[GDC 2008] Intel just announced the availability of the D5400XS motherboard based on the Skulltrail platform (now called Dual Socket Extreme Desktop) – a motherboard that can accept two quad-core processors for a total of eight computing cores.
Having more cores is great for applications that have a parallel nature such as video compression or physics. However, it doesn’t boost application like e-mail or word processing proportionally to the number of cores – if at all.
The motherboard should be available immediately. Retail price: $650 for the motherboard, $1500 per CPU (Core 2 Extreme QX9775).