Saturday, December 22nd 2018
Four 9th Gen Core "KF" Processor Models Get Listed
We've tracked the possibility of GPU-disabled 9th generation Core "Coffee Lake Refresh" processors since early December with a Q1-2019 launch target. Some of these chips are already surfacing on retailers, with Norwegian and Finnish online stores listing four chips: the Core i9-9900KF, the i7-9700KF, i5-9600KF, and the i5-9400F. There's no sign of the quad-core i3-9350KF. As mentioned earlier, these are processors with their integrated graphics either disabled or physically absent. The "KF" extension indicates that in addition to lacking an iGPU, these chips feature an unlocked base-clock multipler. The i5-9400F, on the other hand, has a locked multiplier and lacks an iGPU.
The clock-speeds of the i9-9900KF, i7-9700KF, and i5-9600KF appear identical to their iGPU-equipped siblings, with the i9-9900KF featuring 3.60 GHz nominal and 5.00 GHz Turbo Boost, the i7-9700KF featuring 3.60 GHz nominal and 4.90 GHz Turbo Boost, and i5-9600KF featuring 3.70 GHz nominal with 4.70 GHz Turbo Boost. The i5-9400F is an interesting chip, it is speed-bump over the popular i5-8400, with 2.90 GHz nominal and likely 4.20 GHz Turbo Boost. Besides slightly increase clock speeds, you get hardware fixes to certain security vulnerabilities Intel addressed with the 9th generation. The prices of these chips are off the scale, and nothing really worth mentioning.
Source:
Tom's Hardware
The clock-speeds of the i9-9900KF, i7-9700KF, and i5-9600KF appear identical to their iGPU-equipped siblings, with the i9-9900KF featuring 3.60 GHz nominal and 5.00 GHz Turbo Boost, the i7-9700KF featuring 3.60 GHz nominal and 4.90 GHz Turbo Boost, and i5-9600KF featuring 3.70 GHz nominal with 4.70 GHz Turbo Boost. The i5-9400F is an interesting chip, it is speed-bump over the popular i5-8400, with 2.90 GHz nominal and likely 4.20 GHz Turbo Boost. Besides slightly increase clock speeds, you get hardware fixes to certain security vulnerabilities Intel addressed with the 9th generation. The prices of these chips are off the scale, and nothing really worth mentioning.
49 Comments on Four 9th Gen Core "KF" Processor Models Get Listed
OK, everybody knows what Porsche 911 is. Good example. You go to the showroom and say: I want to buy 911. Sure what model? And then you have many models to choose from. Certainly most will take classic 911, with all bells and whistles your wallet can afford (or not if you live permanently on debit, but that's your problem :P). Anyway.... but there will be 0.1% of customers which will say - No! I want track version GT98whatever-no-frills-no-bells version. And VW/Porsche will say sure, why not. Then they take normal 911, remove and strips down everything you may need in a car, fit in roll-cage and then charge say 100k$ more for that version, just so user can drive 10km/h faster on a track.
And now we have Intel. 9900K is stupidly overpriced already, but then they come-up with KF which doesn't have iGPU (poo we all agree on that) and charge even more? o_O
Only way to analyze the price is to compare with other prices in Norway. Seems like it's about the same, given that prices usually drops a bit after the parts become available.
A better example would be if intel ripped out or disabled iGP to make the CPU a better overclocker.
What is USP?
Also I have not looked at recent chip's but for years the igpu was a separate die connected via mcm substrate , when did it get incorporated into the cpu die?
www.anandtech.com/show/4118/a-closer-look-at-the-sandy-bridge-die
verkkokauppa.accountorict.fi/intel/cat-b/b21/c_36124/pi_4/pl_bybrand/s_4?ffd=l-p3710-v2146024
The 9600KF (€193+VAT) is listed at around €80+VAT less there, than the 9600K.
Although the prices seem to be all over the place right now, especially as they list the 9400F at the same price as the 9600KF.
The 9600KF is going for around €180+VAT in Denmark www.buyblue.dk/processorer/cat-c/c36124/s_1?pfd=onp-1_pvk-e3012v1255932
This shop wants €165+VAT www.yritystenverkkokauppa.fi/komponentit/cat-c/c1000020/l_en/s_14
Whereas this one is closer to €276+VAT networkx.chainshop.eu/product/details/intel/newly-added-products/bx80684i59600kf/2440349A
It's anyone's guess what the final pricing will be.
Intel forgot to add the "C". :D
Wait and see, I guess.
But I look forward to when a real site will actually test the so called "hardware fixes", and see what is really going on here. I don't trust Intel, they are simply taking far too long to update their architecture, and I get the feeling like they want us to all forget about what performance was like before these "fixes", so they can just brush it under the carpet, in typical Intel fashion.
Anyone wanna bet that these "hardware mitigations" are nothing more than new firmware? Just like when Intel say that a "new" CPU won't work on an old chipset or motherboard, that just has one pin different in the CPU socket, just to make sure it can't be done!
Maybe some hardware hacker will save the day.
It fixes nothing else, but that is real. It couldn't not be real because we already have firmware fixes, and they require the OS to cooperate. It has to be hardware if it doesn't need OS-interaction.
2018 production issues intel: oh, look what we’re releasing, totally a new sku.
Too bad it’s not a new die. Or I’d be surprised if so.