The Chinese tech press is abuzz with slides allegedly from Intel's pre-launch press-deck for the Core Ultra 2-series "Arrow Lake-S." The most sensational of these are Intel's first-party performance claims for the top Core Ultra 9 285K model. There's good news and bad news. Good news first—Intel claims to have made a big leap in energy efficiency with "Arrow Lake," and the 285K should offer gaming performance comparable to the current Core i9-14900K at around 80 W lower power draw for the processor. But then there in lies the bad news—despite claimed IPC gains for the "Lion Cove" P-core, and rumored clock speeds being on par with the "Raptor Cove" P-cores on the i9-14900K, the 285K is barely any faster than its predecessor in absolute terms.

In its first party testing, when averaged across 12 game tests, which we used Google optical translation to make out the titles of, Intel used performance numbers of the i9-14900K as the mean. The 285K beats the i9-14900K in only four games—Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2, Age of Mythology Retold, Civilization VI: Gathering Storm, and F1 23. It's on-par with the i9-14900K in Red Dead Redemption 2, Total War: Pharaoh, Metro Exodus, Cyberpunk 2077, Black Myth: Wukong, Rainbow Six Siege. It's slower than the i9-14900K in Far Cry 6, FF XIV, F1 24, Red Dead Redemption 2. Averaged across this bench, the Core Ultra 9 285K ends up roughly on par with the Core i9-14900K in gaming. Intel also compared the 285K to AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X, and interestingly, even the Ryzen 9 7950X3D.

Synnex Technology International is a major Hong Kong-based distributor of PC components, which also retails directly. PC enthusiasts in Hong Kong have been trying to avail replacements for their Intel Core i9-14900K processors under Intel's laid down procedure, including extended warranties for the processor, which has been hit by the notorious physical degradation issue. A customer sent in their i9-14900K to find that they are not getting a replacement chip, because Synnex ran out of chips to send customers as replacements.

The retailer sent in a template response that the chip sent by the customer cannot be repaired or replaced, but the customer can avail a cash refund of HKD $4,200 (around $540), which is close to the street price of the processor. The processor itself has been running out of stock in many places, partly because inventory in the channel is being directed toward honoring warranty claims. The only practical way to honor a processor warranty claim is replacement, since there is very little that can be repaired by a distributor (except maybe the stock cooler). HKEPC reports that the user took Synnex up on its offer for refund, sold everything in their machine except the SSD, and is now planning to build a new machine based on the Ryzen 9 9950X.

As AMD prepares to roll out its next-generation Ryzen 9000 series of CPUs based on Zen 5 architecture, we are starting to see some systems being tested by third-party OEMs and system integrators. Today, we have Geekbench 6 scores of the Ryzen 9 9900X CPU, and the 12-core, 24-thread processor that has demonstrated impressive performance gains. Boasting a base clock of 4.4 GHz and a boost clock of up to 5.6 GHz, the CPU features only 120 W TDP, a significant reduction from the previous 170 W of the previous generation. In Geekbench 6 tests, the Ryzen 9 9900X achieved a single-core score of 3,401 and a multicore score of 19,756.

These results place it ahead of Intel's current flagship Core i9-14900KS, which scored 3,189 points in single-core performance. Regarding multicore tasks, the i9-14900K scored 21,890 points, still higher than AMD's upcoming 12-core SKU. The benchmark of AMD's CPU was conducted on an ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Gene motherboard with 32 GB of DDR5 memory. As anticipation builds for the official release, these early benchmarks suggest that AMD will deliver a compelling product that balances high performance with improved energy efficiency. The top tier models will still carry a 170 W TDP, while some high-end and middle-end SKUs get a TDP reduction like the Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X dial down to 65 W, decreased from 105 W in their previous iterations.

Corsair today announced the launch of the Corsair ONE i500 PC, a compact powerhouse packed with cutting-edge components and boasting high-end performance for content creators, AI-savvy professionals, and gamers. The sleek, space-saving design houses up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card and Intel Core i9-14900K processor—both liquid cooled. Combined with next-gen DDR5 memory and 2 TB of NVMe SSD storage, the Corsair ONE i500 delivers the speed, storage, and reliability you'd expect from a high-end PC.

The Corsair ONE i500 PC is 30% smaller than a full-sized desktop PC but doesn't compromise on power. Modern liquid cooling delivers top-tier thermal efficiency, minimizing CPU and GPU temperatures while achieving faster performance, all while being noticeably quieter than traditional cooling. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 and 4080 SUPER graphics cards power a quantum leap in framerates and AI-powered graphics, while Intel 14th Gen CPU architecture makes sure you game and multitask without compromise.

