Intel was apparently working on an unlocked Core i9 embedded SKU, based on Raptor Lake with just Raptor Cove P-cores and no E-cores. Spotted by Notebookcheck.net, an overclocking/content creator on the Bilibili platform, WestmereX, published a video featuring a qualification sample Core i9-14901KE that was capable of running at 7.4GHz with sub-zero cooling.
The Core i9-14901KE belongs to Intel's embedded lineup of 14th Gen Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs aimed at industrial and enterprise customers. The "14xx1" series consists of Core i9, i7 and i5 SKUs with disabled Gracemount E-cores, leaving the chips with just their Golden Cove P-cores. All of the existing models in the lineup are low-power options, with official power ratings of either 65W or 45W.
The Core i9-14901KE is one of Intel's strangest chips, being overclocking capable despite belonging to a CPU lineup that is geared toward anything but overclockers and enthusiasts. Regardless, we now have evidence that this chip did exist (beyond just initial marketing claims), but was never released. The CPU is an almost identical clone of the Core i9-14900K featuring a 3.8GHz base clock, 5.8GHz boost clock, eight P-cores and a 125W TDP.
In real world benchmarks the 14901KE reportedly ran at 5.5GHz stock with all eight cores loaded in Cinebench R23, and ran at 1.225v consuming 190W. Overclocking the chip to 5.8GHz on all-cores reportedly required around 1.35v with power consumption increasing to 269W in Cinebench. At negative 100C the content creator achieved 7.4GHz on the chip, and also ran SuperPI 1M on the chip at 6.9GHz.
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The embedded Raptor Lake Refresh flagship never officially launched, and never made an appearance when the series was first being announced by Intel. The existence of the 14901KE qualification sample proves that Intel cancelled the chip right at the end of its development cycle, and just before the chip was supposed to hit store shelves.
