Intel to Launch 9th Generation Core i9, Core i7, Core i5 Processors in October: Report

Intel is reportedly all set to refresh its range of Core processors by launching the ninth-generation models as early as October. Unlike the repeatedly delayed Cannon Lake chips that are so far rumoured to be based on all-new 10nm process, the upcoming ninth-generation Intel Core processors are said to be designed using a refined version of the existing 14nm process. The Santa Clara, California-based company is, however, reported to deliver higher clock speeds than the existing Core processors, especially boost speeds across all cores simultaneously. The leaked roadmap of the new Intel Core processors shows that the company is set to kick off its latest generation with the flagship Core i9-9900K on October 1. The company is said to launch its unlocked, overclockable processors first, followed by other models in the ninth-generation Intel Core family.

The Intel Core i9-9900K will have eight cores and 16 threads on October 1, reports Wccftech. As per leaked documents that the site has obtained, the Core i9-9900K will be the first mainstream desktop processor to use the Core i9 brand. Intel notably launched the Core i9-8950HK as the first Core i9 processor for notebooks in April, following the the high-end desktop Core i9 models as part of its Core X-series last year. The upcoming chip is said to include 16MB of L3 cache and Intel's UHD 620 graphics.

Alongside the Core i9-9900K, Intel will reportedly launch the Core i7-9700K as the first eight-core Core i7 mainstream desktop processor with clock speeds ranging from 3.6GHz to 4.9GHz. However, this model is also said to lack Hyper-Threading, taking the thread count down from 12 to eight compared to the existing Core i7-8700K. The chip is said to have 12MB of L3 cache and a TDP of 95W. Intel is also reportedly preparing the Core i5-9600K as its new budget offering, with six cores and six threads. It will have 9MB of L3 cache, and clock speeds ranging from 3.7GHz to 4.6GHz.

Multiple motherboard vendors have confirmed that upcoming 9000-series of Intel processors will be compatible with existing Z3xx series motherboards. However, Intel is also expected to launch a new top-end Z390 platform controller along with its new 8-core desktop CPUs.

Additionally, the leaked roadmap hints at the arrival of the Basin Falls Refresh platform that will bring newCore X-series processors and X299 refresh motherboards. The new platform could be released sometime in October, shortly after the launch of the new mainstream Intel Core processors.

The leaked document confirmed that unlocked SKUs will arrive first, followed by the rest of the ninth-generation Core processors.