Intel's 3.2GHz quad-core Bloomfield gaming CPU to hit for $999?

When you're Intel, everyone from governments to gamers wants to know your next move. So pay attention, DigiTimes has it on shaky word from "motherboard makers" that Intel's next quad-core, 3.2GHz Extreme "Bloomfield"-class gaming processor for overblown desktop rigs will hit for $999 when purchased in bulk by PC manufacturers -- a traditional price-point for Intel's top o' the line Extreme silicon until the launch of its $1,499 Core 2 Extreme QX9775 earlier this year. We should also expect $562, 2.93GHz and $284, 2.66GHz versions before the year is up.

[nak @ Jul 18th 2008 3:53AM]

sounds like a bargain, I think I'll get two.

[XcRuNk @ Jul 18th 2008 8:36AM]

yeah, no kidding.

For $999, I can get a 360 pro, PS3 and a Wii.

And I'll have $2 left over for vitamin water.

[Dingis Fargle @ Jul 18th 2008 4:04AM]

darn, nevermind.

[LC @ Jul 18th 2008 4:08AM]

$1000 on a CPU alone, $40 more then my nine month old gaming rig, which is still going strong....

[iofthestorm @ Jul 18th 2008 4:10AM]

Haha, almost same for me actually, not including monitor. In fact, I think I built mine 9 months ago too! Weird...

[neofolklore @ Jul 18th 2008 8:26AM]

and then Bloomfield was born

[LC @ Jul 18th 2008 4:09AM]

Actually. The Core 2 Duo E8000s overclock to 4Ghz no problem with a decent air cooler.

[Kurian @ Jul 18th 2008 4:10AM]

That money will be MUCH better spent on the lowest end Bloomfield CPU and a top of the line motherboard so that you can OC it faster than the 3.2GHz CPU.

[Shinigami @ Jul 18th 2008 6:30AM]

Agree. Its better to install a good cooling solution and overclock CPU to the max instead of getting the TOP CPU.

But in this case you get some bonuses with the top CPU. Like DDR3 1333 support (the other two models only support DDR1066, and no, you can't change it in BIOS, its build into CPU, memory controller that is). So if you aim for no less than the very TOP, get the most expensive one + expensive cooling. In other cases its better to take low-end CPU and spend the rest on case + water cooling because air cooling is good for Core2Duo, 2-core CPU, but it won't do much good for quad-cores, and Bloomfield is quad. Besides, its going to be 130W, not every air cooler can handle that much. If you plan to OC it, I highly recommend water cooling with an external cooling block (examples - Zalman Reserator XT, Koolance Exos 2).

But in this specific case its best to wait for reviews and more information about "overclockability" of the new CPUs :)

[bartoron @ Jul 18th 2008 9:54AM]

Shinigami, last time I checked Intel processors don't have integrated memory controllers like AMD processors do. They're still a part of the motherboard.

[Mam00th @ Jul 18th 2008 10:35AM]

@Bartoron

Intel new "Nehalem" chip will feature an integrated memory controller.

[fh @ Jul 18th 2008 4:12AM]

My $189 Q6600 runs nicely at 3.0ghz, and I'm quite happy with that ;)

But word on the street is that Bloomfield will ship with MP200, meaning official SLI on an Intel chipset!

[collegekid13 @ Jul 18th 2008 4:16AM]

thats bloomn' fast!

[Matty @ Jul 18th 2008 4:38AM]

i think you will find there will be no SLI on any intel chipset for ages mate

[fh @ Jul 18th 2008 4:44AM]

"Nvidia said Monday that it plans to bring its SLI multi-GPU technology to the upcoming Bloomfield platform from Intel, based upon the Nehalem CPU."

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2325651,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532

[BlackICE @ Jul 18th 2008 6:42AM]

Skull Trail is also an intel board with SLI which you can get right now.

[Matty @ Jul 18th 2008 5:23AM]

I think you will find i said SLI will not be on intel "chipsets"

If you want to go buy an Nfarce Motherboard then you know as much about building computers as my 11 year old sister.

Nvidia chipsets are the worst chipsets available with any CPU since the NF4 days.

Not to mention intel hasnt licenced the microcode for Nehalum to Nvidia so they are going to suck.

Intel Hates Nvidia and Nvidia hates Intel. - not to mention ATi's new 4870 X2 is going to top the GFX market soon.

[fh @ Jul 18th 2008 6:12AM]

Yes, I heard you the first time. It's the nVidia MP200 SLI controller on the upcoming Intel X58 "Bloomfield" chipset. That means a bonefied Intel northbridge and southbridge communicating with the MP200 for SLI duties.

http://www.tweaktown.com/pressrelease/98/nvidia_confirm_sli_support_on_x58_bloomfield/index.html

Should I link the Google search results? Maybe your sister can help you read the articles?

