Intel's 8-core/16-thread mainstream CPU to be named i9-9900K
Intel finally made the official announcement for the Z390 platform, also mentioning the names of the gen 9 mainstream Core CPUs that will be launched in September. Most of the platform features have already been leaked, but there are still a few specs the leaks missed.
The Z390 has most of the Z370 specs, however, it adds a few native features that necessitated third-party controllers, which in turn would raise the price for the motherboards. These specs include:
• Intel’s new Wi-Fi AC + Bluetooth 5.0 controllers
• Intel’s Wireless-AC adapter
• Support for up to 6 USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports
As far as the new gen 9 CPUs are concerned, Intel is now integrating the i9 brand with the mainstream solutions. The i9-9900K with 8 cores and 16 threads will represent the top of the line, while the i7-9700K will be the best mid-range solution, with the i5-9600K covering the entry-level. The i7 and i5 CPUs get only 6 cores and 12 threads, but Intel did not mention anything about i3 CPUs. These would most likely be launched later on as budget 4-core solutions. Unfortunately, Intel did not provide any frequency, cache memory and TDP info for the time being, but specs for the 8-core CPU have been circulating around the Net for some time now.
As it stands, Intel has no 8-core mainstream processor to compete with AMD’s Ryzen chips, so the i9-9900K should help the company reassert its position and regain some market shares.
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