Details of Intel's upcoming Core i7-3970X Extreme processor have been leaked by an unlikely source.
CPU World spotted the information about Intel's upcoming flagship processor on Intel's own website. The specs confirmed what had been rumored already -- that the i7-3970X will run at 3.5GHz and have 15MB of L3 cache. This makes it 200MHz faster than the current flagship i7-3960X processor, which can be yours for a meager $1,030.
The processor is based on Intel's 32-nanometer "Sandy Bridge-E" architecture. Unlike other "Sandy Bridge" parts, "Sandy Bridge-E" parts do not feature an integrated GPU.
Shortly afterwards all traces of the i7-3970X were removed from the website.
Putting this information together with the other data that's been leaked about the i7-3970X we get the following spec sheet:
| CPU | Speed/Turbo GHz | Cores/Threads | L3 MB | TDP W | Socket |
| i7-3970X | 3.5/4.0 | 6/12 | 15 | 150 | LGA 2011 (Socket R) |
This complements the Core i7-3940XM Mobile Extreme part, a $1,000+ 3GHz quad-core "Ivy Bridge" processor designed for notebooks.
Given that the i7-3960X was released a year ago, it is due for an update, so I'd expect the i7-3970X to land in the next four-to-six weeks. No pricing details have been leaked, but expect it to be in the region of $1,000 plus change.
Image source: Intel.