We have just received information on Intel X299 HEDT platform launch schedule. The Intel X299 platform will feature support for the next generation Kaby Lake X and Skylake X processors.
Intel X299 HEDT Platform Launch Schedule Confirmed - New Enthusiast Family For Skylake X and Kaby Lake X Processors
From the details we have gathered, it seems like Intel is preparing for a big launch of their next high-end desktop platform for consumers. Known as X299, the new platform will feature support for the upcoming processor families codenamed Skylake X and Kaby Lake X. These processors will be available in various SKUs and will be hitting retail on 26th June.
Intel plans to announce their HEDT X299 platform on 30th May at Computex. The launch will include full showcase of details and prices of the new processors while Intel board partners will be readying several X299 chipset based motherboards for the enthusiast crowd. These motherboards will also be shown at the Computex 2017 floor.
After announcement, the NDA for reviews and press information will be over. The exact date for NDA is 12th June so buyers will get to see product performance and in-depth tests prior to the market release. This will allow buyers to decide which motherboard and processor is most suitable for their needs. The general market availability is planned for 26th of June. The launch would be global and several products, including processors and motherboards will be available to purchase from retail outlets.
Intel Skylake X Processor Family For Intel X299 Platform Details:
The Skylake X family in particular will feature five SKUs that include a 12 core, 10 core, 8 core and a 6 core model. The 10, 8 and 6 core models will be based on the Skylake architecture. All Skylake-X chips will feature a rated TDP of 140W and we can expect clock speeds north of the 3.0 GHz range and boosts of 4.0 GHz+ on the 6 core and 8 core chips. The 12 core chip will be the new flagship and will come with higher PCIe lanes with faster memory support.
Intel’s new X299 chipset will be the latest PCH to support the enthusiast processors. The X299 platform will be centered around the LGA 2066 socket which will be compatible with at least two generations of processors. In specs, the X299 chipset offers up to 24 PCIe Gen 3.0 lanes. The chip also offers up to quad channel memory with speeds up to DDR4-2667 MHz (native). Kaby Lake-X series processors will only support dual channel RAM but will stick to the native speeds of 2667 MHz.
The Basin Falls PCH also offers 10 USB 3.0, 8 USB 2.0 ports, SATA 3.0, and Intel LAN (Jacksonville PHY) controllers. Additional features include Enhanced SPI, SPI, LPC, SMBus and HD audio which are integrated underneath its hood.
Intel Kaby Lake X Processor Family For Intel X299 Platform Details
The Intel Kaby Lake X processor lineup is a new entrant to the HEDT landscape. The two processors that are featured in this lineup are quad cores. The Core i7 7740K and Core i5 7640K will be available under a price tag of $400 US.
The general aim of these processors is to provide users an incentive to upgrade to the HEDT platform without burning a lot of cash. Users can go the mainstream route with the current Kaby Lake S family but for those who want to upgrade to a higher end processor can go for a Kaby Lake X CPU and later purchase a 6, 8, 10 or 12 core processor.
Intel Core i7 7740K Processor Specifications – The Fastest Quad Core Chip
The Intel Core i7 7740K processor will become the fastest Core i7 chip in the Kaby Lake lineup. It will replace the Core i7 7700K with slightly better specs. This chip features a quad core, hyper-threaded design. The chip is based on the latest 14nm+ process node which delivers improved efficiency and performance on the existing 14nm FinFET technology.
The clock speeds are rated 4.2 GHz base and 4.5 GHz boost. The processor packs 8 MB of L3 cache and has a TDP of 112W. There’s no word on the retail price but it should be a bit higher, or if Intel does feel like offering real competition to the Ryzen chips, they could price it the same as the Core i7 7700K while dropping the former in price.
Intel Core i5 7640K Processor Specifications – First Core i5 For HEDT Platforms
The Intel Core i5 7640K processor will be the first instance of a Core i5 chip on the HEDT platform. This chip features a quad core design along with four threads. The chip is based on the latest 14nm+ process node which delivers improved efficiency and performance on the existing 14nm FinFET technology. The clock speeds are rated 4.0 GHz base but boost would be beyond 4 GHz. The processor packs 6 MB of L3 cache. The TDP is rated at 112W, just like the Core i7 processor in the Kaby Lake-X family.
Other updates will include support for quad channel memory which will be a good bump over dual channel. The new X299 platform would offer more PCIe lanes from the CPU and PCH. Both quad cores would be pitted against 6 core Ryzen chips as current Intel quad cores provide good productivity and gaming performance against the competition.
