A tip to Fudzilla indicates that Intel is preparing a Core i7-based equivalent to its new Core 2 Quad S chips. The processor would be an adaptation of Intel's upcoming Lynnfield design for mainstream, quad-core processors and, like the current designs, would reduce the thermal peak power to 65W and render the design small enough to fit in all-in-one PCs and compact desktops.

The design would also appear roughly a year after the Core 2 Quad option and ship sometime in early 2010. While specifications aren't known for the more energy-efficient chip, Lynnfield will mostly be a slightly lower-performance version of current Core i7 processors with an integrated memory controller and a point-to-point interface between the chip and peripherals, eliminating the typical front side system bus.

While HP is presently the only PC maker using the Core 2 Quad S in its Firebird 800 compact gaming desktop, Apple is widely rumored to be using the processor in a future iMac and, if true, would use its Core i7 replacement for a future refresh.