14 DAY TRIAL // Intel announced today the company’s new Core X desktop processors, with upgrades to the existing Core i5 and Core i7 chips, but also with a brand-new Core i9 model that features no less than 18 cores and 36 threads.
Announced at Computex, the Core X lineup starts with the Core i5-7640X offering 4 cores and 4 threads at a price of $242. The i7 lineup offers more options, with the base version priced at $339 and boasting 4 cores and 8 threads. The higher-spec i7 chip will cost $599 and will bring 10 cores and 20 threads.
The star of the show is the Core i9 series which will include four different models, with pricing to start at $999 for a 12-core and 24-thread chip and going all the way up to $1,699 for 16 cores and 32 threads.
There’s also a very special Core i9 Extreme processor that will sell for $1,999 and which will offer 18 cores and 36 threads.
Turbo Boost Max 3.0 also announced
The new lineup of processors is based on Skylake X, the name that Intel is using for the updated 6th generation Skylake series, while the base I5 and i7 models are built on Kaby Lake X.
Intel said at Computex that the new Core X lineup works with its X299 motherboard chipset, which will become available in the coming weeks, together with the new processors.
In addition to the new chips, Intel also announced the Turbo Boost Max 3.0, an upgrade to the existing version that’s supposed to squeeze every drop of performance from the new chips and maximize their multitasking performance by pushing each core to the limit.
“This is by far the most extreme desktop processor ever introduced. With such a wide range of options and price points to match, the new Intel Core X-series processor family delivers the most scalable and accessible desktop platform for the enthusiast community,” Intel explained.
And last but not least, Intel also provided a few details of the next-generation chips, currently referred to as Coffee Lake, with the company explaining that it expects a 30 percent improvement over Kaby Lake.
