At the end of this year, Intel introduced the first Core i7 CPU families, based on the new microarchitecture Nehalem. This allowed the processor giant to strengthen its leading position in the market of high-performance desktop processors. However, the cost of the new platform (in addition to expensive processor was needed motherboard with the X58 chipset, the only possible and, ideally, three-channel memory type DDR3) was too high for most users. Bloomfield remained the preserve of enthusiasts. However, other developments at Intel and did not expect, following the step by step plan.

Instead of having to urgently take any measures to promote the Nehalem, Intel nearly a year in the most populous middle and lower price ranges quite successfully competed with the updated AMD Phenom II / Athlon II processor using the "old" generation of Core 2 (Penryn , Wolfdale). These CPU, despite the considerable by the standards of the IT-industry age, still look good on price / quality ratio, having a decent performance even in difficult applications.

Thus, the status quo is the fastest CPU in Intel's was assigned to Nehalem, and Core 2 Quad ceased to be an accomplishment advanced users have moved to a more popular niche market with average prices.

However, this could not last long, and after a recent upgrade roadmap Intel has been known that the Core 2 processors in its current form under the existing brands will cease to exist very soon - even before the first quarter of 2010. They will be replaced by simplified (relative to launch Core i7) versions of Nehalem, which will receive the names of the Core i7, i5 and i3. Moreover, some of the budget under the brand name Pentium CPU will also be transferred to the progressive architecture. All this is quite logical, since available today Core i7 processors are the most productive, Core i5, respectively, its name will become the mainstream product, but under the brand name Core i3 will be sold budgetary decisions.