Intel launching next-gen 20-threaded CPU in August 2017

Intel has only just launched its new Kaby Lake CPUs led by the Core i7-7700K, and yet we're hearing rumors already on the company's new HEDT, or high-end desktop processor.

The new Skylake-X will be the successor to the Core i7-6950X, while the lower-end 4-core/8-thread model arrives as the Kaby Lake-X family. The higher-end 10, 8, and 6-core models are based on the older Skylake architecutr, with a higher 140W TDP. The 4-core Kaby Lake-X processor feature a 112W TDP, while all of the new HEDT processors will be pushed as the Core i7-7000 series.

This means we won't see a Core i7-7950X, but rather a K series processor as the report mentions Intel will release 4 new K series products, and no X series product. So we should expect the the possibilities of Intel calling their new HEDT processor the Core i7-7950X.

Intel will also launch its new enthusiast-tuned X299 chipset that will house a LGA 2066 socket that will work with two generations of processors. Intel will reportedly use run with a native quad-channel DDR4-2667 kit of RAM. The new X299 chipset will also offer up 24 PCIe 3.0 lanes, with the new 'Basin Falls' PCB boasting 10 x USB 3.0, 8 x USB 2.0 ports, SATA 3.0, and Intel LAN. Nothing really revolutionary, at all.

We should expect Intel to launch its seemingly watered down competitor to AMD's revolutionary Ryzen processor - even compared to Intel's latest and greatest which is nearly a year away, with no mention of anything AI-related or next-generation over the current Z270 chipset, which is a much cheaper mainstream part. No games will use the will power of a 10-core processor, and there's only 24 PCIe 3.0 lanes, marking a shift away from multi-GPU setups (at least for now).

The additional PCIe 3.0 lanes will allow for more of the super-fast M.2-based SSDs, which are offering 3GB/sec+ these days.

Intel will reportedly show off the new CPUs and X299 chipset at Computex 2017 in June.