Intel's eagerly anticipated Core i7 series of processors have hit retail channels today, with top online and ground stores in the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe listing the processors. This, a day in advance, with the company slating the launch for November 17 originally. The Core i7 is the poster-boy for Intel's Nehalem microprocessor architecture. It is a quad-core 8-threaded processor featuring 256 KB L2 caches per core, with shared 8 MB L3 cache. Some of the listings for the processors are as follows:

Overclockers UK (₤276 ~ ₤904) | Scan UK (₤259.87 ~ ₤892.02) | Newegg US (US $319.99 ~ $1069) | Micro Center US ($299.99 ~ $999.99) | HOH Deutschland (€283,90 ~ €989,90) | NCIX Canada (CA $388.99 ~ $1443.99) | TechBuy Australia (AU $676.35 ~ $2364.20)

For the motherboards:

Newegg US ($220.99 ~ $398.99) | Overclockers UK (₤223.24 ~ ₤340.74) | HOH Deutschland (€244,90 ~ €339,90) | NCIX Canada (CA $366.18 ~ $374.99) | TechBuy Australia (AU $503.90 ~ $635.70)

Smoothcreations (www.Smoothcreations.com), a leading manufacturer of Custom PC gaming systems, desktop workstations, and Laptops, introduced today, in collaboration with Intel , are proud to announce the Smoothcreations "Prophet i7" series.

Stop showing up to Lan parties with gaming rigs that look like some else's pc. Turn heads, and then shred them with the Prophet i7 series. The first portable performance PC from Smooth Creations.

Configurable options available in price point category platform solutions. The Ultimate LAN party system: The Smooth Creations Prophet i7 series was designed to intimidate, perform and back up every piece of trash talk you fling at your gaming buddies. These custom painted gaming beasts deliver the graphics-shredding processing power you need to conquer your next LAN event.

"The Prophet i7 Portable design makes it easy to go to those LAN parties without having to lug heavy pc equipment around", Mario Gastelum, Product Marketing. The "Prophet i7" models are stacked with Intel Core i7 CPU's and a tasty choice of Diamond Radeon HD4870's or 2x 4870X2 H20 Special Edition graphics cards in Crossfire configurations. Or you can choose some ass kicking BFG Geforce 280 GTX's or 260 GTX's in SLI or TRI SLI configurations. Be rest assured that not only will you have a screaming looking case - but a serious war gaming machine that will get you the highest frame rates playing Crysis or Far Cry 2. Any i7 Platform that is built with a pair of BFG's Geforce 260 or 280 GTX will get a FREE custom painted BFG logo & themed fender guitar and a free copy of Far Cry2.(Ed. note: The green/gray Hellcat system image has been added, so you get an idea about the look of the casing from Smoothcreations)

Noctua today presented a new special edition of its flagship NH-U12P CPU cooler for Intel Core i7. The NH-U12P SE1366 includes the highly reliable, easy-to-use SecuFirm2 mounting system for LGA1366 as well as Noctua's pro-grade NT-H1 thermal compound and two NF-P12 120mm fans for superb quiet cooling performance on Core i7 CPUs.

"Intel's new Core i7 CPUs mark an exciting advance in processing power, but they definitely require a high quality heatsink if you want to cool them without the expense of excessive noise", explains Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. "We strive to provide an easy entry into the world of premium quality quiet cooling with the new NH-U12P SE1366, offering a premium value package that gives you everything you need to cool Core i7 CPUs quietly!"

Intel will be releasing its newest processor: the Core i7, in the days to come. The first releases of the i7 are based on the Bloomfield core, which happens to be the poster-boy for the Intel Nehalem CPU architecture. The processor uses Intel's new LGA-1366 socket, it is a quad-core processor with HyperThreading enabled.

Expreview pictured the Core i7 (non Extreme) package, which reveals a largely standard pack that's seen on Intel's processors these days. Also pictured is Intel's stock cooler for the non-Extreme i7 processors, which largely resembles the stock-coolers of most Intel processors. It consists of a central block made of copper, which makes contact with the CPU. The thermal interface material is pre-applied to it. Aluminum fins project radially from the block, which fork into thinner fins, to increase surface-area. Also included in the package is the related documentation, warranty declaration and bezel sticker. The CPU pictured by Expreview is the i7 920, clocked at 2.66 GHz, with 8 MB L3 cache. The processor has a QuickPath Interconnect speed of 4800 MT/s.

Previews, reviews and all kind of write-ups about the new Intel Core i7/X58 platform flooded the network this morning. I'll use this post to add all the links I can find, you can also post your comments here until the official press release statement.

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Here's ECS with its X58 motherboard. Over the past month or two, motherboard manufacturers have been taking the opportunity of flashing their offering based on Intel's newest chipset, supporting the upcoming Core i7 Processors. Product launch dates for the processors itself had been see-sawing, with early estimates having pointed at an October launch, while other sections of the industry pointing at November 17, 2008 as D-day for Intel and its motherboard partners. Perhaps the November launch was chosen to give motherboard vendors some room to ready their products for the market that comes to be.

