When we published our full featured review of the new Intel Core i7 processors earlier this week, it was made clear that the Core 2 successor would be a worthy one. What wasn't as obvious was the date when Intel would officially launch the Core i7 and announce its availability. In other words this Monday's affair was a soft launch.
We have now learned that Intel will make Nehalem's release official next November 17th at an analyst event in San Francisco, CA. The company expects PC manufacturers to begin offering desktops equipped with Core i7 processors immediately.
As noted in our review, Intel will release three versions of the Core i7, all aimed at performance desktop machines. List pricing for the Core i7 920 model will be $284, the 940 will go for $562, while the 3.2GHz 965 Extreme Edition model will cost $999, when bought in quantities. You can expect standalone parts for building systems to become available by the end of the month, however don't be surprised to have them selling at a premium at least for the remainder of the year.