Intel's six-core chip named the Extreme Edition
Intel, in an apparent bout of indulgence for themselves and for a small number of its fans, has released a six-core Corei7 class processor for the desktop. The Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition processor has its six cores clocked to run between 3.3GHz and 3.9GHz, with 15 MB of cache and four channels for memory.
A notch below this chip is the Core i7-3930K with clock speeds between 3.2GHz and 3.8GHz, 12MB of cache and four memory channels. The Core i7-3960X is priced at $990 and Core i7-3930K is going for $555.
Pros:
+ 6-CPU cores with 12-processor threads
+ 32nm Westmere die process technology
+ Advanced Encryption Standard New Instructions (AES-NI)
+ Good for at least 4.0GHz overclock
+ 12-Watt idle power consumption
+ Excellent media transcoding or file compression performance
+ Includes Intel DBX-B Advanced Thermal Solution
+ Unlocked clock speed multiplier
Cons:
- Extremely expensive enthusiast product
- Additional CPU cores limit overclocking headroom
- Does not add performance to high-level gaming platforms
