Intel series 9000 processors spec’d and i9-9900K benchmarked, release due in October
It’s no secret that Intel is preparing new series 9000 processors for release in the third quarter. This is most likely to be in October, as evident from a leaked product roadmap. The new chips are the 8-core, 16-thread Core i9-9900K flagship CPU; the 6-core, 12-thread Core i7-9700K, and the 6-core, 6-thread Core i5-9600K.
All three processors are based on the Coffee Lake architecture. Save for the expected performance increase they don’t offer any significant changes in technology. Thanks to agile leakers, we can present thorough specifications of the upcoming silicon. We also have the first benchmark results of the flagship Core i9-9900K.
Here’s what PC building enthusiasts will be in for after a few months:
- Core i9-9900K is an 8-core, 16 thread CPU with a base clock of 3.6GHz. It has a boost of up to 5GHz, 16MB cache, 95W TDP, and an 8-core maximum acceleration clock of 4.7GHz.
- Core i7-9700K is an 8-core, 8 thread CPU with no HyperThreading support with the base clock at 3.6GHz. Boost is up to 4.9GHz, cache memory is 12MB, TDP 95W, and the 8-core maximum acceleration clock can reach 4.6GHz.
- Core i5-9600K is a 6-core, 6 thread CPU with the same base clock of 3.7GHz. It has a boost of up to 4.6GHz, cache memory of 9MB, TDP 95W, and 6 core maximum acceleration up to 4.3GHz.
The eight-core Core i9-9900K is shaping up as Intel’s retaliation to AMD’s ZEN+ Ryzen 2700X. As evident from the first 3DMark: Time Spy benchmark results, the new Core i9 with 10,718 points is about 17% faster than AMD’s pretender with a 9147 points result. Intel’s current top-shelf CPU, the Core i7-8700K, racked up 7918 points in the same benchmark, which calculates to a 25% performance difference in favour of the upcoming 9000-series chip.
However, the benchmarked 9900K was running at 3.1GHz, significantly below the stated clock frequency of 3.6GHz. This most likely owes to an engineering sample being used for testing. The motherboard for the test is a Z370-based ASUS product, which means Intel’s new silicon will be compatible with this chipset. However, enthusiasts are probably better off acquiring a Z390 motherboard for its improved power distribution, as they will be able to overclock further.
All in all, this Fall will be a good time to build a Windows-based music production rig. Provided you have the spare cash for Intel’s latest and greatest plus a high-end motherboard.
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