The ECS X58B-A is the company's X58 motherboard based on the Black-Series design, sporting a black PCB with yellow, red, orange and copper to form the design theme. It uses a rather simplistic layout, with two PCI-Express x16 slots, a close-ended PCI-Express x4 slot, and one PCI slot. It features a 5+1 phase power circuit for the CPU, and uses solid-state capacitors overall. The motherboard supports both ATI CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI multi-GPU technologies, it features six onboard SATA II ports with headers to two e-SATA ports, among other standard features. The X58B-A is expected to start shipping around the time Intel launches the Core i7 processors, it is expected to be priced at US $260.

With the official announcement from Intel on the new Intel Core i7 processors that close, and with some manufacturers already claiming to have compatibility solutions for their cooling products, Thermaltake is also taking responsibility for its air and water coolers by enhancing them with LGA 1366 mounting kits too. Beginning today, Thermaltake will be shipping a new version of its V1 air cooler with mounting clips that support socket LGA 1366. For existing customers who have previously purchased some of Thermaltake's top selling air coolers such as V1, V1 AX and BigTyp120 VX, Thermaltake will also provide the new Socket LGA 1366 mounting kit. For those who own a Thermaltake water cooling kit or just a TT CPU block, the thermal solution provider will also provide a new LGA 1366 mounting mechanism. Unfortunately, the Taiwanese company will charge a small fee for the new mounting brackets, pricing and availability are still unknown though.

Keeping up with the competition, G.Skill Memory is also making debut with a full line of DDR3 performance memory products designed for the Intel Core i7 processors and the Intel X58 Express chipset. Included are a total of four G.SKILL 3GB and 6GB triple memory kits with DDR3 1333MHz and 1600MHz frequencies for enthusiasts, overclockers, and early-adopters:

• F3-10666CL9T-3GBNQ: 3GB (1GB x 3) DDR3-1333 (PC3 10666), CL9-9-9-24 @ 1.5-1.6V
• F3-10666CL9T-6GBNQ: 6GB (2GB x 3) DDR3-1333 (PC3 10666), CL9-9-9-24 @ 1.5-1.6V
• F3-12800CL9T-3GBNQ: 3GB (1GB x 3) DDR3-1600 (PC3 12800), CL9-9-9-24 @ 1.5-1.6V
• F3-12800CL9T-6GBNQ: 6GB (2GB x 3) DDR3-1600 (PC3 12800), CL9-9-9-24 @ 1.5-1.6V

All kits are backed by G.Skill's lifetime warranty.

Noctua today announced the impending availability of a new mounting kit which makes it possible to install Noctua CPU coolers on Intel's upcoming Core i7 processors for socket LGA1366. The new SecuFirm2 mounting kit is compatible with all Noctua CPU coolers since 2005 and will be supplied to Noctua users free of charge after uploading a proof of purchase on Noctua's website.

"We always strive to provide premium quality service for premium quality products and we like to think of our coolers as safe long-term investments", explains Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. "That's why we've decided to stick to our policy of providing mounting kits free of charge with the new LGA1366 socket so that our customers can continue to use their coolers on the new Core i7 CPUs."

During IDF Taipei earlier last week Intel demonstrated its DCC (Desktop Control Center) overclock software for the forthcoming Intel Core i7 processors. The DCC is a easy to work with software that will allow overclocking in Windows environment and help novice overclockers and experts. The Desktop Control Center can adjust CPU multiplier, voltage, memory timings and clock speed as well as various system voltage options such as the QPI voltage. The DCC also gives you the option to switch on and off Turbo Boost in Windows, and monitor system temperature readings.

Patriot Memory, a global provider of premium quality memory module and flash memory solutions, today announced the release of their Viper series Tri-Channel memory kits designed for the forthcoming Intel Core i7/Intel X58 Express Chipset. Available in both 3GB and 6GB kits, these newly engineered memory kits come with the award winning Viper series heat shields and are the perfect balance of speed and latency while achieving lower voltage requirements.

"Intel's Nehalem architecture shows significant improvements over previous platforms," says Les Henry, Technical Director for Patriot Memory.

"High performance DDR3 DIMMs from Patriot Memory, combined with the phenomenal memory bandwidth & processing capability of Intel's upcoming Core i7 microprocessors, will deliver exciting levels of performance to PC enthusiasts worldwide," said, Steve R. Peterson, Intel's Director of Chipset & Graphics Marketing.

Not long time since the first air coolers for Core i7 showed up, German water cooling expert aqua-computer has decided to let us know that some of their high-end cuplex series CPU waterblocks including the cuplex xt, cuplex xt di and cuplex hd are now also available with conversion kits/mounting brackets to suit Core i7 LGA 1366 sockets. The Cuplex XT series is one of the best CPU blocks offered with an attractive look and 100% German build quality. It is made out of two parts, a high-quality copper base, and a translucent blue acrylic top. The Cuplex XT fits only G1/8 threaded fittings, a G1/4 version is also in the works.

The P6T WS Professional workstation motherboard is the ideal foundation for a powerful workstation-capable of delivering powerful and dependable performance; together with unparalleled I/O scalability for the most demanding tasks and upgrades in the future. Through ASUS' innovative design, the P6T WS Professional is able to support both SLI and CrossFireX technologies in order to deliver extreme and incredible graphical processing performance. Furthermore, it is also equipped with 2 built-in SAS connectors and 2 PCI-X slots onboard to allow users the flexibility of choice in multiple storage solutions. With such diverse features; and the capability to deliver extreme power efficiency through the ASUS EPU, the P6T WS Professional is a 'thoroughbred' that delivers both performance and improvements in the quality of work.