Everything you need to know about Intel’s Core i9 CPU

Intel has launched its new Skylake-X processors, which include a line-up of new Core i9 desktop CPUs.

These processors feature larger die sizes with higher core counts and support the new LGA 2066 motherboard socket.

This new socket is available on Intel’s new X299 chipset, which it launched at Computex 2017.

Skylake-X is the successor to Intel’s previous HEDT (High-End Desktop) architecture, Broadwell-E, and will compete with AMD’s Zen architecture and Ryzen Threadripper processor.

Intel launched five Core i9 desktop processors, which all have hyper-threading and feature up to 18 physical cores.

Core i9 Series

Intel has not revealed concrete clock speed specifications and power efficiency figures for all its Core i9 chips, but it has released the pricing for its new range of CPUs.

Below is the core count and pricing for Intel’s Core i9 desktop processors.

Intel’s new Core i7 processors based on the Skylake-X architecture will feature support for 28 PCIe lanes, while the Core i9 chips will support up to 44.

The power consumption of the Core i9 processors is also significantly higher than the current 7th-generation desktop chips, with the Core i9-7900X featuring a TDP of 140W.

The Intel Core i9-7900X will be the first Core i9 processor to launch, with the Core i9-7920X 12-core chip following later this year.

The top-of-of-the-range Core i9-7980XE processor is labelled the “Extreme Edition” and boasts an impressive 18 physical cores with 36 threads.

The Core i9-7980XE has a price tag to match its performance, with Intel stating the processor will retail for $1,999. No launch date has been set as yet for the Extreme i9.

X299 and Skylake-X

Intel’s X-series processor range also includes Core i5 and Core i7 processors, which feature higher core counts than their Skylake or Kaby Lake counterparts.

The company’s Skylake-X architecture includes support for Optane SSDs, which allows systems to increase the speed of hard drive storage by using a fast SSD cache.

X299 motherboards from various manufacturers will launch alongside the new processors, and offer increased power limits, overclocking support, and up to 44 PCIe lanes.

The specifications for Intel’s X299 chipset are below.

All X-Series processors fit the LGA 2066 CPU socket, which is currently only included on the X299 chipset.

The increased PCIe lanes offered by the new chipset allows for a more comprehensive I/O interface and support for an increased number of storage drives.

Now read: MSI reveals powerful new gaming laptops at Computex 2017