Intel Mainstream and High-End Desktop Roadmap Leaks – 9th Gen Core Family With Core i9-9900K Flagship, Basin Falls X299 Refresh Confirmed
Gregory Bryant gives the audience a look at PCs running a 28-core single socket processor that delivers unprecedented levels of single and multi-threaded capacity. (Credit: Intel Corporation)
A new set of Intel desktop product roadmap has leaked out which shows us the mainstream and HEDT families and their expected launch schedules. The roadmaps are listed in several slides that are compiled by XFastest and give us a look at what Intel’s CPU lineup would look like in the coming quarters.
Intel Mainstream ‘Z390’ and High-End ‘X299’ Desktop Product Roadmap Leaked – 9th Gen Core and Refreshed Core-X Processors For Consumers
There have been lots of leaks on the Intel desktop roadmap plans, much of that has already been officially confirmed while some of it is still a rumor at this point. The information posted in the new slides is mostly what we have known so far and further confirms what we have been hearing for a while now. All Intel CPU families including the desktop ones will be based on the 14nm process so following is a list of all of those families expected to launch in the current and the coming year:
- 2018 Mainstream Desktop: Coffee Lake-S 9th Generation (LGA 1151)
- 2018 HEDT Core-X Desktop: Skylake-X (LGA 2066 V2)
- 2018 Ultra HEDT Core-X Desktop: Cascade Lake-X (LGA 3647)
- 2018 Server/Workstation: Cascade Lake-SP (LGA 3647)
- 2019 Server Workstation: Cooper Lake-SP (LGA 4189)
Intel HEDT Roadmap (2018-2019) – Basin Falls Refresh on X299 Platform, Up To 22 Cores
Starting off with the High-End desktop lineup, the refresh Core-X processors are no secret anymore as Intel themselves have confirmed them on multiple occasions. We first heard about it from Intel themselves during Computex 2018, where they confirmed new processors for the X299 refreshed platform would be released later this year. Just a few days ago, Intel again confirmed the existence of these processors and reaffirmed their late 2018 release.
According to the leaked roadmap, we are looking at a complete product refresh and not only the top tier. This means we are looking at new series of chips, all the way from the entry level to the top-end Core i9-7980XE which would be replaced later this year. The refresh will last till Q2 2019 so if there’s anything new coming next year, the second half would be the time we would start hearing about the new HEDT family.
As for the chipset roadmap which you will see later in this post, the X299 platform would also be Intel’s primary HEDT line till Q2 2019. Till then, Intel’s Core-X processor family and the refreshed processors will be supported by it on the LGA 2066 socket. Of course, we also know about the new HEDT Cascade Lake-X processors which will feature up to 28 cores and 56 threads but they aren’t mentioned in the leaked roadmap. Intel confirmed their availability by the end of this year on a new LGA 3647 socketed motherboard which you can read more about over here.
Intel HEDT Processor Families:
| Intel HEDT Family | Gulftown | Sandy Bridge-E | Ivy Bridge-E | Haswell-E | Broadwell-E | Skylake-X | Skylake-X | Skylake-X | Cascade Lake-X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Process Node | 32nm | 32nm | 22nm | 22nm | 14nm | 14nm+ | 14nm+ | 14nm+ | 14nm++ |
| Flagship SKU | Core i7-980X | Core i7-3960X | Core i7-4960X | Core i7-5960X | Core i7-6950X | Core i9-7980XE | Core i9-9980XE | Xeon W-3175X | TBD |
| Max Cores/Threads | 6/12 | 6/12 | 6/12 | 8/16 | 10/20 | 18/36 | 18/36 | 28/56 | 18/36 |
| Clock Speeds | 3.33/3,60 GHz | 3.30/3.90 GHz | 3.60/4.00 GHz | 3.00/3.50 GHz | 3.00/3.50 GHz | 2.60/4.20 GHz | 3.00/4.50 GHz | 3.10/4.30 GHz | TBD |
| Max Cache | 12 MB L3 | 15 MB L3 | 15 MB L3 | 20 MB L3 | 25 MB L3 | 24.75 MB L3 | 24.75 MB L3 | 38.5 MB L3 | 24.75 MB L3 |
| Max PCI-Express Lanes (CPU) | 32 Gen2 | 40 Gen2 | 40 Gen3 | 40 Gen3 | 40 Gen3 | 44 Gen3 | 44 Gen3 | 44 Gen3 | 44 Gen3 |
| Chipset Compatiblity | X58 Chipset | X79 Chipset | X79 Chipset | X99 Chipset | X99 Chipset | X299 | X299 | C612E | X299 |
| Socket Compatiblity | LGA 1366 | LGA 2011 | LGA 2011 | LGA 2011-3 | LGA 2011-3 | LGA 2066 | LGA 2066 | LGA 3647 | LGA 2066 |
| Memory Compatiblity | DDR3-1066 | DDR3-1600 | DDR3-1866 | DDR4-2133 | DDR4-2400 | DDR4-2666 | DDR4-2800 | DDR4-2666 | DDR4-2933 |
| Max TDP | 130W | 130W | 130W | 140W | 140W | 165W | 165W | 255W | 165W? |
| Launch | Q1 2010 | Q4 2011 | Q3 2013 | Q3 2014 | Q2 2016 | Q3 2017 | Q4 2018 | Q4 2018 | 2H 2019 |
| Launch Price | $999 US | $999 US | $999 US | $1059 US | $1700 US | $1999 US | $1979 US | ~$4000 US | TBD |
Intel Mainstream Desktop Roadmap (2018-2019) – Core i9-9900K Flagship For Z390, Support Retained Across Entire 300-Series Lineup For 8th / 9th Gen Processors
On the mainstream front, Intel has plans to deliver a new 14nm S-series processor lineup which is going to be branded under the 9th generation family for desktop PCs. Intel will have at least three ‘K’ series SKUs in the lineup. These would include the flagship Core i9-9900K, Core i7-9700K, and the Core i5-9600K.
All three processors will feature compatibility with the entire 300-series board lineup. Moving on to the SKU configurations, we will see the processors with the following configs:
- Intel Core i9-9900K (8 core / 16 thread)
- Intel Core i7-9700K (8 core / 8 thread)
- Intel Core i5-9600K (6 core / 6 thread)
We know from leaked details that the Core i9-9900K will be the flagship processor of this lineup and would feature 8 core and 16 thread configuration which is same as AMD’s current generation flagship, the Ryzen 7 2700X on the mainstream front. This will be the first mainstream desktop Core i9 part and also the first Intel chip to boast 8 cores and 16 threads. In terms of cache, the chip will feature 16 MB of L3 and will come with an Intel UHD 620 graphics chip.
The clock speeds are something to check out here, we are going to get 3.6 GHz base clock out of the box and a 5.0 GHz boost clocks in single and dual core operations. 4 core boost is rated at 4.8 GHz while 6/8 core boost is rated at 4.7 GHz. This is the highest frequency we have seen on an 8 core part across all cores. All of this is done under a 95W package so we can expect some hefty cooling solutions to go along with this chip. You can check out detailed information on the rest of the unlocked SKUs over here.
