[boom_media]

Intel is planning to launch a Core 2 Quad Q8000 CPU series, offering entry-level prices to counter AMD's triple-core CPUs in the mainstream market, according to sources at motherboard makers.

Intel will launch the Core 2 Quad Q8200 in the third quarter this year, supporting FSB up to 1333MHz, L2 cache of 4MB and a core frequency of 2.33GHz. Pricing will be set around US$203 in thousand-unit quantities

In order to separate the Q8000 series from Intel's Q9000 CPU family, the Q8000 CPU series will not support Intel's VT and TXT technology.

ref.http://www.digitimes.com/mobos/a20080612PD222.html

[VPmase]

Lol, promotions FTW.
I might get a new computer around that time now

[Spartan Erik]

There aren't enough applications out there that even utilize two cores properly, let alone four..

Software vendors are going to be playing catch-up for awhile at this rate..

[alexandgruntz]

A 70MHz decrease in clock speed over my Core 2 Duo but twice the cores and higher specced all round.

Thank you very much.

[vol7ron]

Originally Posted by Spartan Erik

There aren't enough applications out there that even utilize two cores properly, let alone four..

Software vendors are going to be playing catch-up for awhile at this rate..

You're right, software vendors are not utilizing 2 cores properly, but all that means is that the CPU is under performing it's potential. The performance gain is still there, it's just not being used to its potential. 4 Cores will be the same deal, the benefits are still better than the dual core, but they won't be used to their full potential. This can be said with almost any processor, though. There's theoretical and actual performance - in both cases quad cores are better.

The real trick is to get the OS on the same page, rather than just the programs.

You should view the results of Nehalem, though. Quad-Core with HyperThreading (8 Threads), also expected to be released by the end of the year, hence the drop in Core2 Quads.

The preliminary tests already show an improvement gain. Not to mention Intel is finally going towards an Integrated Memory Controller - that's an on-die memory controller - the same process AMDs been doing for years. These gains are with demo chips that don't even have the proper motherboards/PCI-e drivers equipped to handle the processors yet. When they are finally built, the world is in for a world of computing-power.