For the first time, a 2nd-gen Sandy Bridge Intel Core i7 processor has an Extreme Edition. The specs include a six-core, 12-thread processing beast that breathes 3.3GHz of computational firecrackers. It supports four channels of DDR3 memory, has 15MB of L3 cache, and goes up to 3.9GHz using Turbo Boost (Intel’s automatic overclocking). The drawbacks include the need of a new socket, the LGA-2011, and a bulk price of $990 that will be well above $1,000 at retail, and a pretty large 130W TDP. In fact, it’s already appearing in Maingear desktops.
Too expensive of a proposition? Then there is the Core i7-3930K, on a 3.2GHz base clock speed, 3.8GHz Turbo, the same six cores of the latter, but only 12MB of L3 cache. It should retail for $555 when it releases. Via: ZDNet
Remember not too long ago there were new HPs? No? Okay then, let’s assume there’s always new HPs, like now. The Dv6t and Dv7t (16-inch and 17.3-inch laptops, respectively). The line has a multitude of options that belittle the price or drastically make it as high as you want, with a basic 2.2GHz Core i7 processor, or up to 3.4GHz quad-core Core i7 chips that are only any good of you like scaring people off with those extra cores (or need them for heavy multitasking and pwning n00bs).
