The Intel Core i7-990X was a desktop processor with 6 cores, launched in February 2011. It is part of the Core i7 Extreme lineup, using the Gulftown architecture with Socket 1366. Thanks to Intel Hyper-Threading the core-count is effectively doubled, to 12 threads. Core i7-990X has 12 MB of L3 cache and operates at 3.466 GHz by default, but can boost up to 3.733 GHz, depending on the workload. Intel is building the Core i7-990X on a 32 nm production process using 1,170 million transistors. You may freely adjust the unlocked multiplier on Core i7-990X, which simplifies overclocking greatly, as you can easily dial in any overclocking frequency.
With a TDP of 130 W, the Core i7-990X consumes a lot of power, so good cooling is definitely needed. Intel's processor supports DDR3 memory with a triple-channel interface. For communication with other components in the system, Core i7-990X uses a PCI-Express Gen 2 connection. This processor does not have integrated graphics, you will need a separate graphics card.