Intel i7-2700k Pricing Structure Revealed

Several news outlets, including Fudzilla and VR-Zone, are reporting that the upcoming Intel i7-2700k will cost more than the current top CPU, the 2600k. In the past, Intel has priced the newest processor at the same level as the previous fastest model it’s replacing. This strategy seems to have served Intel fairly well, as they still control the majority of the desktop CPU market share.

Rumored to be hitting the shelves next month, the i7-2700k will be clocked at 3.5 GHz. This is a tiny bump up from the 3.4 GHz, about 3% to be exact. This will lead to barely any performance increase as the chip is essentially the exact same thing as the i7-2600k aside from the frequency increase. However, vr-zone is reporting that the i7-2700k’s will be better overclockers than their predecessors, as Intel is “cherry picking the best of the best of its Sandy Bridge cores for the 2700.” Though this would be exciting news to those of us attempting to shatter overclocking world records, it is difficult to believe.

While in the past our mantra here at Overclockers has been that later batch CPUs tend to overclock better as the processor construction processes become more refined. This is unlikely to translate to more headroom for benchers since batches and steppings seem to have no consistent correlation to overclocking capabilities with Sandy Bridge (Source: Sandy Bridge 2500K/2600K Batch and Serial Numbers).

This might be editorializing, but all these rumors swirling seem to conveniently coincide with rumblings from the AMD camp about the upcoming Bulldozer CPU. With a CPU frequency world record already under its belt, Bulldozer has been dominating the headlines in the hardware world. Intel likely did not want to be left out of the game, even though they have a pretty strong stranglehold on the desktop CPU market in my opinion. This market domination seems to be shrinking as the Bulldozer buzz grows within the extreme segment (made up of overclockers and benchers).

Fudzilla reports that the i7-2700k will cost $331, which is only $17 more than the 2600k. Other sites have previously reported anywhere between $340-$350. Many overclockers already are willing to pay a premium for cherry-picked CPUs with the ability to boot at higher multipliers. The quick-and-easy process of binning Sandy Bridge CPUs has become really popular among overclockers. Whether consciously or not, Intel is capitalizing on this practice by putting a premium price tag on premium silicon. Though I am unsure whether this is a profitable business move, it makes sense for Intel from a public relations perspective as they attempt to de-emphasize the release of Bulldozer with a new CPU of their own.

It appears that the i7-2700k will be available around Halloween, which is perfect since it’s essentially an i7-2600k in shiny new wrapper. Get your trick or treat bag ready.

Does anyone here plan on purchasing a new i7-2700k? What are your motivations for or against picking up this new chip when it becomes available?

– Matt Ring (mdcomp)