"Having just recently examined the new Intel Core i7 processors, the timing seems perfect to also show you in detail a motherboard designed to take advantage of these CPUs. The Asus P6T Deluxe sports the new Intel X58 chipset and is one of the first production Core i7 motherboards available in the market.

Because of the added cost inherent of moving to a new platform, building a new Core i7 computer is going to be quite steep. The base model Core i7 processor will set you back an initial $284, which is not too bad, but combined with a $300 motherboard and a triple-channel DDR3 memory kit, that should add up to around $800 just for the guts of a Core i7 system.

Yet, given the blazing fast performance offered by this new platform, justifying the price tag may not be too difficult for those who can afford it. After all, a few years ago you could end up paying $1,000 for a 'top of the line' Pentium 4 that heated up like crazy. Today's cheaper alternative winds up being the Core 2 Duo which is no slouch, so stepping into Core i7 territory right now can be considered a luxury."