Thursday, November 10th 2016

Intel Readies Skylake-X As its Next High-end Desktop Platform

by
btarunr
 Discuss (63 Comments)
Intel's next high-end desktop (HEDT) platform to succeed the current "Broadwell-E" LGA2011v3 will be the X-series "Basin Falls" platform. This consists of the "Skylake-X" and "Kaby Lake-X" processors, and a chipset derived from Intel's upcoming 200-series. Just as Intel changed sockets for its previous three HEDT platforms (LGA1366 for "Nehalem" and "Westmere/Gulftown," LGA2011 for "Sandy Bridge-E" and "Ivy Bridge-E," and LGA2011v3 for "Haswell-E" and "Broadwell-E,") the company will launch a new socket, the LGA2066.

As with its HEDT predecessors, "Skylake-X" and "Kaby Lake-X" will be multi-core processors devoid of integrated graphics, with double the memory bus width and up to triple the PCIe lane budgets as the desktop ("Skylake-D," eg: Core i7-6700) processors. In an interesting move, Intel will launch both "Skylake-X" and "Kaby Lake-X" in quick succession, with a catch - "Skylake-X" will come in 6-core, 8-core, and 10-core variants; while the "Kaby Lake-X" will initially only be offered in quad-core. The "Kaby Lake-X" chip will further only feature a dual-channel memory bus, and the LGA2066 motherboard will have half its DDR4 DIMM slots disabled, besides a few PCIe lanes.
The Core i7 "Skylake-X" processors, besides coming in 6-core, 8-core, and 10-core variants, could have sub-variants with fewer PCIe lanes. All chips will, however, feature quad-channel memory interfaces. Besides the DMI 3.0 (PCI-Express 3.0 x4 physical layer) chipset bus, "Skylake-X" chips will offer up to 44 PCI-Express gen 3.0 lanes. Interestingly, the chipset will have a much wider downstream PCIe lane budget than what we're used to seeing on Intel PCH chips for the past several generations - it offers a whopping 22 PCI-Express gen 3.0 downstream lanes. This could prove useful in driving bandwidth-hungry onboard devices such as Thunderbolt controllers, multiple PCI-Express SSDs, etc.

Intel plans to launch the Core i7 "Skylake-X" processors in as early as Q3-2017 (July-September 2017).
Source: BenchLife.info

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63 Comments on Intel Readies Skylake-X As its Next High-end Desktop Platform

#1
RejZoR
So, if you have LGA2011 already, nothing new at all. Sigh. And still this silly 6, 8 and 10 configuration. It should really be 10, 12 and 16. I mean, we had 6 core variant back in the Nehalem days with Core i7 980X. That was what, 6 or 7 years ago? Absurd.
Posted on Reply
#3
dorsetknob
"YOUR RMA REQUEST IS CON-REFUSED"
btarunrand the LGA2066 motherboard will have half its DDR4 DIMM slots disabled, besides a few PCIe lanes.
Sorry "" NO SALE "" not interested in buying disabled Equipment "ROLL ON ZEN"
Posted on Reply
#4
Recon-UK
Intel are running at 200MPH into a brick wall lately, Kaby Lake is just a joke and now this? LOL
Posted on Reply
#5
the54thvoid
Super Intoxicated Moderator
Recon-UKIntel are running at 200MPH into a brick wall lately, Kaby Lake is just a joke and now this? LOL
Yeah, WTF? Kaby Lake is quad core... so Kaby Lake X is... quad core. Does this mean Intel's Kaby Lake release won't feature overclocking friendly SKU's? so that the 'X' designation allows it to be OC friendly?
Posted on Reply
#6
Recon-UK
the54thvoidYeah, WTF? Kaby Lake is quad core... so Kaby Lake X is... quad core. Does this mean Intel's Kaby Lake release won't feature overclocking friendly SKU's? so that the 'X' designation allows it to be OC friendly?
Only time will tell how this all pans out, but to me it looks like intel are running out of puff in performance terms, and trying to fill gaps in their HEDT platform, really the lowest end chip should be a 6 core.
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#7
The Von Matrices
Considering the new platform, this could be the CPU that enthusiasts have been asking for - a quad core CPU with a soldered IHS.
Posted on Reply
#8
Recon-UK
The Von MatricesConsidering the new platform, this could be the CPU that enthusiasts have been asking for - a quad core CPU with a soldered IHS.
Really? there are a tonne of options for a Quad Core with a soldered heatsink lol.
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#9
The Von Matrices
Recon-UKReally? there are a tonne of options for a Quad Core with a soldered heatsink lol.
Not if you want something modern.
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#10
dorsetknob
"YOUR RMA REQUEST IS CON-REFUSED"
The Von MatricesConsidering the new platform, this could be the CPU that enthusiasts have been asking for - a quad core CPU with a soldered IHS.
:roll::roll:
you are trying to be AMUSING ??
Posted on Reply
#11
Recon-UK
The Von MatricesNot if you want something modern.
Well Skylake is older than Kaby Lake yet performs the same.
Posted on Reply
#12
R-T-B
thesmokingmanAnother freaking socket?
Welcome to Intel.
Posted on Reply
#13
Aquinus
Resident Wat-man
I think you're all missing the point though. This is like having one socket for mainstream and HEDT CPUs isn't it? Doesn't that make upgrading from quad to 6c+ easier if you don't want to invest the funds in more cores right off the bat?
Posted on Reply
#14
Recon-UK
AquinusI think you're all missing the point though. This is like having one socket for mainstream and HEDT CPUs isn't it? Doesn't that make upgrading from quad to 6c+ easier if you don't want to invest the funds in more cores right off the bat?
No that method is factually more expensive.
Posted on Reply
#15
Grings
Still 28 lanes on some chips, and you can bet your ass that the 44 lane ones will sell at even higher a price premium over the 28 lane chips than 40 lane variants of current chips do over 28 lane ones

