Intel Outs What is Likely to be Their Last Nehalem CPU

Intel continues its dominance of the extreme high-end desktop market with the release of the Core i7-990X, which, according to several leaked roadmaps, is the last Nehalem-based CPU that will be released, aside from a possible Core i7-880. Otherwise, it appears this is Nehalem's last big show before the architecture bows out into history. A follow-up on Intel's unmatched 980X, the 990X is merely a new clock speed and a new, even more extreme price.

At the time of this writing, the 990X is retailing for $1050 on the street, $50 more than the likely soon-to-be-phased-out 980X. As for specifications, the 990X retains the same architecture and TDP as the 980X it is replacing. Hardware-wise, the 990X is identical to the 980X. The main difference between the 980X and 990X is the 3.46Ghz base clock speed, as well as a max turbo boost of 3.73Ghz, up from 3.6. Otherwise, the 990X is more or less the same thing as the 980X.

So, is this a worthwile refresh of Intel's current-gen high-end, or is it just the last dying gasp of their old architecture? Let us know in the comments section!