Intel Kaby Lake-X Lineup
| CPU Name | Intel Core i5-7600K | Intel Core i5-7640X | Intel Core i7-7700K | Intel Core i7-7740X |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Process | 14nm+ | 14nm+ | 14nm+ | 14nm+ |
| Cores/Threads | 4/4 | 4/4 | 4/8 | 4/8 |
| Base Clock | 3.8 GHz | 4.0 GHz | 4.3 GHz | 4.2 GHz |
| Boost Clock | 4.2 GHz | 4.2 GHz | 4.5 GHz | 4.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB L3 | 6 MB L3 | 8 MB L3 | 8 MB L3 |
| Memory Support | DDR4 Dual Channel | DDR4 Dual Channel | DDR4 Dual Channel | DDR4 Dual Channel |
| Socket Type | LGA 1151 | LGA 2066 | LGA 1151 | LGA 2066 |
| TDP | 91W | 112W | 91W | 112W |
| Price | $242 | $242 | $339 | $339 |
For multi-tasking workloads, users can purchase the high-end 6,8,10 and 12 core Skylake X processors which will be available around the same time. Just recently, it was leaked that the Skylake X processors lineup would feature a massive 12 core, 24 thread juggernaut processor. The Core i7 6950X is still the flagship chip when it comes to HEDT processors so we can't wait to see what the new 12 core part has stuffed under its hood.
The Skylake X and Kaby Lake X are meant to make a formal debut on 30th May followed by market availability by the end of June. This marks the announcement at Computex which is in line with what we have recently been hearing so expect to see lots of motherboards being shown off at the event floor.
Intel HEDT Processor Families:
| Intel HEDT Family | Sapphire Rapids-X? (Sapphire Rapids Expert) | Alder Lake-X? (Sapphire Rapids Mainstream) | Cascade Lake-X | Skylake-X | Skylake-X | Skylake-X | Broadwell-E | Haswell-E | Ivy Bridge-E | Sandy Bridge-E | Gulftown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Process Node | 10nm ESF | 10nm ESF | 14nm++ | 14nm+ | 14nm+ | 14nm+ | 14nm | 22nm | 22nm | 32nm | 32nm |
| Flagship SKU | TBA | TBA | Core i9-10980XE | Xeon W-3175X | Core i9-9980XE | Core i9-7980XE | Core i7-6950X | Core i7-5960X | Core i7-4960X | Core i7-3960X | Core i7-980X |
| Max Cores/Threads | 56/112? | 24/48 | 18/36 | 28/56 | 18/36 | 18/36 | 10/20 | 8/16 | 6/12 | 6/12 | 6/12 |
| Clock Speeds | ~4.5 GHz | ~5.0 GHz | 3.00 / 4.80 GHz | 3.10/4.30 GHz | 3.00/4.50 GHz | 2.60/4.20 GHz | 3.00/3.50 GHz | 3.00/3.50 GHz | 3.60/4.00 GHz | 3.30/3.90 GHz | 3.33/3,60 GHz |
| Max Cache | 105 MB L3 | 45 MB L3 | 24.75 MB L3 | 38.5 MB L3 | 24.75 MB L3 | 24.75 MB L3 | 25 MB L3 | 20 MB L3 | 15 MB L3 | 15 MB L3 | 12 MB L3 |
| Max PCI-Express Lanes (CPU) | 112 Gen 5 | 65 Gen 5 | 44 Gen3 | 44 Gen3 | 44 Gen3 | 44 Gen3 | 40 Gen3 | 40 Gen3 | 40 Gen3 | 40 Gen2 | 32 Gen2 |
| Chipset Compatiblity | W790? | W790? | X299 | C612E | X299 | X299 | X99 Chipset | X99 Chipset | X79 Chipset | X79 Chipset | X58 Chipset |
| Socket Compatiblity | LGA 4677? | LGA 4677? | LGA 2066 | LGA 3647 | LGA 2066 | LGA 2066 | LGA 2011-3 | LGA 2011-3 | LGA 2011 | LGA 2011 | LGA 1366 |
| Memory Compatiblity | DDR5-4800? | DDR5-5200? | DDR4-2933 | DDR4-2666 | DDR4-2800 | DDR4-2666 | DDR4-2400 | DDR4-2133 | DDR3-1866 | DDR3-1600 | DDR3-1066 |
| Max TDP | ~500W | ~400W | 165W | 255W | 165W | 165W | 140W | 140W | 130W | 130W | 130W |
| Launch | Q4 2022? | Q4 2022? | Q4 2019 | Q4 2018 | Q4 2018 | Q3 2017 | Q2 2016 | Q3 2014 | Q3 2013 | Q4 2011 | Q1 2010 |
| Launch Price | TBA | TBA | $979 US | ~$4000 US | $1979 US | $1999 US | $1700 US | $1059 US | $999 US | $999 US | $999 US |