The sole reason they chose 28 lanes is because people want 32 for dual gpu's

assholes
Posted on Reply
#16
The Von Matrices
dorsetknob:roll::roll:
you are trying to be AMUSING ??
Have you seen the number of threads in the past few years of people complaining about Intel's change to paste from solder? For a lot of people it was like the world ended when they did it with Ivy Bridge. Not everyone can afford or can benefit from 6+ core CPUs.
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#17
RejZoR
The Von MatricesConsidering the new platform, this could be the CPU that enthusiasts have been asking for - a quad core CPU with a soldered IHS.
Aren't all HEDT chips on LGA2011 with soldered IHS? Or that epoxy thermal solution which is still way better than normal grease that was used with 49xx series of i7's ?
Posted on Reply
#18
Aquinus
Resident Wat-man
Recon-UKNo that method is factually more expensive.
Replacing any hardware you already bought is going to be more expensive than buying it outright but, not everyone has that option but, you know what would make it even more expensive? Replacing the motherboard too. :)
Posted on Reply
#19
Recon-UK
The Von MatricesHave you seen the number of threads in the past few years of people complaining about Intel's change to paste from solder? For a lot of people it was like the world ended when they did it with Ivy Bridge. Not everyone can afford or can benefit from 6+ core CPUs.
This is HEDT not mainstream, 1366 had 4 core chips with HT as their minimum because it was 2008.
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#20
erocker
*
I dont get the point of Kaby Lake-X.
Posted on Reply
#21
RejZoR
Recon-UKThis is HEDT not mainstream, 1366 had 4 core chips with HT as their minimum because it was 2008.
Don't forget, LGA1366 also had 980X which was a 6 core with 12 threads. That was also back in 2009-ish?
Posted on Reply
#22
TheGuruStud
GringsStill 28 lanes on some chips, and you can bet your ass that the 44 lane ones will sell at even higher a price premium over the 28 lane chips than 40 lane variants of current chips do over 28 lane ones

The sole reason they chose 28 lanes is because people want 32 for dual gpu's

assholes
Zen is 32, I'm guessing. Oh, boy, Zen needs to perform and steal all these sales.
Posted on Reply
#23
jabbadap
erockerI dont get the point of Kaby Lake-X.
Yeah sound a bit strange, maybe they exists in the same time and real upgrade for the same socket will be Cannon Lake X(intel tick tock is no more)...

But most of these processors are E5 Xeons anyway, with targeted use cases.
Posted on Reply
#24
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
dorsetknobSorry "" NO SALE "" not interested in buying disabled Equipment "ROLL ON ZEN"
Then don't buy that one specific chip. You act like there won't be disabled chips with Zen...
Posted on Reply
#25
the54thvoid
Super Intoxicated Moderator
erockerI dont get the point of Kaby Lake-X.
I'm thinking you'll get the point if Intel release a standard i7 7700 chip in Jan 2017. No X = no unlocked multiplier. Makes Kaby Lake - X an easier sell.

If they do that, it's a new low blow. They're entitled to do so as a business but right now I am sorely crossing my fingers for Zen. Though I'm not too hopeful.
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