Intel has released new desktop PC processors this week including the benchmark-smashing, six-core Core i7-970, which takes advantage of the 32 nanometer manufacturing to bring six cores and twelve threads of processing goodness to new segments. Intel's factories are also cranking out the new quad-core, 2.8 GHz Core i5-760 processor this week.

The Core i7-970 is priced at $885 and follows the six-core i7 980X ($999) released earlier this year. Like the 980X, it has 12MB of L3 cache memory. The processor is rated at 3.2GHz and has a "locked" CPU multiplier, which means it is not marketed as a chip that is officially eligible for overclocking.

Intel also introduced other desktop chips, such as the 2.8GHz Core i5-760, priced at $205, while cutting prices on processors such as the 2.93GHz Core i7-870, reduced to $294 from $562. The company also eliminated more than a dozen Xeon processor models for servers and workstations. The Xeon 5400 is not listed at all, the Xeon X3480 (3.06GHz) is now priced at $328 while the Core i3-540 (3.06GHz), the Pentium E6600 (3.06GHz) and the E5500 (2.8GHz) chips are also significantly cheaper.

For more information visit http://www.intel.com/products/desktop/.

Intel's latest price list for its CPU is available here/.

Intel Developer Forum Returns to San Francisco

In related news, Intel?s largest technical conference returns to San Francisco on Sept. 13-15. In its 13th year, the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) focuses on Intel?s technology and platform roadmap directions for the next year and beyond in the areas of digital enterprise, mobility, embedded and communications, software, manufacturing and research.

Intel leaders will delve into key strategies on myriad topics during all three days at Moscone Center West. CEO and President Paul Otellini will kick off opening day with a keynote addressing his views on the current "Computing Continuum" Intel is driving. Immediately following is a deep-dive based on Otellini?s theme by David Perlmutter, executive vice president and general manager, Intel Architecture Group.

Focusing on the expanding Intel Atom processor ecosystem, the Day 2 keynote will be jointly delivered by Doug Davis, vice president and general manager of Intel?s Embedded and Communications Group; and Renee James, senior vice president and general manager of Intel?s Software and Services Group.

The final keynote of the conference, on Sept. 15, focuses on the near and not-so-near future, and delivered by Justin Rattner, vice president and director of Intel Labs, Intel?s chief technology officer and an Intel Senior Fellow.

Other highlights during IDF include the Industry Technology Showcase, home of the latest innovations demonstrated by representatives from leading technology companies. Also returning are popular Insight sessions. Intel Fellow Thomas Piazza and Opher Kahn, senior principal engineer, will discuss Intel microarchitecture codename "Sandy Bridge" in the Technology Insight on Sept. 13. For an Industry Insight, also on Day 1, Intel Chief Information Officer Diane Bryant will be joined by a panel of peers to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing IT. Day 2 will include a Technology Insight focused on software.

All three days will feature technical session tracks. Topics include "Sandy Bridge," cloud computing, eco-technology, Intel Atom and Intel Core processors, embedded solutions, health care IT, Intel Solid-State Drive Technology, PCI Express, SuperSpeed USB, Unified Extensible Firmware Interface and visual computing.

Registration is available at www.intel.com/idf or by calling 800-569-2748 (international calls +1-203-851-7817).