Could intel manufacture and sell a 3 core processor?

[skipsneeky2]

Been thinking about this alot lately could intel manufacture such a chip?

Intel can fit 4 cores at a 3.3ghzs at a low 95tdp.

Why couldn't intel drop a core and raise the frequency to lets say 3.6ghzs keeping at maybe a 75tdp and sell it at $149 msrp?

People like me who will have $140 soon for a cpu are stuck with choices like amd's hot and ready quad cores and intels ht enabled dual cores why not a true 3 core?

Might be wishful thinking but i would think the market would be good for such a chip no i know i would buy one cause not all my apps require a quad and some run like crap on dual.

Thoughts?

 

[HopJokey]

From a business standpoint I don't think it makes sense to design and manufacturer a native 3 core part. Not enough margins/volume. AMD's triple core parts are chopped off quads.

 

[Edrick]

Why would they want to?

You can already get a quad core i5 for under $150.

 

[Barfo]

Nope, Intel's technology only allows them to manufacture either single core chips or even number of cores chips.

 

[skipsneeky2]

Why would they want to?

You can already get a quad core i5 for under $150.

Cheapest i5 i see is the i5 2300 its $180 on newegg...the whole market from $130-$175 is open and the i5 760 from the last generation is still $199:awe:

Perhaps on a super sale or used for $150 is possible but retail nope unless newegg is gouging?

 

[LoneNinja]

A 3 core without hyperthreading would probably be about equal to a current I3 while a 3 core with hyperthreading would probably match or beat an I5. Where would they position such a chip? I see no need for it.

 

[skipsneeky2]

A 3 core without hyperthreading would probably be about equal to a current I3 while a 3 core with hyperthreading would probably match or beat an I5. Where would they position such a chip? I see no need for it.

Well would you want 3 cores without ht and a faster stock speed or a dual core with ht/fake cores with questionable performance over a dual core without ht at a lower stock speed?

Pretty big gap after $130 till you hit $180 i would think enough room for maybe a $160 i5 quad at 2.67ghzs?

 

[mmaestro]

Well, they already have a processor at that price point. I'd guess they don't want to cannibalize that market when they'd basically have to make a quad and turn a core off. No business reason to do it. And if for some reason someone really wants a triple core processor with a lower TDP, they can just turn one of the cores off in the BIOS.

 

[exar333]

2C/4T cpu (i3 2100) would be pretty much comperable anyways. Unless they were able to harvest a 3-core CPU by disabling a failed core, it probably would not make sense. Intel has very good yields, so I would think this would only be an option if yields were bad and they were having to disable a large # of cores from a significant % of dies.

 

[mrjoltcola]

Cheapest i5 i see is the i5 2300 its $180 on newegg...the whole market from $130-$175 is open and the i5 760 from the last generation is still $199:awe:

Perhaps on a super sale or used for $150 is possible but retail nope unless newegg is gouging?

Microcenter has had i5 2400 for 149.99 and i5 2500K for 179.99 for a couple of months now, and that doesn't incude the $50 and $80 off motherboard combo deals.

 

[skipsneeky2]

Microcenter has had i5 2400 for 149.99 and i5 2500K for 179.99 for a couple of months now, and that doesn't incude the $50 and $80 off motherboard combo deals.

Last time i saw a microcenter was when i visited a friend near Denver, Colorado .

Wish there was one nearby but this is lousy california where we got overpriced office depot/best buy and frys.

Usually do my shopping at frys have for years .

 

[TakeNoPrisoners]

Nobody really needs a tri-core. Dual cores can be made fast enough to cover that market.

 

[LoneNinja]

Well would you want 3 cores without ht and a faster stock speed or a dual core with ht/fake cores with questionable performance over a dual core without ht at a lower stock speed?

Pretty big gap after $130 till you hit $180 i would think enough room for maybe a $160 i5 quad at 2.67ghzs?

I think an I3K model would be good for that price range personally, but I doubt Intel will release one of those with the lack of competition from AMD. The 4core FX processors are slower than Phenom II X4 after all. lol

 

[skipsneeky2]

I think an I3K model would be good for that price range personally, but I doubt Intel will release one of those with the lack of competition from AMD. The 4core FX processors are slower than Phenom II X4 after all. lol

Pretty sad stuff for sure i got the option of a $130 i3 2100 or a x4 965 coming up in a few weeks...yikes its enough to make your head spin .

 

[nickb64]

Last time i saw a microcenter was when i visited a friend near Denver, Colorado .

Wish there was one nearby but this is lousy california where we got overpriced office depot/best buy and frys.

Usually do my shopping at frys have for years .

Where in CA? There's a MC in Tustin and one up north in Santa Clara. I'm lucky enough to be reasonably close to the Tustin one, if I had money I'd be there all the time getting stuff.

 

[skipsneeky2]

Where in CA? There's a MC in Tustin and one up north in Santa Clara. I'm lucky enough to be reasonably close to the Tustin one, if I had money I'd be there all the time getting stuff.

Far off from Bakersfield .

As far as i know frys in oxnard which is almost 120 miles is the closest place for decently priced computer parts which is where i go for most of my stuff..

Do shopping there as of the last two years about every 6 months or so if i need something and i visit friends and family so the trip isn't a waste just for that.

Well when i was local in ventura which is about 10 miles away i was there about twice a week buying something:biggrin:

Everyone there knows me by name and when i come in its a surprise and they ask where you been cause before i moved out here frys was my second home :awe:

 

[gmaster456]

I don't see much of a market for one. And where would they position such a chip?

 

[frozentundra123456]

Yea, I dont want to seem crass about money or unsympathetic for someone that is short of funds, but with the i5 quads only 40 or 50 dollars more, I would either just get the i3 or wait a bit longer and save up until I could afford a quad.

 

[drizek]

Far off from Bakersfield .

As far as i know frys in oxnard which is almost 120 miles is the closest place for decently priced computer parts which is where i go for most of my stuff..

Do shopping there as of the last two years about every 6 months or so if i need something and i visit friends and family so the trip isn't a waste just for that.

Well when i was local in ventura which is about 10 miles away i was there about twice a week buying something:biggrin:

Everyone there knows me by name and when i come in its a surprise and they ask where you been cause before i moved out here frys was my second home :awe:

Theres an MC in Irvine.

 

[skipsneeky2]

Theres an MC in Irvine.

Would be a extra 50 or so miles but they got a sale on the i5 2400 i would worry about supply and demand wonder how good it is?

 

[drizek]

Can't overclock it = worthless. I'd rather get the 2500K from newegg, even if it costs 50 bucks more.

 

[skipsneeky2]

Can't overclock it = worthless. I'd rather get the 2500K from newegg, even if it costs 50 bucks more.

See the 2500k in stock for $180 that's a good price.

 

[Edrick]

Microcenter has had i5 2400 for 149.99 and i5 2500K for 179.99 for a couple of months now, and that doesn't incude the $50 and $80 off motherboard combo deals.

This.

Glad I live 5 minutes from one.

 

[podspi]

Microcenter is a great store. I agree that a faster i3 w/ HT would do the job just as well as a hypothetical i3 or i4 tri-core w/out HT in most scenarios.


It really is too bad Intel hasn't released any higher-clocked or unlocked dual-cores (for consumers). They've been very careful to try to maintain the same ordering for ST and MT performance across their lines.

 

[classy]

Why would they want to?

You can already get a quad core i5 for under $150.

Agreed