Intel Helps Retailers Digest Old Core K-series Inventory with Game Bundles

[btarunr]

With the rather fast introduction of the Intel Core i7-8700K (just 9 months following the January 3rd launch of the i7-7700K), retailers are finding themselves with quite a bit of unsold i7-7700K (and even i7-6700K) inventory. Consumers are drawn to either the i7-8700K, or the competing AMD Ryzen processors. To help the market digest these unsold chips, Intel started a new game-bundle dubbed "Game Without Compromise."

Buyers of brand-new Core i7-7700K and i7-6700K processors will receive game keys to "Total War: Warhammer II" and "Assassins Creed: Origins," which is effectively a $100 value-addition to these $330 quad-core chips. It provides an upgrade path to users of the older 100-series/200-series chipset platform. As with most such game bundles, the "Game Without Compromise" bundle will be limited to select retailers.



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[RejZoR]

This is something Intel didn't used to do. They kind of planned to sell out the old models naturally. Looks like Ryzen really screwed up their usual plans if they have to do this to sell old inventory...

 

[GorbazTheDragon]

This is something Intel didn't used to do. They kind of planned to sell out the old models naturally. Looks like Ryzen really screwed up their usual plans if they have to do this to sell old inventory...

Yup, pretty much. Fingers crossed, the prices may drop to i5 levels over time...

 

[R0H1T]

It's just like some speculated previously i.e. Intel will be looking to clear the old stock before more 6c CFL are available. Also I have serious doubts whether we'll see more too many more 6c in stock before the new year, they have to clear it anyway & we know Intel don't drop prices

There's also speculation that CFL 4c is just rebranded or repackaged KBL, I wonder if that's true as well. Also did someone mention why should you go with SKL or KBL with no upgrade path, the curse of a new MB every gen

 

[Chaitanya]

This is something Intel didn't used to do. They kind of planned to sell out the old models naturally. Looks like Ryzen really screwed up their usual plans if they have to do this to sell old inventory...

with low stock of new CPUs and price gouging from retailers means Intel doesnt have to drop the prices of their old CPUs.

 

[Frick]

I'm still waiting for massive sales on Haswell. There's gotta be millions of old Intel CPUs taking up storage space.

 

[Hood]

It's just like some speculated previously i.e. Intel will be looking to clear the old stock before more 6c CFL are available. Also I have serious doubts whether we'll see more too many more 6c in stock before the new year, they have to clear it anyway & we know Intel don't drop prices

There's also speculation that CFL 4c is just rebranded or repackaged KBL, I wonder if that's true as well. Also did someone mention why should you go with SKL or KBL with no upgrade path, the curse of a new MB every gen

The whole "no upgrade path" thing has never been an issue for me. I buy the CPU and RAM I want from the start, and keep the system for 3-5 years, maybe upgrading the video card at some point. Who are all these people who need this? And how many who think they need it and never use it? Or is this just another spurious argument for AMD?

 

[R0H1T]

I'm still waiting for massive sales on Haswell. There's gotta be millions of old Intel CPUs taking up storage space.

I'm waiting for a cheap 5775c to slip into my z97, maybe carlson is ready for an upgrade as well.

The whole "no upgrade path" thing has never been an issue for me. I buy the CPU and RAM I want from the start, and keep the system for 3-5 years, maybe upgrading the video card at some point. Who are all these people who need this? And how many who think they need it and never use it? Or is this just another spurious argument for AMD?

It's not a deal breaker for sure but I do love to have that option. Anyway the point was that SKL & KBL are less VFM even with a game bundle, especially since you cannot upgrade to a 6c CFL or the rumored 8c, for what is essentially the same (tweaked) SKL cores.

 

[GorbazTheDragon]

I'm waiting for a cheap 5775c to slip into my z97, maybe carlson is ready for an upgrade as well.

Heh good luck with that one, they are going for more than the 6cores in Europe...

 

[InVasMani]

I'm waiting for a cheap 5775c to slip into my z97, maybe carlson is ready for an upgrade as well. It's not a deal breaker for sure but I do love to have that option. Anyway the point was that SKL & KBL are less worthy of that money even with the game bundle, especially since you cannot upgrade to a 6c CFL or the rumored 8c, for what is essentially the same (tweaked) SKL cores.

I've used upgrade path on several occasions for both AMD and Intel when possible and the upgrades are significant enough to actually matter. SKL & KBL is a prime example of where the added performance isn't worth the additional cost. The fact that SKL parts went up in price a bit over time due to KBL doesn't help either. The introduction of Ryzen and CFL only compounds that isseu for both SKL & KBL.

The SKL/KBL issue is a mess as well because SKL relative to the price cost when taking BCLK OC into account was actually better value than KBL and even then the i5's and i7's were too expensive for SKL prior to any price increases due to the newly introduced shortening of supply by Intel's own hand. Intel managed to make a situation worse from a consumerism standpoint for anyone that wasn't planning to simply buy the K model CPU's.

How many consumers are willing to buy completely locked down CPU's over unlocked ones when both options are available? Also how many consumers are willing to accept completely locked down CPU's when unlocked CPU's have always been available to tinker with and only reason they don't exist in some cases today is they've artificially limited them?The same applies to GPU's with it's 1070ti lock down rumors granted the principle of it pisses me off enough I'll wait for a Vega refresh or Navi and get that instead.

 

[wurschti]

I'd gladly take the $100 as discount.

 

[USGroup1]

With the rather fast introduction of the Intel Core i7-8700K (just 9 months following the January 3rd launch of the i7-7700K), retailers are finding themselves with quite a bit of unsold i7-7700K (and even i7-6700K) inventory.

i7-7700K is currently number 1 best seller CPU at Amazon.com.

 

[RH92]

Doesn't make much sense to buy Skylake or Kabylake right now ,even with those bundles ( unless you need those 2 games ) . Waiting for christmas/winter sales makes much more sense imo !

 

[R0H1T]

Heh good luck with that one, they are going for more than the 6cores in Europe...

Not from Europe, won't buy a new chip
The only way I'd upgrade to a 5775c would be if I could get one real cheap i.e. less than 50% of what they usually sell for & that's only because I have a z97 board with Haswell.

I'd gladly take the $100 as discount.

It's not a discount, unless you can sell the games for full price.

 

[Frick]

The whole "no upgrade path" thing has never been an issue for me. I buy the CPU and RAM I want from the start, and keep the system for 3-5 years, maybe upgrading the video card at some point. Who are all these people who need this? And how many who think they need it and never use it? Or is this just another spurious argument for AMD?

Having little money it's always nice to be able to go from a low end CPU to a higher end CPU without having to get an entirely new system and reinstalling the OS, but I agree this was more attractive in the olden days.

 

[wurschti]

It's not a discount, unless you can sell the games for full price.

What I meant was that instead of the games, they should make those $100 a discount. Meaning the CPU should be $100 cheaper. Which would be right, honestly.

 

[R0H1T]

What I meant was that instead of the games, they should make those $100 a discount. Meaning the CPU should be $100 cheaper. Which would be right, honestly.

Yes would be much better, preferably I'll take the 100$ (discount) upfront rather than games which I may or may not play.

 

[wurschti]

Yes would be much better, preferably I'll take the 100$ (discount) upfront rather than games which I may or may not play.

That makes sense of course, but sense will not make their pocket full...