Intel officially kicked off its eight-generation of Core chips with the launch of its notebook variants in August, but now it's setting its sights on desktop machines. The chip maker has announced that its lineup of eight-generation Core desktop processors will be available from October 5.
In all, the new lineup consists of six new chips. The big highlight from this generation is where Intel has opted to up its core counts. For the first time, Intel has introduced Core i5 processors with 6 cores and Core i3 chips with 4 cores. That should represent some solid performance improvements for anyone looking to purchase in the middle or low end of the market.
For anyone looking to eke out the most power possible, Intel says its top Core i7 chip, the 3.7GHz (boost to 4.7GHz) 8700K, represents its "best gaming processor ever." Gaming as a whole seems to be a focus in this generation, with Intel promising frame rate improvements of up to 25 percent over comparable seventh-generation chips.
Here's a look at the full lineup of eight-generation chips (via PCWorld):
- Intel Core i7-8700K: 6 cores/12 threads at 3.7GHz, boost to 4.7GHz; $359
- Intel Core i7-8700: 6 cores/12 threads at 3.2GHz, boost to 4.6 GHz; $303
- Intel Core i5-8600K: 6 cores/6 threads at 3.6 GHz, boost to 4.3 GHz; $257
- Intel Core i5-8400: 6 cores/6 threads at 2.8 GHz, boost to 4 GHz; $182
- Intel Core i3-8350K: 4 cores/4 threads at 4 GHz, no boost capabilities; $168
- Intel Core i3-8100: 4 cores/4 threads at 3.6-GHz, no boost capabilities; $117
If you're looking to grab one of these new chips, Intel says they'll go on sale starting October 5. Be aware that these chips are only compatible with Intel's new Z370 chipset, so you'll also have to be willing to shell out for a new motherboard as well.
