November 3, 2007 6:00 AM PDT
2. Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650
Editors' rating: 8.3
The good: Fastest high-end desktop chip on the market; new specialized instructions should further improve performance with supporting software.
The bad: Expensive; new chips coming out from AMD are an unknown factor; more complete Intel architecture redesign only a year away.
The bottom line: The CPU market is due for a lot of upheaval over the next 12 months, so you might be wise to wait for a clearer picture before plunking down $1,000 or so on Intel's new Core 2 Extreme QX9650 quad-core desktop processor. But if you want to claim ownership of the fastest multicore CPU around today, look no further.
Read CNET's full review
Expected price: $999
Photo by CNET Networks
