a competitor is still dumping, even if in the same region. Atleast, legally it is.

I just looked up the US laws and it always mentions foreign companies dumping their products in the US market.

Intel and AMD are both American companies.

If the domestic industry is able to establish that it is being injured by the dumping, then antidumping duties are imposed on goods imported from the dumpers' country at a percentage rate calculated to counteract the dumping margin.

[Serapth]

I just looked up the US laws and it always mentions foreign companies dumping their products in the US market.

Intel and AMD are both American companies.


Would you be happier if I used the term "Predatory Pricing" which is, by the way, just as illegal?

[Schnoogs]

Would you be happier if I used the term "Predatory Pricing" which is, by the way, just as illegal?

How is it predatory though?

[Serapth]

How is it predatory though?


I am not saying it is, I am saying it could be.

Thats just a hell of a cut, right after another big cut, in a time where AMD is hurting bad. If it comes out that Intel is selling at a loss to steal the market from AMD, and thus essentially gaurantee a monopoly, thats predatory pricing.

I am not saying thats whats happening, I am just saying there is a really wierd vibe to it. Look at pricing history for Intel and this level of price cuts is almost unheard of. Factor again, that AMD is hurting right now and.....


Hey, maybe its just my inner tin foil hat talking. In the end, I dont really care that much, now that Intel is actually making good chips again and im still kinda miffed AMD bought ATI.

[Schnoogs]

I plan on buying one of those quad cores so I guess I temporarily support their predatory pricing! ;)

[Ancalagon]

Hmmm, if it is predatory pricing maybe I should do the moral, upright thing and support AMD.

Ah screw it I'll buy whatever the biased online reviewers tell me to.