ASRock proudly announces its new Z790I Lightning WiFi and B760I Lightning WiFi Mini-ITX motherboards. Equipped with a robust 14+1+1 power phase design and an optimized memory layout, these motherboards fully unleash the powerful performance of Intel Core 14th Gen K-series processors. Offering top-tier memory overclocking capabilities for supporting DDR5 8600+ memory modules, they present an excellent choice for gamers and mini-PC enthusiasts seeking the ultimate overclocking performance. The Z790I Lightning WiFi has achieved four overclocking world records on HWBOT.org with the Intel Core i9-14900KS processor. Additionally, the B760I Lightning WiFi received the "Best Motherboard" award at CES 2024 from Tom's Hardware, emphasizing its exceptional design and overclocking capabilities.

ASRock Z790I Lightning WiFi and B760I Lightning WiFi motherboards feature a 14+1+1 Phase 110 A SPS Dr.MOS VRM, outperforming competing ITX offerings. ASRock has custom-designed a composite cooling solution for these boards, including enlarged aluminium heatsinks, heat-pipe, and a MOS fan, delivering robust cooling performance to enhance overclocking capabilities. This superior cooling ensures the processors perform at their peak.

Intel's 14th Generation "Raptor Lake Refresh" processor series debuted in "enthusiast" SKU form last October—Team Blue's official product unveiling was less than surprising, since multiple SKUs and specifications had been leaked throughout mid-to-late 2023. The true top-of-the-pile Intel Core i9-14900KS SKU was first linked to a possible announcement at January's CES trade show, but did not appear in any of last year's leaked product lists. Team Blue proceeded to introduce its 14th Gen "mainstream" 65 W SKUs to the crowd in Las Vegas, but the leaked Core i9-14900KS model did not pop up, contrary to tipster claims—Intel had a history of presenting "KS" variants during January showcases.

Industry experts reckon that the current Raptor Lake Refresh flagship—Core i9 14900K—is getting some extra time in the spotlight, before its inevitable dethroning courtesy of a "Special Edition" sibling. BenchLife has reached out to its cadre of insiders, following yesterday's reports of a "gargantuan 409 W maximum package power draw." The alleged top dog 14th Gen Core part is perhaps only a month away from launch, as leaked by industry moles: "According to our reliable sources, Intel plans to launch the Intel Core i9 in mid-March 2024. 14900KS is a limited edition processor with a clock speed of 6.2 GHz, but we cannot confirm whether it will be sold to a specific system vendor or a specific channel."

According to the discovery made by @ghost_motley on X/Twitter, we have information that MSI is starting to roll out BIOS updates to accommodate Intel's Application Optimization called APO shortly. This update, however, comes with significant restrictions. Intel APO, designed to enhance performance, is exclusively compatible with 14th Gen Intel CPUs, leaving owners of previous-generation Intel processors, mainly the closely comparable 13th Gen, without this benefit. Intel's APO is an extension of its Dynamic Tuning Technology (DTT) specifically for gaming. It is available on select 14th Gen Core processors like the i9-14900K/KF, enhancing workload distribution across hardware resources like P-cores and optimizing them for peak frequencies.

As noted, the current rollout of Intel APO support is limited, namely to the Intel Core i7-14700K, i7-14700KF, i9-14900K, and i9-14900KF, excluding the Core i5 series. This omission is significant given APO's focus on boosting gaming performance, a feature that would be highly beneficial to Core i5 users. However, the feature is currently supported by only two games: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege and Metro Exodus. The frame rate improvements in Rainbow can be as high as 13% while also boosting Metro Exodus FPS by 16%. Whether we will see more APO-optimized games or not, owners of MSI motherboards have received their updates and are ready to enjoy the FPS increase.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices today, introduces the best motherboards to power the latest Intel Core 14th gen i9-14900K processor. BIOSTAR's flagship Z790 VALKYRIE, Z790A-SILVER, Z690A VALKYRIE, and Z690A-SILVER motherboards are fully optimized to accommodate the cutting-edge Intel Core i9-14900K processor, promising exceptional performance across various user needs.

Meticulously crafted with precision engineering, BIOSTAR motherboards carry the latest technological advancements and innovative features for peak performance and durability. With each component designed to harness the full capabilities of the cutting-edge Intel Core i9-14900K Processor, BIOSTAR motherboards promise users an unparalleled computing experience that blends speed with stability. These motherboards cater to diverse user requirements, such as gamers seeking smoother, more immersive gaming experiences and office users who demand swift task execution, reduced application load times, rapid file transfers, and instant computer responsiveness.