Intel 9th Generation Core Family CPU Official Specifications:
| Processor Name | Process | Cores / Threads | Base Clock | Boost Clock | Cache | TDP | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core i9-9900KS | 14nm++ | 8 / 16 | 3.6 GHz | 5.0 GHz (8 Cores) | 16 MB | 95W | TBD |
| Core i9-9900K | 14nm++ | 8 / 16 | 3.6 GHz | 5.0 GHz | 16 MB | 95W | $488 US |
| Core i9-9900KF | 14nm++ | 8 / 16 | 3.6 GHz | 5.0 GHz | 16 MB | 95W | $488 US |
| Core i7-9700K | 14nm++ | 8 / 8 | 3.6 GHz | 4.9 GHz | 12 MB | 95W | $374 US |
| Core i7-9700KF | 14nm++ | 8 / 8 | 3.6 GHz | 4.9 GHz | 12 MB | 95W | $374 US |
| Core i5-9600K | 14nm++ | 6 / 6 | 3.7 GHz | 4.6 GHz | 9 MB | 95W | $262 US |
| Core i5-9600KF | 14nm++ | 6 / 6 | 3.7 GHz | 4.6 GHz | 9 MB | 95W | $262 US |
| Core i5-9600 | 14nm++ | 6 / 6 | 3.1 GHz | 4.5 GHz | 9 MB | 65W | TBD |
| Core i5-9500 | 14nm++ | 6 / 6 | 3.0 GHz | 4.3 GHz | 9 MB | 65W | TBD |
| Core i5-9400 | 14nm++ | 6 / 6 | 2.9 GHz | 4.1 GHz | 9 MB | 65W | $182 |
| Core i5-9400T | 14nm++ | 6 / 6 | 1.8 GHz | 3.4 GHz | 9 MB | 35W | TBD |
| Core i3-9350KF | 14nm++ | 4/4 | 4.0 GHz | 4.6 GHz | 8 MB | 91W | TBD |
| Core i3-9100 | 14nm++ | 4 / 4 | TBD | 4.2 GHz | 6 MB | 65W | TBD |
| Core i3-9000 | 14nm++ | 4 / 4 | 3.7 GHz | N/A | 6 MB | 65W | TBD |
| Core i3-9000T | 14nm++ | 4 / 4 | 3.2 GHz | N/A | 6 MB | 35W | TBD |
Original Post: The most interesting thing about this roadmap leak is that it lists down the 9th Generation CPU family to release in Q1 of 2019 whereas the Z390 chipset is mentioned for release in Q3 of 2018. Could be possible that we are looking at two different roadmaps for the desktop lineup and the PCH.
Since the Z390 and 9th Generation family are inclined to launch around a similar timeframe, the Q1 ’19 launch of the 9th Gen family seems a little odd. We have been hearing a 2H 2018 time frame for the 9th Generation lineup for some time now so maybe we just have to wait for official word on this.
Update: As expected, the roadmap posted previously was slightly outdated and the new one (via Videocardz) confirms the release date of Q3 2018 which we have been hearing since some time now. So all looks according to plan now.
8th and 9th Gen Core Processors Will Work Across Entire 300-Series Motherboard Lineup, Z390 Chipset Details and 300-Series Compatibility List Officially Confirms
This is the most interesting part about the leak as it is officially confirmed that 8th generation CPUs would work on Z390 chipset and vice versa, the 9th generation CPUs would work on all previously released 300-series motherboards including Z370. I think it puts all rumors to rest that showed that Intel would not offer 9th generation processor support on older motherboards.
As for a detailed comparison between the Z390 and Z370 chipset, the following table gives a good presentation:
Expected Intel 300-Series Kaby Lake Refresh and Cannon Lake PCH Features:
| Chipset Name | Coffee Lake S (KBL-R) PCH / Z370 Platform | Coffee Lake S (CNL-H) PCH / 300 Series (Z390/H370, B360, Q370, H310) |
|---|---|---|
| Process Node | 22nm | 14nm |
| Processor | 8C, 6C, 4C (6 Consumer SKUs at Launch) Enhanced IA and Memory Overclocking Gen 9 Intel Graphics GT2 (Up To 24 EUs) Consumer Only | 8C, 6C, 4C, 2C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch) Enhanced IA and Memory Overclocking Gen 9 Intel Graphics GT2 (Up To 24 EUs) Corporate/vPro & Consumer |
| Memory | Up To DDR4-2666 (Native) | Up To DDR4-2666 (Native) |
| Media, Display & Audio | DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP | DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP SoundWire Digital Audio Interface |
| I/O & Connectivity | Integrated USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Thunderbolt 3.0 (Alpine Ridge) | Integrated USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi / BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 3.0 (Titan Ridge) w/ DP 1.4 |
| Storage | Next Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, SATA 3.0 | Next Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, SATA 3.0 |
| Security | Intel SGX 1.0 | Intel SGX 1.0 |
| Power Management | C8 Support | C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby |
| Launch | 2017 | 2018 |
It will be interesting to see the new CPU lineups finally launching in the consumer market as competition gets heated in the processor department on both mainstream and high-end desktop segments once again.
Which desktop platform are you most likely to purchase?
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