Early X58 availability
Intel's Core i7 - a processor architecture we concluded is everything that Core 2 should have been - is almost here, and those hoping to to upgrade will be in need of an X58 motherboard.
With a small selection of X58-based motherboards sneaking onto various e-tailer listings, we've decided to take a quick look at early availability and pricing. If you're really eager to get your hands on a Core i7 system, here's what you can expect to pay for an X58 mainboard if an order is placed today: -
UK Market |  |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| etailer | Product | Availability | Price (inc. VAT) |
| ebuyer.com | ASUS P6T Deluxe | In stock | £249.97 |
| tekheads.co.uk | Intel SmackOver | Pre-order | £234.99 |
| ASUS P6T Deluxe | In stock | £265.55 | |
| ASUS P6T Deluxe "OC Palm Edition" | In stock | £299.99 | |
| advancetec.co.uk | Intel SmackOver | Pre-order | £233.83 |
| ASUS P6T Deluxe | Pre-order | £280.83 | |
| ASUS P6T Deluxe "OC Palm Edition" | Pre-order | £316.08 | |
| morecomputers.co.uk | ASUS P6T Deluxe | Out of stock | £233.48 |
| ASUS P6T Deluxe "OC Palm Edition" | Out of stock | £264.68 | |
| GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD5 | Out of stock | £214.18 | |
| GA-EX58-EXTREME | Out of stock | £257.02 | |
Availability is very limited at this early stage - and with Core i7 processors yet to make their retail debut, we wouldn't expect otherwise. It's worth noting, also, that pricing shouldn't be a sole determining factor when choosing an e-tailer and therefore the table above is not neccessarily an apples-to-apples comparison. For example, consumers should be aware that at least one of the above listed e-tailers states it doesn't offer any pre-sales or post-sales technical support whatsoever.
Therefore, if you're uncertain of precisely what to buy in the first place or if things do go wrong, then you might carefully consider that if you purchase from a supplier which does not invest in providing technical support for you, then a saving of a few quid at the outset might prove to be an expensive false economy a week or so down the line... because there are circumstances where you could be paying to post your components abroad, maybe without them for weeks on end while a replacement is being considered or actioned, or you might well ultimately end up on your own, save for several hundred pounds worth of paper-weight to keep you company. We know, we've checked for you.
E-tailer differences aside, from the few who've opted to put up early product pages, we can surmise that customers will be paying in the region of approximately £250 for an X58-based motherboard on Core i7's launch day. It should be noted, however, that all of the out of stock and pre-order prices should be taken with a grain of salt, as we'd expect the listings to be updated as items become available.
But are the above items really in stock? And how about availability from SCAN.co.uk for UK based HEXUS.community members looking to take advantage of the exclusive official SCAN2HEXUS free shipping offer? The plot thickens...
