Intel Lifts The Wraps On New Eighth-Gen Core Desktop Chips, "Laser Focused" On Enthusiast Performance
Intel on Monday lifted the curtain on its new eighth-generation Core processors, targeted for desktop gamers, content creators and "overclockers who require premium performance."
Intel said the new desktop processors, which include the i7, six-core i5, and four-core i3 processors, deliver a frame rate performance boost improvement of 25 percent over the seventh-generation chips.
"We are laser-focused on giving the enthusiast community the ultimate desktop experience, from chart-topping performance to a platform that can flex with their needs,’ Anand Srivatsa, general manager of the Desktop Platform Group at Intel, said in a statement.
[Related: Intel Lifts The Curtain On Next-Generation Processors For 2-in-1s, Ultrathin Notebooks]
Intel said the new Core chips would be available for purchase Oct. 5, while customers will see OEM systems that incorporate the processors beginning in the fourth quarter of 2017.
According to the chip company, its newest desktop lineup is led by "Intel's best gaming desktop processor ever" – the Core i7-8700K – which has 3.7GHz frequency and is capable of being overclocked to 4.7GHz frequency using Intel's Turbo Boost 2.0.
This six-core, 12-thread processor costs $359 and will help consumers with multitasking and 4K video editing, the company said.
Intel said that its processor family overall offers a wide range of performance options for consumers with unlocked K processors that deliver maximum tuning flexibility and up to 40 platform PCIe 3.0 lanes for system expandability on graphics, storage and I/O.
Meanwhile, the company also launched its new Z370 chipset motherboard along with the processors, which Intel said delivers improved power for six-core processors, memory routing support for DDR4-2666, and enhanced package power delivery for overclocking.
The new eighth-generation Core desktop processors require Intel 300 series chipset motherboards to deliver the rated performance.
The Core desktop processors are the second part of Intel's three-tier launch for its eighth-generation chips. The U-series processors, launched in August, were targeted for mobile devices, while its processors targeted for commercial systems and a broad range of consumer devices will be launched in the first half of 2018.
’Our eighth-gen Intel Core desktop processors deliver tremendous improvements across the board and – for gamers, in particular– offer an unbeatable experience," said Srivatsa.