[Shinigami @ Jul 18th 2008 6:39AM]

X58 chipset will really have SLI support. Nvidia has given "green light" for it.
Nvidia will not make chipsets for Bloomfield processors. They have the license but do not plan to spend resources on it. They aim to make chipsets for Lynnfield and Havendale CPUs instead. Or so I heard...

As far as I know, we're stuck with X58 for Bloomfield.

[Steven @ Jul 18th 2008 6:44AM]

Matty, again look at Skull Trail, before you make yourself look dumber.

[blah @ Jul 18th 2008 12:32PM]

Does it really matter is SLI is supported or not? By that time, ATi would become the dominant force anyways. Face it, the current gen of Nvidia cards barely hold up to ATi's latest batch, with the X2 coming, its going to bring down the 280, and with ATi's roadmap and next gen card already taped out, ATi is looking strong.

Meanwhile Nvidia has no answer to ATi's next gen architecture, their roadmap is empty beyond the current generation. Not to mention their financial woes, with the failing mobile GPUs, and horrible relationship with Intel, you can expect them to fall soon.

[gfar @ Jul 18th 2008 4:53AM]

I refuse to buy products with "extreme" or any lame variation of its spelling in the name.

I'll buy the non-extreme edition when Intel decides to lose the 5 year old marketing campaign.

[LondonConsultant @ Jul 18th 2008 6:14AM]

You are the reason marketing departments have too much influence...

[linuxamp @ Jul 18th 2008 6:43AM]

Imagine a beowulf cluster of those. Oh wait... this isn't slashdot. How the hell did I get here?

[hemmy @ Jul 18th 2008 9:37AM]

How did you get here? I think it goes like this:

Letting the days go by
let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by
water flowing underground
Into the blue again
after the moneys gone
Once in a lifetime
water flowing underground.

[9bit @ Jul 18th 2008 10:37AM]

Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was.

[Gary @ Jul 19th 2008 3:09PM]

Yeah, the twister comes.

Here comes the twister.

[Yubastard @ Jul 30th 2008 4:38PM]

I don't understand. I don't understand. I don't understand. I don't understand. Understand I don't.

[Chuck @ Jul 18th 2008 10:53AM]

Is the 600 megahertz really worth the extra $500?

[Abuzar Baloach @ Jul 18th 2008 1:05PM]

Extreme Edition CPUs generally OC higher as well. These really are meant for people willing to take their systems to the breaking point.

[Aaron @ Jul 18th 2008 12:05PM]

Wow, they named it after me (Bloomfield is my last name). IN FOR 2!!!

[Hellios @ Jul 18th 2008 12:55PM]

I'm lost, why would I want to pay $999 for a 3.2GHz quad-core cpu, when I can pay $200 for an Intel quad-core 3.2 GHz CPU... And spend the $800 on for something that actually matters, like two graphics card, because CPUs stopped being bottlenecks for games long ago.

Not to mention quad-cores for gaming means 3 idle cores...
But then again, people are stupid enough to buy pre-made gaming computers why would I even think they're not going to buy a $999 cpu too.

[Abuzar Baloach @ Jul 18th 2008 11:15PM]

Yes, and when you find 3.2Ghz Quad Cores for 200 I'll buy a 1000.

No Joke.

[thedesolate1 @ Jul 18th 2008 2:12PM]

Most applications cant even take advantage of 2 cores let alone 4... I LOL at these things.. I dont think the extra cores are worth the cost for now. You would be better off with the cheaper core 2 derivatives clocked at the same speed.

[idave101 @ Jul 18th 2008 4:20PM]

If you buy your computer for today, get a dual core. If you buy your computer for tomorrow, get a quad. It's that simple. You would have been the person saying "Why get a Pentium, when a 486 DX66 is fast enough".

Have you ever edited HD video from a camcorder? Get a Quad. Scratch that, get an Intel Quad.

Now, should you spend $1k on the CPU? That's up to your wallet and if you want to pay to have the best.

[bjay @ Jul 18th 2008 5:49PM]

If you buy your computer for today, get a dual core. If you buy your computer for tomorrow, get a quad. It's that simple. You would have been the person saying "Why get a Pentium, when a 486 DX66 is fast enough".

You got it wrong to some extent. The computer of tomorrow u buy today while be a lame duck the day after tomorrow when other specifications arrive "considering that hardware seems to moving at a faster cycle these days" why pay dearly today when u can wait till tomorrow and pay a fair price

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 18th 2008 8:26PM]

without taking into account any kind of overclocking, why the hell would anyone spend $1500 on a CPU when you can get one that has 300mhz less for 1/3 the price??????

[tmk @ Aug 1st 2008 10:54PM]

"Bloomfield" processor is 8 core processor. "Bloomfield" in 2.66GHz can beat 3.2 quad core easily. There got a review in tomshardware.
2.66GHz only sell $284 more cheaper than Q9550.