The Intel Core i7-7740X is a desktop processor with 4 cores, launched in June 2017. It is part of the Core i7 lineup, using the X-Series 7th Gen architecture with Socket 2066. Thanks to Intel Hyper-Threading the core-count is effectively doubled, to 8 threads. Core i7-7740X has 8 MB of L3 cache and operates at 4.3 GHz by default, but can boost up to 4.6 GHz, depending on the workload. Intel is making the Core i7-7740X on a 14 nm production node, the transistor count is unknown. You may freely adjust the unlocked multiplier on Core i7-7740X, which simplifies overclocking greatly, as you can easily dial in any overclocking frequency.
With a TDP of 112 W, the Core i7-7740X consumes a lot of power, so good cooling is definitely needed. Intel's processor supports DDR4 memory with a quad-channel interface. For communication with other components in the computer, Core i7-7740X uses a PCI-Express Gen 3 connection. This processor does not have integrated graphics, you will need a separate graphics card.
Hardware virtualization is available on the Core i7-7740X, which greatly improves virtual machine performance. Additionally, IOMMU virtualization (PCI passthrough) is supported, so that guest virtual machines may directly use host hardware. Programs using Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) can run on this processor, boosting performance for calculation-heavy applications. Besides AVX, Intel is including the newer AVX2 standard, too, but not AVX-512.