The wait finally ends: Intel has announced the long-awaited 9th generation of its desktop processors for mid-range and high-end, with which it intends to compete and surpass AMD. Three will be chosen for this purpose: i9-9900K, i7-9700K and i5-9600K, where only one of them will achieve the long-awaited figure of 5 GHz.
At the moment we will only have on the market an i9 CPU, the 9900K that should be in charge of unseating the throne from the high-end to the AMD 2700X in terms of performance. For this, the i9-9900K will have 8 cores and 16 threads attached to a base frequency of 3.6 GHz that will be increased thanks to the turbo up to 5 GHz. To be correct, only 2 cores can work at that speed, if they had to work 4 cores the frequency would fall to 4.8 GHz and if necessary 6 or 8 cores would end up falling to 4.7 GHz.
All together with an impressive TDP of 95 Watts and 16 MB of Inter Smart Cache L3. Finally, these CPUs will have 24 PCI-E lines and the chipset will provide 16 more to make a total of 40 available lines, something that is very welcome if we include 2 M.2 SSD and some sound card.
Following with the i7-9700K, it will be an 8-core CPU without HT, that is, 8/8. Copy the base frequency of the i9-9900K ( 3.6 GHz ) but not the scalability in terms of cores / frequency: if only 1 core is used, the speed will go up to 4.9 GHz, with two it will go down to 4.8 GHz, if we use 4 cores we will get 4.7 GHz and 6 or 8 cores will have a speed of 4.6 GHz.
Interestingly the TDP will be the same as in the i9-9900K (95 watts), it will have the same number and PCI-e line system as this but its Inter Smart Cache L3 is reduced to 12 MB.
Last, but not least, the i5-9600K. It will have 6 cores without HT ( 6/6 ) a base frequency somewhat higher than that of its older siblings ( 3.7 GHz ) and its speed variations will be curiously lower: 1 core will rise to 4.6 GHz, two cores will go to 4.5 GHz, if we use 4 cores, the frequency will drop to 4.4 GHz and finally if we use the 6 cores we will get 4.3 GHz.
Another surprising fact is that it maintains the TDP ( 95 watts ), the same PCI-e line system as its older brothers ( 24 + 16 ) but it will only have 9 MB of Inter Smart Cache.
The three CPUs share another feature: they use the same iGPU, specifically the Intel UHD Graphics 630. This is surprising since this iGPU was already used in the previous generation and some improvement was expected. Do not forget that Intel dominates the sector of iGPUs since many users make use of it according to Steam.
Luckily for all, it seems that for now (touch wood) the 9th generation will have the IHS soldiers again, as Intel did in the series 2 that so many good reviews reaped. We can confirm that both the i9-9900K and the i7-9700K as the i5-9600K will include it, it would be necessary to verify if the new i3 will be able to show this feature that is back in the mid-range socket.
It also confirms the new box design that will bring this 9 generation and we already filtered you days ago, a box with translucent rhomboid shape and new invoice.
These new CPUs will be accompanied by a “new” chipset ( Z390 ) to give them the best support, although the improvements are quite cumbersome to make the user change the board: it will keep the compatibility of Z370 as far as Optane is concerned, they will include USB 3.1 Gen 2, WiFi A / C and Thunderbolt 3, all available to each manufacturer as these will decide whether to include them or not.
To ensure compatibility Intel continues to echo socket 1151, so we will not have to change heatsink or block, a detail coming from the blue giant without a doubt.
To finalize one of the most important data, the price: the i9-9990K will have a price of USD 529.99 upon departure, while the i7-9700K will see its price reduced to USD 399.99, and the smallest of the three, the i5-9600K will launch with a price of USD 279.99.
At the moment there is no official data on its performance (except clear leaks) so to know more about this new generation we will have to wait until October 19, when it will proceed to launch their corresponding reviews and at the same time carte blanche for sale.