Hi guys, I was just thinking about this earlier today.

In the past, how have the Intel "Extreme Edition" processors fared when a new gen of processors came out? Would it take a low, medium, or high-grade new processor to beat the previous generation's old EE processor?

What do you think will happen with the Core architecture QX____ vs. Nehalem processors? A year from now (if Nehalem launches on time, or even a bit late), could there be a sub-$400 processor that could be able to beat the QX9770?

Just wondering, I don't have any intention on buying any "Extreme" processors.

In the past i think youll find the "EE" cpu's have generally been out done by the new generations higher end parts. (although this wasnt true for P4EE to C2D's it was more mainstreams that out did them).

Sub $400 on a new generation CPU will beat old gen "EE" anyday

Nehalem will come out in 4 and 8 cores versions, both threading 8 or 16 instructions per cycle. So basically unless your going to buy the 8 core version, the 4 core variety wont be that much better than whats available now except for certain circumstances I guess, none of which I can think of right now aside from typical file/server applications. Unless of course the clock speed is dramatically higher, say 5Ghz+. Even when they are available the xtreme cpu's might drop, but Nehalem wont be cheap. Does anyone know for sure if Nehalem is going to have a locked multiplier?

I think the answer historically is the middle order cpu's in a new line beat the best of the old line.

That's roughly been the case in the past ... certainly regarding GPU's and with a few exceptions is the case with CPU's.

I imagine MU_Engineer might know if that is in fact true ... in the past.

I don't think the new Intel CPU will be out anytime soon ... not until AMD do something ...

Why would they release it otherwise??