New Core i9 and 6 core processors for laptops
The largest announcement was that of the Core i9 making it’s way to laptops. While two new i5, two new i7 and two Xeon processors will also be arriving, the i9 sits atop the throne of this new wave. The Intel Core i9-8950HK is a 6 Core / 12 thread monster, and will feature a base clock speed of 2.9 GHz boosting up to 4.8 GHz on a single core, thanks to Intel’s Turbo Boos Technology (based on numbers from Intel themselves).
This series of chips offers a big step forward for gaming and content creation, as the gap between laptops and desktops gets smaller and smaller. The laptops that these processors will feature in will be able to take any game head on, as Intel themselves have classed the i9 as the ‘Best gaming laptop processor Intel has ever built’. The figures from Intel suggest a significant step up in performance from previous generations too.
New 8th Gen Intel Core Desktop Processors
The mobile processors weren’t the only ones to get an update. A new wave of desktop processors is also approaching, although nothing we’re not seeing the major leap forwards that the laptop processors are. The 8700k will still reign supreme in terms of performance, but the newer models offer some excellent price/performance breaks.
New Intel 300 series chipsets
The new 300 series chipsets have also arrived, providing a platform boost for Intel’s systems.
New Intel CPUs vs the AMD Ryzen 2 series
This latest set of CPUs from Intel will go head-to-head against the Ryzen 2 CPUs from AMD, that are rumoured to launch in Q2 of this year. While these details see a notable jump forward from Intel in their mobile processors, we’re not seeing any large improvements in their desktop offerings at this time. This could allow AMD to gain some ground in this area with their line up of Ryzen 2 CPUs which are rumoured to be headed our way soon. Intel have been holding a steady performance lead with their high end consumer range, the i7 8700k outstripping the Ryzen 7 1800x in almost every field. As software develops, and we see more applications taking advantage of Ryzen’s higher core count, this trend could change. However, Intel is still the king when it comes to the higher end systems at the moment, and we’re excited to see what AMD has to offer with their second generation Ryzen chips. Have a look at our AMD vs Intel comparison here. Information on Ryzen 2 should be arriving within the next few months, and we’ll make sure that you know any details the moment they’re available..
