Intel is known to be preparing a wave of "Clarkdale" Core i3 and Core i5 processors, and though we're expecting to see them launched at next month's CES, we haven't yet had a firm indication of pricing... until now.
U.S. retailer A-Power.com has lifted the lid on Intel's Core i3 530 - a 2.93GHz dual-core part priced at around the $150 mark (roughly £90 excluding local taxes).
Need a refresh on what the processor has to offer? Clarkdale, arriving under both the Core i3 and Core i5 brands, is a 32nm dual-core, four-thread (hyperthreaded) chip that's internally QPI-connected to a separate piece of 45nm silicon that houses a GPU and dual-channel memory-controller - all in the same package.
Intel's internal benchmarks suggest very decent mid-range performance, and the integrated GPU - armed with extra execution units and higher clock-speeds - is said to provide 50 per cent more graphics performance than the current-gen GMA X4500.
A-Power's pricing is slightly higher than what we were expecting, but come January, expect Clarkdale CPU+GPU chips to bombard the low-to-mid-range space.
