Many of us are eagerly awaiting Intel's mainstream lineup of 45nm Core 2 CPUs to arrive. Sure the Core 2 Extreme QX9650 is now up for grabs, but to come with its "Extreme" branding is an extreme price tag to match.

It's been a little uncertain as to when the more affordable refined Core 2 offerings will arrive, but the latest news has it that we should see some action come January 20 next year.

It is said that this will be the day we see 45nm chips roll out with price tags as low as $169, and that if previous rumours hold true we will see no less than nine chips hit the market. The lineup will comprise three quad-core models coming clocked in at 2.5GHz, 2.66GHz, and 2.83GHz; four dual-core chips ranging from 2.66GHz to 3.16GHz and a couple more not yet clarified.

Pity they didn't hit town before xssy; but as they say, better late than never.

Thanks go to Tech Report for the heads up.