This one is going to draw some serious flameage...
I'm going to be the first to say it: The Core 2 Duo platform is an elaborate paper launch. Maybe I'm jumping the gun a bit, but it's becoming very evident to most that the only Core 2 Duo to be had is the $1000+ Extreme version. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I haven't seen a single online retailer selling anything other than Extreme. I've seen pre-orders and "sold out" for the E6700, 6600, etc... but I know of no one who actually has one in hand or has had one shipped.
Couple no availability with the lack of decent affordable motherboards and I'd say we've got a paper launch here folks. Let's take a look at the motherboards that support Core 2 Duo.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131025
Available, but $270 bones. Waaaaaaaay to steep for this mobo. I think there's a bit of price gouging going on here...
http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2797&p=4
Near as I can tell, this board does not exist. I challenge someone to find one that's in stock and for sale...
http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2797&p=6
Same story, different mobo maker. This time Asus is the culprit. This board does not exist on Asus's website nor can I find it for sale anywhere.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131028
Can't find this one either...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128323
Holy Taledo! $280?!?!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136168
Slightly less... $250. Probably a C2D Extreme buyer's best option. DFI rocks.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813127004&CMP=OTC-pr1c3watch&ATT=13-127-004
Much, much more affordable. But no dual PCI-16/8x.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813157092
At $60, this is affordable. But the low price tag comes with a cost. Only 2 DIMM slots and the legendary crappy name of ASRock.
Keep in mind, there are no SLI or CrossFire certified boards out there. There's plans for some, but they can't be had yet. I'd get into the memory issue, but I'm too tired to start with that. Only a handful of high end memory makers make PC2 8000 or 8500 memory. And it's all very expensive. So you're going to pay an arm and a leg for a 1066mhz FSB.
This is baffling to me because Intel has been previewing C2D for well over 5 months now. And it ain't like the i975X chipset is anything revolutionary. So why does availability suck? We didn't see this issue with LGA775 or AM2... did we? And I'm a little surprised nVidia didn't have a new Intel based chipset ready to roll... i'm hearing a new chipset won't be intro'd for another few weeks at the earliest!
All that being said, I'm still planning on buying a C2D. But for someone with the will and cash in hand, it's simply not possible. That equates to paper launch in my book.
Thoughts?
I'm going to be the first to say it: The Core 2 Duo platform is an elaborate paper launch. Maybe I'm jumping the gun a bit, but it's becoming very evident to most that the only Core 2 Duo to be had is the $1000+ Extreme version. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I haven't seen a single online retailer selling anything other than Extreme. I've seen pre-orders and "sold out" for the E6700, 6600, etc... but I know of no one who actually has one in hand or has had one shipped.
Couple no availability with the lack of decent affordable motherboards and I'd say we've got a paper launch here folks. Let's take a look at the motherboards that support Core 2 Duo.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131025
Available, but $270 bones. Waaaaaaaay to steep for this mobo. I think there's a bit of price gouging going on here...
http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2797&p=4
Near as I can tell, this board does not exist. I challenge someone to find one that's in stock and for sale...
http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2797&p=6
Same story, different mobo maker. This time Asus is the culprit. This board does not exist on Asus's website nor can I find it for sale anywhere.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131028
Can't find this one either...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128323
Holy Taledo! $280?!?!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136168
Slightly less... $250. Probably a C2D Extreme buyer's best option. DFI rocks.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813127004&CMP=OTC-pr1c3watch&ATT=13-127-004
Much, much more affordable. But no dual PCI-16/8x.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813157092
At $60, this is affordable. But the low price tag comes with a cost. Only 2 DIMM slots and the legendary crappy name of ASRock.
Keep in mind, there are no SLI or CrossFire certified boards out there. There's plans for some, but they can't be had yet. I'd get into the memory issue, but I'm too tired to start with that. Only a handful of high end memory makers make PC2 8000 or 8500 memory. And it's all very expensive. So you're going to pay an arm and a leg for a 1066mhz FSB.
This is baffling to me because Intel has been previewing C2D for well over 5 months now. And it ain't like the i975X chipset is anything revolutionary. So why does availability suck? We didn't see this issue with LGA775 or AM2... did we? And I'm a little surprised nVidia didn't have a new Intel based chipset ready to roll... i'm hearing a new chipset won't be intro'd for another few weeks at the earliest!
All that being said, I'm still planning on buying a C2D. But for someone with the will and cash in hand, it's simply not possible. That equates to paper launch in my book.
Thoughts?