Intel has quietly added two new desktop processors to its lineup, and another six-core chip could be in the pipeline. The 32nm Core i5-680 houses two cores running at 3.6GHz and can scale up to 3.86GHz with Turbo Boost. Features include Hyper-Threading support, 4MB lf L3 cache, and a 733MHz integrated graphics core.

The second new addition is a 2.8GHz dual-core, LGA775-bound Pentium E5500. Mostly intended for "casual users" the chip is built on older 45nm fabrication technology, has 2MB of cache, and doesn't support Hyper-Threading or Turbo Boost. Pricing for the i5-680 reportedly starts around $294, while Pentium E5500 runs about $75.

In somewhat related news, Intel reportedly plans to launch its second six-core desktop processor in the coming weeks. The Core i7-970 is supposedly clocked at 3.2GHz and should be priced cheaper than the existing hexa-core i7-980X.