Intel said to slip Core i5 platform to September, competition needed

Want a good example of why Intel -- or we, the consumer -- needs a strong competitor? DigiTimes' has it from sources at motherboard makers that Intel will delay its mainstream desktop Core i5 platform (including Lynnfield procs and 5-series chipsets) from July to early September. A rumor with merit given DigiTimes' proven sources within motherboard makers like ASUS, Gigabyte, and MSI. The reason for the delay is to allow vendors to deplete 4-series inventories that have piled-up during the economic slow-down. Of course, if AMD or... well, AMD could muster the silicon to compete with Intel at the same price point then such a delay would not be possible. How much you say? DigiTimes has the Core i5 processors priced at 2.93GHz ($562), 2.8GHz ($284) and 2.66GHz ($196) when purchased in bulk.

[Via PC Perspective]

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2009 11:12AM]

I am completely confused by these processors unless intel has seriously gimped these things I don't see a point for them. The i7 920 is $280 and can be overclocked to 2.8GHz easily and the 940 is $560 already at close to 2.93Ghz. i7 is clearly the higher end platform but the i5s are supposed to be 32nm which as we all know every time you do a die shrink temperatures decrease and performance increases. So would a 32nm 2.93 i5 outperform the 45nm 2.93 i7, but unless you hurt the performance to keep people buying i7 you are paying almost the same price for underperforming chips.

The above probably makes no sense, just go to Newegg the i7 920 and 940 are priced exacly the same as the top two i5s. I just don't get offering two different platforms at the same price when the i7 is supposed to be the high end and i5 the mainstream.

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2009 12:13PM]

Lets ignore the fact that Apple does this all the time prior to a new device shipping and they don't get slapped around for doing this. The only big difference? Intel gives us roadmaps. Apple gives us squad. But its Intel. DAMN YOU INTEL *falls to his knees* DAAAAAAMMMMMNNN YOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUU!

[spin cycle Posted May 26th 2009 1:42PM]

Do you realize your post apparently acknowledges that Apple has more advanced products before everyone else and then holds it up because they have no worthy competition?

Did your fanboy brain realize it was saying that?

Every company does this. It's all about the benjamins.

[(Unverified) Posted May 26th 2009 2:04PM]

hahahaha hold on I have to collect myself after reading that.

It takes how long for Apple to get the latest and greatest in the graphics industry. Except for the Mac Pros they are always way behind the graphics curve.

[superhobo Posted May 26th 2009 2:48PM]

What do you mean "except for the Mac Pro"? Heh

[NewL Posted May 26th 2009 12:34PM]

@Chris - you really don't get it, do you? LOL

[BigD145 Posted May 26th 2009 1:27PM]

The price points are horrible. A .3 GHz jump at more than 2x the cost?

[gadgetfanboy Posted May 26th 2009 2:23PM]

Does anyone know how the new i5 is supposed to compare with the Core 2 Duo that it (I assume) replaces? In terms of heat, power consumption, and speed?

[Ephemeral Posted Jun 18th 2009 11:06AM]

Can't wait for them to release to the i3's as that's when I'll upgrade. Judging by the overclocking potential of their new architecture, unless they impose specific limitations, they'll overclock just as well as my old E2160 did to 3.0Ghz, and as well as my E7200 does now to 3.4Ghz. Hopefully that will also give the roughly 70-80% speed it does of the more expensive Core 2 Duos right now.