Intel Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition Sandy Bridge-E 3.5GHz (4.0GHz Turbo) LGA 2011 150W Six-Core Desktop Processor BX80619i73970X

Pros: This is the best CPU out there as far as power, performance, and future-proofing.

Cons: PRICE!!!!! It is obviously ridiculously overpriced, even for the best CPU there is.

Other Thoughts: I have really been waiting a LONG time for my current build. I'm an IT professional during the day, so I'm not just the average spoiled kid who likes to have the best. I actually know the value of good hardware.
My last PC ran on a Pentium 4 3.4Ghz w/ HT; it lasted me nearly 9 years before the mobo died, thereby providing the excuse I'd been waiting for to build my next rig.
This CPU is THE MOST POWERFUL, but NOT the most economical by any means. I bought it to be what any CPU should be considered as, the backbone of my beast of a computer.
I use my computer for research, "TV" (online viewing), DVD and Blu-Ray playback, some video editing (very little), listening to great music, and of course GAMING.
So far, I have not broken 30% CPU usage under normal use; that includes running games like Crysis, Crysis 2, Batman: Arkham City, and CoD: Black Ops on highest settings. This is obviously a beast of a processor,
so don't spend the money if you do not intend to use it. In fact, it's overkill for even intense gaming for at least the next year or so for sure. For current games, there are several less expensive i7's available that,
when paired with a powerful and new enough graphics card, will perform at highest settings just fine.
Make no mistake, the 3970x is for those who want their build to be fully capable of handling whatever they wish to throw at it for quite a while to come and do not mind spending the extra money to have that assurance.
Is it insanely overpriced, to the point of angering me? YES
Is it fully capable of doing WHATEVER I will want from it for at least the next 6 years? YES
This is NOT the chip you buy if you plan on upgrading any time within the next 4 years, because you WILL be WASTING YOUR MONEY if you do.

My current build (pre-GPU upgrade):
NZXT Phantom PHAN-001BK Case w/ all possible fans
i7 3970x CPU
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO HSF
ASUS Rampage IV Extreme mobo
(4x8GB) GSKILL Sniper Gaming Series 1600 (PC3 12800) RAM
Thermaltake Toughpower Grand 1200W PSU
BFGTech GeForce 8800GTS OC 640MB
PNY 8600 GT OC 512MB dedicated to Physx
Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty Champion Sound Card
2 WD VelociRaptor 300GB 10000RPM drives in RAID 1
SanDisk 32GB ReadyCache drive
1 TB data drive
ASUS VS247H-P 23.6" 2ms 300 cd/m2 50000000:1 Monitor
Logitech THX-Certified 5.1 surround z5300 speakers
Logitech G110 keyboard
Razor Diamondback 3G mouse

Pros: This CPU, on Anandtech (under Benchmarks) out-performs every AMD CPU currently available. This statistic is based upon the 30 benchmark tests the website puts the current CPUs through. The facts in the benchmarks speak for themselves as the numbers don't lie or have opinions.

Cons: Cost is beyond what most will pay for it.

Other Thoughts: The 3930 is more affordable at about 1/2 the price and delivers very similar performance. Also, the Anandtech benchmarks allow one to compare both CPUs and GPUs so that any hobbyist can compare most every available processor to another to determine one's own proc of choice based upon cost and need.

Pros: Fast!!!!!!

Cons: Price could be a little lower, but you get what you pay for.

Other Thoughts: As for a response to the review below, "Not worth it", AMD's $200 CPU is priced right were it should be, with Intel's $200 CPU's. It scores the same as an Intel i5 3570 in Geekbench. It's not even close to this CPU!!!

Pros: So far I love the processor. I don't have anything negative to day about it. Can take anything I throw at it without even blinking an eye.

Cons: You will need to buy a really cool cooler. I have the H100i and it manages to keep it under 60c. I can't imagine how hot it would be running with an air cooler.

Pros: This CPU is great and just blows everything away. That 15MB Cache really helps out a lot too. =)

Cons: The price. But for a first build in several years? Definetly worth it if you want something to last. =)

Pros: Wouldn't know what this processor is capable of since New Egg (or Intel) seemed to have put the wrong processor in the box. Instead of an I7 Extreme I got a 1.8GHz Quad-Core processor.

How does something like this even happen in factory sealed boxes? RMA'd the CPU so now I have been waiting a week to see if I will even get a new one (replacement) or if I will get stuck because no one will believe I got the wrong CPU.

I've ordered a number of CPUs and this is the first time it has happened, but it should NEVER happen.

Cons: RMA is taking forever... hopefully I will see the processor come back from New Egg soon.

Pros: Bench marks do this processor more justice than its actual performance. It is very fast, but per-dollar it is lacking a bit. However I bought this for none GPU based rendering. It will cook through renders about 30% faster than my Macbook Pro 15”’s processor from the same generation of technology.

As normal very easy to install and great stability thank you Intel!

Cons: Price

Pros: Latest and Greatest
Bragging Rights

Cons: Same performance with a 3930k on Steroids.. Buy a 3930k instead.

Pros: I was able to OC this thing to 4.7GHz on a closed water cooler. Extremely stable even at these speeds. I wouldn't doubt that something like 5.0GHz or higher would be attainable on a custom loop. Temps topped out at 76 in prime95 smallfft running for 1 hour.

Cons: Price is obviously the one con. But that's what happens when you get the very top of the line component.

Pros: I have the i7 3930, and i7 3960 and now this! Wow indeed there is .1 ghz difference between the two but is it worth the extra money? I think it is. I got a 4.8 ghz over clock...

Cons: None

Other Thoughts: Pulls more wattage at 150W (wow)