Intel has launched several new CPU’s based on their Skylake-X architecture, including the very first Intel Core i9. Following the unveiling of these new processors Workstation Specialists will be releasing new systems based on the Core i7-7800X, Core i7-7820X, and Core i9-7900X Shortly. The Core i7-7800X, Core i7-7820X, and Core i9-7900X will be 6, 8 and 10 core respectively all featuring Intel’s hyper threading technology producing up to an impressive 20 processing threads.
Later this year we will also be adding the Core i9-7920X, Core i9-7940X, Core i9-7960X and Intel’s New flagship Core i9-7980XE CPU’s to our workstation line up. When pitted against the previous generation 10-core Intel Core i7-6950X, users should see a dramatic performance increase with the Core i9-7980XE thanks to its massive 18 Cores and 36 Threads.
What is Core i9?
This new processor family consists of the Skylake-X architecture and the processor range consists of 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 core options. This is the simple description, from where it gets a little more complicated. The Core i9 processor family uses the same X299 based motherboards as their lower ranged Core i5 and Core i7 counterparts.
The Core i9 7900X 10-core will be available soon, the i9-7920X, i9-7940X and i9-7960X with 12-16 cores are expected to launch in August, finally followed by the 18-core i9-7980XE which is expected to launch in October this year. From their prices, these chips are not for everyone. The 18 core and 36 threads are not your regular hardware unless your task is resource intensive for example rendering or video encoding.
Intel Core i7 will range from roughly £300 to £480 whereas the Core i9 chips will sell from around £750 up to £1580 with the most expensive one being the Extreme Edition Core i9-7980XE.
Where does the i9 fit within the Intel Core family?
Starting from core m moving through Core i3, i5, and i7, Core i9 is the fifth family of processors in the sequence and represents the most prestigious in Intel’s processor line up. With this comes more Cores, more Threads and increased GHz performance. A professionally overclocked Core i9 Workstation solution from Workstation Specialists simply put, will the best and most well rounded performing workstations available, capable of very responsive 3D Design or CAD Development and proficiently Rendering Photorealistic Images.
What Makes the Intel Core i9 Unique
The key aspects of a processor are the performance, socket, core count and clock speed. The raw clock speed of the processor determines how fast a thread can perform a task, whereas the number cores and threads determines how many simultaneous tasks a processor can perform. These characteristics are import as your software can have a dramatic impact of which CPU you should purchase. CAD based application such as SOLIDWORKS, Inventor and SketchUp are heavily single-threaded therefore, low core counts and high clock speeds are ideal. On the other hand rendering out images and computer simulations seen in applications such as SOLIDWORKS PhotoView 360, VRay and ANSYS are heavily multi-threaded and therefore lots of cores and threads are ideal. If you have a very mixed workload then this is where a professionally overclocked Intel Core i9 Workstation is here to help. With their healthy balance of high clock speeds and lots of Cores and Threads they make the most adaptable workstation available today turning their hands to any job you can throw at it.
Basic Specifications of Core i9
To keep up with the increased speed, the Core i9 CPU’s require well tested adequate air or liquid cooling solutions. We anticipate that the Core i9-7980XE released later this year will be as high as 165W. New Turbo Boost Max 3.0 technology will feature on select enthusiast processors delivering up to 15% more single threaded performance. Its achieves this by selecting your highest and fastest CPU cores and dynamically boosting clock speeds when required to and directing your most critical workloads to them.
| Processor | Base Clock Speed (GHz) | Turbo Boost 2.0 Frequency (GHz) | Turbo Boost 3.0 Frequency (GHz) | Cores / Threads | L3 Cache | PCI-e 3.0 Lanes | Memory Support | TDP | Socket (LGA) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Core i9-7980XE | – | – | – | 18 / 36 | – | – | – | – | 2066 | |
| Intel Core i9-7960X | – | – | – | 16 / 32 | – | – | – | – | 2066 | |
| Intel Core i9-7940X | – | – | – | 14 / 28 | – | – | – | – | 2066 | |
| Intel Core i9-7920X | – | – | – | 12 / 24 | – | – | – | – | 2066 | |
| Intel Core i9-7900X | 3.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 10 / 20 | 13.75 MB | 44 | Four Channel DDR4-2666 | 140W | 2066 | |
| Intel Core i7-7820X | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 8 / 16 | 11 MB | 28 | Four Channel DDR4-2666 | 140W | 2066 | |
| Intel Core i7-7800X | 3.5 | 4.0 | NA | 6 / 12 | 8.25 MB | 28 | Four Channel DDR4-2400 | 140W | 2066 |
Will the Core i9 require a new motherboard?
The Core i9 not only comes with new features within the CPU’s themselves. The new Intel Core i9 will require a new motherboard since it uses a new Socket R4. In addition, it uses a 2066-pin LGA socket which requires a new motherboard design. It is not backward compatible with the current motherboards hence the need for the X299 motherboards that will support the powerful processors.
With the CPUs with 10 cores and above, you have available a full 44 lanes of PCIe 3.0 lanes, making expansion of your PCs performance almost unlimited. With a core i9, you can run four x8 graphic cards on a single PC powered by Intel chips, something that was just a dream for many years.
The X299 motherboards are designed to support up to 8 SATA 3.0 ports and a massive 10 USB 3.0 ports. You will also have the option pair Intel’s Optane technology, a new caching drive technology created to accelerate data that is frequently used.
If you are interested in the being the first to get your hands on these new Workstation Solutions to accelerate your workflows fill out the form below.
