Possible Intel Core 2 Quad Prices Cuts Coming

According to eWeek, Intel seems likely to slash processor prices after it announces fourth-quarter financial results this week. Well today Intel released those results and the outlook is pretty gloomy, Intel reported that fourth-quarter profits plummeted 90% and revenue fell 23%.

Intel reported a fourth-quarter revenue of $8.2 billion, operating income of $1.5 billion, net income of $234 million and earnings per share (EPS) of 4 cents. The results included a billion-dollar negative impact from the previously announced reduction in the carrying value of the company's Clearwire investments.

For 2008, Intel posted revenue of $37.6 billion, operating income of $9 billion, net income of $5.3 billion and EPS of 92 cents. Intel generated approximately $11 billion in cash from operations, paid cash dividends of $3.1 billion and used $7.1 billion to repurchase 324 million shares of common stock.

"The economy and the industry are in the process of resetting to a new baseline from which growth will resume," Paul Otellini, president and chief executive of Intel, said in a statement. "While the environment is uncertain, our fundamental business strategies are more focused than ever."

Now for the good news, at least for consumers. According to an anonymous tipster that TechReport says, "has been right on at least one occasion, price cuts are indeed coming—they'll hit on Monday, January 19, and they'll affect Intel's line of Core 2 Quad processors."

Here are the chips TechReport says will likely see price cuts, the first price is the current volume prices from Intel's price list, the second price is the purported post-cut prices and the third is Newegg's current price:

• Core 2 Quad Q9650 $530 ~ $322 ~ $549.99
• Core 2 Quad Q9550 $316 ~ $267 ~ $309.99
• Core 2 Quad Q9400 $266 ~ $217 ~ $269.99
  
• Core 2 Quad Q8300 $224 ~ $194 ~ $237.99
• Core 2 Quad Q8200 $193 ~ $163 ~ $189.99

If this information is accurate, the new pricing will place several of Intel's Core 2 Quad line well below that of AMD's recently released Phenom II chips. Meaning AMD will in all likelihood have to follow suit by slashing Phenom II prices.