Intel Corp., the world’s largest maker of central processing units, has reportedly postponed introduction of the new quad-core microprocessor for extreme desktop computers. The actual reasons for the delay are unclear, however, given that the company already had to push back the launch of new quad-core products as well as delay introduction of the new core-logic, this setback is not a surprise.

The delayed processor – Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 – is clocked at 3.20GHz with overspeed protection disabled (unlocked multiplier), the new chip is set to utilize 1600MHz processor system bus and feature 12MB cache. Given that the newcomer is made using 45nm process technology, it will sport all the advantages that the new code-named Penryn family has. The new extreme chips from Intel will have thermal design power of 136W, therefore, will need very efficient and potentially noisy and/or expensive cooling systems.

A news-story at DigiTimes web-site claims that instead of making the new “extreme” microprocessor available in January, Intel Corp. only plans to release them in February or even March. Earlier the company delayed commercial introduction of the new 45nm quad-core CPUs to late Q1 and sources close to the chip giant blamed motherboard design for the postpone.

Due to the fact that the novelty uses 1600MHz processor system bus, which is supported only by Intel X48 core-logic, it could be assumed that the delay of the new processor product is a direct result of the postponement of Intel X48.

In fact, Intel hardly needs a new high-performance microprocessor to successfully compete against Advanced Micro Devices, whose AMD Phenom FX processors are to be introduced at an unknown time in the middle of the year, if AMD managed to launch them at all before transiting to 45nm fabrication process. The new model QX9770 processor is expected to be the last extreme chip based on the Core 2 micro-architecture and the next one will be based on the code-named Nehalem micro-architecture. The last and final Core 2 Extreme will cost $1399 at launch in Q1 in business quantities.

Intel did not comment on the news-story.