Since the launch of the PS3, people have wondered how the Cell processor would fare in a PC. With its 8 cores (of which 7 are functional) and powerful parallel processing capabilities, it has always seems like it would be an excellent fit. Well, consumers need not wonder anymore. Leadtek has just announced that it will begin selling a PC graphics chip utilizing the PS3’s Cell processor.

Dubbed the WinFast PxVC1100, the chip is scheduled to be released on November 19th for the not-so-low price of 445 dollars. The chip will differ slightly from the PS3’s Cell; containing only 4 cores instead of 8. It is designed to be used as a co-processor for handling calculations on heavy tasks (the Cell’s specialty), such as HD graphics processing. As for memory, the chip comes with 128 mb of XDR ram (the same high-speed type the PS3 contains) and is being targeted for consumers requiring video editing/upscaling/transcoding and HD playback.

Unfortunately, the chip is only scheduled to be launched in Japan at the moment. It’s likely that eager buyers living overseas will be able to import it, but actual launch plans in other regions have not been announced. Despite this, the arrival of a PC chip using the Cell processor is a huge step forward for consumers requiring the latest and fastest technology in their computers.