Intel Core i7-5775C ‘Broadwell Unlocked’ listed for $499

For many years Intel’s highest-performing Core i7 processors for mainstream platforms cost $300 – $349. However, Intel may change its policy regarding prices of its advanced Core i7 and Core i5 processors with unlocked multiplier going forward, based on prices leaked by a U.S.-based online store.

NCIX, a well-known online store in the U.S., recently started to take pre-orders on Intel’s Core i7-5775C and Core i5-5675C microprocessors that belong to the “Broadwell” generation and are made using 14nm FinFET process technology. The store charges $499 for the Core i7-5775C and $379 for the Core i5-5675C. The same store sells Intel’s Core i7-4790K for $459, which is considerably higher than the price of the chip in other stores. Intel’s official price for the Core i7-4790K is $339.

While the highest-performing LGA “Broadwell” processor will unlikely cost nearly $500 officially, it is obvious that it will be more expensive than Intel’s current flagship “Devil’s Canyon” processor.

Wccftech believes that the higher price of Intel Core i7-5775C and Intel Core i5-5675C is conditioned by high-performance integrated Iris Pro 6200 graphics processing unit. The Iris Pro 6200 (also known as the GT3e) features 48 execution units and has 128MB eDRAM cache for performance maximization purposes.

The family of socketed “Broadwell Unlocked” processors for desktops contains only two models: the Core i7-5775C (4 cores/8 threads, 3.30GHz/3.80GHz base/turbo frequency, 6MB cache, Iris Pro 6200 graphics core, 65W TDP) and the Core i5-5675C (4 cores/4 threads, 3.10GHz/3.60GHz base/turbo frequency, 4MB cache, Iris Pro 6200 graphics core, 65W TDP). Both chips are compatible with motherboards based on Intel’s 9-series chipsets, such as the Z97 and the H97.

Given the fact that in general-purpose tasks Intel’s “Broadwell” chips with unlocked multiplier will be slower than Intel’s Core i7-4790K and Core i5-4690K, it is unlikely that Intel’s new central processing units will become popular among enthusiasts, who do not use integrated graphics adapters.

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KitGuru Says: Looks like despite of the fact that “Broadwell Unlocked” processors will not beat existing chips in terms of performance, they will still be pretty expensive. The question is whether a lot of end-users will actually buy such chips…

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