Top end 9th gen Intel Core Series processors outlined

[HEXUS]

Flagship HEDT Intel Core i9-9900K is an 8C/16T chip with base / boost of 3.6GHz/5GHz.

Read more.

[GinoLatino]

OMG what is Intel doing?

[scaryjim]

Lastly, on paper, the new Core i5-9600 looks only a baby step up from the similar 6C/6T Core i5-8600. Furthermore, one hopes that Coolaler has got the TDP data wrong for this part - its 8th gen predecessor is 65W.

The table listing is for an i5 9600k. The comparable i5 8600k also has a 95W TDP...
https://ark.intel.com/products/126685/Intel-Core-i5-8600K-Processor-9M-Cache-up-to-4_30-GHz

[afiretruck]

Soo SMT is now only available on the top-tier CPUs? I wonder why.

[Tabbykatze]

Wait, am I reading that correct? They're removing HT from the i7 line up to push it to the i9 line up? What the shizzle my dizzle?

[Ozaron]

Only reason I'd be interested is if they chose to stop being conmen and support 100 + 200 boards with them. Or, you know, let the board manufacturers support them. I refuse to buy another of the same thing when mine functions fine; just because they want to line pockets. Zen 2, or more accurately another IPC buff on Zen can't come fast enough..

[LSG501]

So basically it's a 'rebrand' where each thing is 'up one step'.
I'm expecting the only real improvements will be the spectre/meltdown fixes (sure these are ones featuring that) and the difference in performance from that and the clock increases....so basically performance back to where it was before the spectre/meltdown fixes plus a little bump due to clock speeds.

[Tabbykatze]

I'm also really struggling to see how the entire lineup from 8/16 down to 6/6 will have a 95w TDP. Unless the i9 has a 95w TDP and they just slapped that number on all of them as a safety buffer/marketing gimmick.

[Ozaron]

So basically it's a 'rebrand' where each thing is 'up one step'.
I'm expecting the only real improvements will be the spectre/meltdown fixes (sure these are ones featuring that) and the difference in performance from that and the clock increases....so basically performance back to where it was before the spectre/meltdown fixes plus a little bump due to clock speeds.

Yeah... unless you enable variant 3/4 spectre patches also. Then it's just straight up regression.

[scaryjim]

Soo SMT is now only available on the top-tier CPUs? I wonder why.

Top and Bottom tier. And it's not new; Coffee Lake does the same thing, with 6C/12T i7, 6C/6T i5, 4C/4T i3, and 2C/4T Pentium Gold. The only difference here is that they're bumping the numbering to i9 being the top tier so they can expand the product stack.

In general, it's obviously done to simplify the product stack and maintain clear and coherent relative performance between levels (if you mess with both core counts and SMT then you've got to balance whether, e.g., 6C/6T is better or worse than 4C/8T). Specifically, I'd assume disabling SMT first (rather than reducing core count) improves Intel's profit margins. Perhaps the silicon that enables SMT is more prone to fab errors than the rest of the core...? *shrug*

[EN1R0PY]

Wait, am I reading that correct? They're removing HT from the i7 line up to push it to the i9 line up? What the shizzle my dizzle?

Props for shizzling my dizzling with an astute observation. How is this competitive with zen? I genuinely thought they were gonna put HT on everything and wack another couple of cores on for good measure. How is having a taller product stack gonna help mainstream sales. "Oh I know the r5 is way more powerful and cheaper than an i5 but intel do an i7/i9 so I bought the i5 so i have the same brand that does the i7/i9" wait crap that's actually been working for them for a decade... then why change I guess?

Have to add the obligatory pinch of salt here, this is not official. It probably is bs as it does kinda look like a list of previous processors with names and little details changed... oh wait it must be a new product series, it's 2018 after all! In all seriousness I wonder if their monolithic chip design and it's inherently low yield is limiting product development at the low end now as well, it's not like they have a 32 core consumer part out soon...

[Biscuit]

Oh dear intel... oh dear, oh dear.

[Tabbykatze]

Props for shizzling my dizzling with an astute observation. How is this competitive with zen? I genuinely thought they were gonna put HT on everything and wack another couple of cores on for good measure. How is having a taller product stack gonna help mainstream sales. "Oh I know the r5 is way more powerful and cheaper than an i5 but intel do an i7/i9 so I bought the i5 so i have the same brand that does the i7/i9" wait crap that's actually been working for them for a decade... then why change I guess?

Have to add the obligatory pinch of salt here, this is not official. It probably is bs as it does kinda look like a list of previous processors with names and little details changed... oh wait it must be a new product series, it's 2018 after all! In all seriousness I wonder if their monolithic chip design and it's inherently low yield is limiting product development at the low end now as well, it's not like they have a 32 core consumer part out soon...

Agreed, a lot of salt pinch needs to be done. I never think it's a good idea have a tall product stack because they're not getting rid of the Pentiums or the Celery sticks (or even Atoms) so they literally now have:
-i9 = HEDT with all the best gubbins
-i7 = Prosumer, Lost the premium of having the best gubbins and being relegated to a similar placement as the i5 but with more cores
-i5 = Consumer, still an i5, not much change
-i3 = Entry Level
-Pentium Bronze/Silver/Gold = Erm, yes?
-Celery = Uhhhh...
-Atom = Tablet/microPC?

I don't mind them having i3-i9 but to remove HT from the i7 lineup is a bit miffing but it would fracture their HEDT lineup like when they panic released the i9s anyway where you had i7s creeping over to i9 and i9s literally sat just behind the i7s.

It is interesting to say the least.

I also never expected them to put HT across their entire product lineup because if they have a defect in one of the (two) architectural cores needed for HT then it becomes a non-HT part. Putting HT on all parts would mean they would have to have a dramatically higher silicon perfection which on a monolithic design is ridiculously difficult.

We shall see..

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

It might be interesting if the Core i3 becomes 4C/8T though!

[Tabbykatze]

It might be interesting if the Core i3 becomes 4C/8T though!

That might be my go to processor if the R3s are similarly priced but can't perform as well.

[lumireleon]

HT is implemented by duplicating certain areas of the CPU but somehow AMD does it at no extra cost