Intel Core i7 940 & 965 Extreme Being Phased Out?

Intel are reportedly preparing to phase-out two of their three Core i7 processors, despite having only launched the CPUs around six months ago.  Hardware partners have been notified that the Intel 2.93GHz Core i7-940 and Core i7-965 Extreme will only accept orders for the two chips up until September 4th 2009, with the final batch shipping on May 7th 2010.  The move has led some to suggest that Intel launched the three consumer Nehalem processors so as to keep to their much-publicized timetable, and never intended them to be long-term products.

Instead, Intel will focus on the rumored 3.06Ghz Core i7-950 and 3.33GHz Core i7-975 Extreme processors, it's believed.  The former chip is expected to be announced at Computex 2009, although Intel themselves have not confirmed its development.  As for the new Extreme CPU, that's been previously tipped for launch at the end of May 2009.

Changes in Intel's Core i7 range were predicted back in March, when a roadmap for the company's CPU plans leaked.  Intel has previously claimed to have shipped one million Nehalem processors, but that was made up roughly equally of Xeon server chips and Core i7's.

[via Neowin]