Intel is like a T-Rex fighting AMD with its little arms right now, with this fact compounded by the rumors of Intel preparing new 6-core CPU parts under the upcoming Coffee Lake CPU architecture for early-2018.
Intel is reportedly working on the flagship Core i7-8700K processor (6C/12T) at 3.7GHz base, and a lowered 95W TDP. Comparing the 8700K against the newly-released Core i9-7800X which has a 140W TDP, it would begin chomping on the heels of the 7800X very quickly - which is probably why Intel isn't launching the 8700K until next year, to give the 7800X some breathing room.
We're also to expect a non-K variant in the form of the Core i7-8700, which will reportedly roll out with a 3.2GHz base clock. There will also be new Core i5 models with up to 6 cores which would be the most interesting part of the Coffee Lake CPU architecture launch.
- Read more: Overclocker gets hold of never released E-coreless Core i9-14901KE and achieves 7.4GHz using sub-zero cooling
- Read more: Intel rumored to be replacing Core i5-14600K with a 'Raptor Lake Next' successor with eight P-cores and eight E-cores
- Read more: ERYING puts Intel's unusual Raptor Lake embedded CPUs on desktop motherboards, starting at $180
The new Core i5-8600K would rock 6C/6T @ 3.6GHz with the same 95W TDP as the higher-end 8700K, but it lacks Hyper-Threading so it's just a 6C/6T chip compared to the 8700K being a 6C/12T offering. There will be other Core i5 models with 6 cores, including the purported Core i5-8400 with a base clock of 2.8GHz, and TDP of 65W. These new Coffee Lake-based Core i5 processors will battle AMD's great value for money Ryzen 5 chips.
It's interesting to see Intel on their back foot, but this just continues their struggle - something I reported on back in February before the entire internet realized that Intel was in trouble. How much worse will it get?
