2012-12-21-133

[Rumour] Intel to stagnate Core 2 prices

Although Core i5/i7 Lynnfield CPUs are out in the wild, it must be notedthat Intel have so far refused to cut prices of previous-gen Core 2processors. The Core ix line will be further advanced come January 2010with the introduction of dual-core Clarkdale CPUs, branded Core i3/i5.However, Fudzilla reports that there are no signs of price cuts even inJanuary.

The last official Core 2 price adjustment was way back in late Q2, inresponse to the Phenom II threat. Since then, however, the prices haveremained the same.

Judging by current prices, the Core 2 line up simply does not make sense. In the performance category, the Core i7 860 priced at $284 runs circles around the entire Core 2 Quad line-up. This includes Core 2 Quad Q9650, which is still selling for ~$330. This CPU even loses out to the ~$200 Core i5 750 and even the AMD Phenom II 965BE.

Coming to the mainstream <$200 segment, Intel has been losing out on price/performance to AMD's Phenom II CPUs for the last few months. In the entry level <$100 segment, the Athlon II CPUs are a formidable force, often outperforming much more expensive Intel Core 2 CPUs. Simply put, none of the Core 2 products make any sense at current prices. Unless, of course, you have a LGA775 motherboard and are unwilling to buy a different motherboard for upgrading your CPU.

Clearly, despite poor value products, Intel are feeling no pressure to drop Core 2 prices. Perhaps there is still a large market for LGA 775 upgrades, or Intel are using their marketing prowess.

Reference: Fudzilla