Intel has delayed the roll-out of its anticipated 'Nehalem'-based mainstream desktop processors - as opposed to 'performance desktop parts, already released as Core i7 - it has been claimed.

The new timetable, alleged by Asian motherboard-maker moles cited by Digitimes, would seem to be inspired more by the market than technology considerations.

Waiting a little allows Intel to capitalise on anticipated back-to-school demand and yields more time for inventory of current CPUs and chipsets to run down.

If the claims are correct, Intel's 'Lynnfield' processors - which some are already claiming will be branded Core i5 - will not now appear in July but a month later, in August. Motherboards based on the 'Ibex Peak' I/O chip, to which Lynnfield connects over a DMI (Direct Media Interface) link, will be out mid-August, with the CPUs hitting store shelves toward the end of the month.

Lynnfield is a quad-core part with HyperThreading to allow it to operate as eight cores, and with 8MB of L2. It supports DDR 3 memory, but only in a dual-channel configuration.

The CPU's on-board PCI Express controller allows it to link directly to a x16 graphics card. It uses an LGA1160 interconnect.

Lynnfield was originally roadmapped to debut in the first half of 2009, then slipped to the broad 'H2 2009' in which the alleged new and old release dates both fall.

A dual-core version, 'Havendale', was also due in H2, but the moles claim it won't now appear until Q1 2010. ®