Intel wants to launch Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme worldwide in sufficient quantities on July 27.

The first thing to note - and it does not come unexpected - is the $999 price tag of the Core 2 Extreme X6800. Extreme Edition has been around and it will still be around, at the price that people are used to. For the first time in Extreme Edition history, however, there is a real added value, which is a substantial performance benefit when compared to the mainstream processors.

The top model Core 2 Duo E6700 will be available at $530, which is not quite a bargain. Expect to pay almost $200 for the entry-level Core 2 Duo E6300 - but at this point, we would also recommend to have a look at the Pentium D processor family, because it is experiencing major price cuts to adjust to the new Core 2 Duo line. You might get a 3.4 GHz Pentium D 950 for only a little more than that - which makes it a great choice if you care more for processing power than for efficiency.

Core 2 Duo Platforms

You can chose between Intel's 975X and P965 chipsets and Nvidia's upcoming nForce 590 SLI. We will dedicate a separate article to answer platform questions, but we've put together an slide show with possible Socket 775 motherboard choices for Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Extreme:

Core 2 Duo/Extreme Motherboards slide show