Intel Core i7 950/975 CPUs on the way ... anyone interested?

So, BFG Technologies let the cat out of the bag about Intel's upcoming Core i7 950 and 975 CPUs. But priced at between $5,000 and $8,000, does anyone need such a system? Can anyone afford them?

There's no doubt that the Core i7 line of CPUs are fantastic bits of silicon, and the 3.33GHz 975 Extreme Edition is, for the time being at least, the apotheosis when it comes to CPUs. But at $999 per CPU, they're crazy expensive, and when wrapped up with parts able to keep up with the speed of the CPU, the entire package becomes eye-wateringly expensive.

Take BFG Technologies' Phobos systems. The Phobos Advanced, based around the Core i7 950, starts at $5,000, while the Phobos Elite, built around the 975, starts at a whopping $8,000 (using the online configurator I managed to push the hardware price to over $12,500). This for a system that will be cutting edge for about six months (until Intel refresh the Core i7 line again, or NVIDIA refresh the GPUs.

Don't get me wrong, these are cool systems, featuring one-touch CPU and GPU overclocking, and an integrated iPod dock, and I'm sure I would have a lot of fun with one. Problem is, spending that amount of cash on a high-end PC is a short-lived high, a bit like blowing your money on fireworks or a big party. You need a lot of money of you are going to continuously live on the bleeding edge.

Bottom line, you don't need a system this powerful unless you're doing something really demanding, and even then I'd want the system to be earning money (video rendering say) rather than for gaming. A mid to high end dual core CPU and a $100 Radeon 4770 with a few gigs of RAM will do just fine. Here are parts that will give you a great gaming experience for only $350.

Still, I bet these Phobos systems play Crysis really well!