Although Intel is asking vendors to stop selling socket 1156-based CPUs - as well as P55-based motherboards - that it has not yet officially launched, retailers are unlikely to listen because demand is hot, according to industry sources.
In the wake of the news that Core i5-750, Core i7-860 and Core i7-870 CPUs, and P55-based motherboards have already appeared in the retail channel of South Korea, Taiwan, China and North America, Intel has asked retailers to stop selling them in order to maintain fairness for other vendors, the sources said.
In response to the sources' claims, Intel maintained that the products have not yet been launched, but remarked that there has been "excitement" about the upcoming launch.
The sources have estimated that global motherboard shipments in the fourth quarter will grow 10-20% sequentially, with P55-based motherboards accounting for 15% of the shipments.
Intel has recently sent letters to motherboard makers demanding an explanation for shipping P55-based motherboards ahead of schedule, the sources said.
The sources said that motherboard makers started shipping the products early so as to shorten the time to market. But with demand for the products heating up, their channel partners have decided to start selling them, the sources said.
Intel P55-based motherboards
Photo: Monica Chen, Digitimes file photo
Article translated by Joseph Tsai
