I'm about to build a system, hopefully in the next couple of weeks so I'm wondering, when Intel talks about their Q3 price cuts when will I be seeing their effect on retail prices.

Fixed.

I heard that the E7200 was going to drop to $117 and the E7300 would take its place at $133

Personally im going to go with the 7300, just cuz 10x multiplier and apparently it overclocks amazingly well. Able to hit 4 ghz at about 1.36 Vcore maybe a little less. So thats what im going will and an 8800 GTS (G92) cuz prices will drop left and right in a month or two. P35 motherboards should come down a little two.

I'd skip the 7300 and get something with full cache (if you're a gamer that is). Even if you OC your pants off you'll take a hit when it matters.

I have a e7200 @ 3.8G - 1.31v + ATI 3870. I am hitting 80-90FPS on COD4 4xAA, 8xAF, max settings. I dont think i am losing much with less cache. Performance per dollar of the e7200 is very good. It is goog at $139, it will be great at $117.

get what you can afford.

What type of cooling are you using for that OC?

Two questions:

1) Any dates on the Intel price cuts other than Q3 sometime? I'm holding off on my build for the almost half price Q9550.

2) Why does the title still say cute?

1)Even when the price cut occurs it will take some time for various etailers to adjust or they might even cut before the cut (I know that doesn't make sense, depends on the etailer)

2)Just a spelling mistake by the OP

1) Agreed, but have there been indications as to when in Q3 the cuts will be? I've heard July, but I'm afraid that Q3 stretches to Sept. 30 and when Intel promised the mainstream 45nm parts in Q1 they waited until the last week of the quarter.

2) Yes, but I thought Jake had fixed it in the second post.