Intel has started selling its first series of Nehalem processors; Core i7 beginning Monday.

Core i7 processors are powerful than any of the current desktop products. The sale has been initiated in Tokyo market. Amid such softening demands, putting a new processor on launch is bit risky.

The 3.2GHz Core i7 965 Extreme Edition is priced at US$999, while the 2.93GHz Core i7 940 and 2.66GHz Core i7 920 are priced at $562 and $284, respectively. Additional versions of Nehalem targeted at other market segments, including laptops, are expected to be released next year.

Apart from these features, the Core i7 processors are integrated with Turbo tuning mode. With turbo tuning mode, user can for the first time tune 20 different parameters to optimize the performance of the processor.

The processor was offered alongside with compatible motherboards and other components.

Core i7 is the first chip series based on Intel’s Nehalem architecture to hit the market. The first Core i7 processors were designed for systems aimed at gamers and other high-end users, and not the mass market.

Despite the slump in sales globally, the release of Core i7 gives Intel a boost by strengthening its desktop product line and will keep the company one step ahead of rival AMD in the high-end desktop space.

Lalit Yadav/ITVoir Network