YEYIAN GAMING, a leader in innovative pre-built gaming PCs, peripherals, and computer components, is thrilled to announce the market launch of eight new gaming desktop PCs powered by the latest INTEL Core i9/i7/i5 14th Gen unlocked CPUs. Four of the eight new models are available exclusively for purchase on Newegg. These newly launched models are meticulously crafted to redefine the gaming experience, catering to both professional gamers and avid enthusiasts alike.

The highlight of this remarkable launch is the fusion of INTEL 14th gen processors with NVIDIA RTX 4000 series graphics cards, culminating in an unparalleled gaming extravaganza that redefines the boundaries of what's possible in the gaming world.

Intel's 14th Gen Core i9-14900K and i9-14900KF are making their mark around the OC community, with the highest validated clock speed record now at 9048 MHz by elmor, and the highest clock speed reached during a live OC session at 9.10 GHz by SkatterBencher. The records were set on the latest crop of Intel Z790 chipset motherboard models that manufacturers launched over the past few week, which were designed keeping the 14th Gen processors in mind. Both the overclocking pros used a core voltage of 1.360 V, and extreme cooling to boot. SkatterBencher used liquid helium to cool the processor for his OC attempt, in which the glorious 9100 MHz frequency was achieved. This speed couldn't be validated as CPUID is working on improving the validation process of CPU-Z to prevent artificially inflated clock speeds, so hopefully we'll see the 9.10 GHz record being validated soon. Until then, elmor is officially on top of the leaderboard with his 9048 MHz feat!

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading brand of performance overclock memory and PC components, is excited to announce the launch of a new Trident Z5 RGB DDR5 memory kit specification at DDR5-8400 CL40-52-52-134 48 GB (2x24GB), aimed at the latest 14th Gen Intel Core desktop processor & Intel Z790 chipset platform.

Extreme Memory Speed at DDR5-8400 CL40
Developed on the latest 14th Gen Intel Core desktop processor and Intel Z790 chipset platform, G.SKILL is announcing a new DDR5 memory specification at DDR5-8400 CL40-52-52-134 with 48 GB (2x24GB) kit capacity. As shown in the screenshot below, this extreme speed memory kit is validated on the Intel Core i9-14900K desktop processor and ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore motherboard, and demonstrates incredible memory bandwidth speeds at 128.88 GB/s read, 127.03 GB/s write, and 123.83 GB/s copy in the AIDA64 memory bandwidth benchmark.

ORIGIN PC, a leader in custom high-performance systems, today announced the availability of the latest 14th Gen Intel Core Processors across its lineup of custom desktop PCs. Whether you are looking for a compact powerhouse in the form of the CHRONOS, timeless elegance in the NEURON, or supercharged gaming in the liquid-cooled GENESIS, all these machines can now draw on the power of Intel's latest 14th Gen processors. These custom-built PCs are available with a selection of the best hardware to choose from, including CORSAIR VENGEANCE DDR5 memory, iCUE LINK Smart Component Technology, and Hydro X Series liquid cooling. The expert system builders at ORIGIN PC are primed to craft a masterpiece that's ready to game without compromise.

The brand new Intel Core i9-14900K boasts clock speeds up to 6.0 GHz, taking advantage of its 24 cores (8 Performance cores and 16 Efficient cores) and 32 threads to redefine high-end performance. It also features Intel Thermal Velocity Boost, Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 Frequency, as well as support for PCIe 5.0/4.0 and DDR5/DDR4. Enthusiast gamers and serious creators can now access the high performance necessary to make the most from their craft.

CORSAIR, a world leader in enthusiast components for gamers, creators, and PC builders, today announced its range-wide compatibility and readiness for Intel's new 14th Generation Intel Core processors. With a enormous range of tested and validated components such as DDR5 memory, all-in-one liquid CPU coolers, innovative and reliable power supplies, and blazing fast M.2 SSDs, you can be confident that CORSAIR components will pair exceptionally with the latest in Intel processors to help your PC reach its full potential.

The latest Core processors utilize Intel's new Performance Hybrid Architecture, featuring more efficiency-cores for the best gaming experience—even while streaming and encoding video. Other features, such as Intel Thread Director to keep background tasks from slowing down games and Smart Cache for smoother gameplay and faster load times, make 14th Gen Core processors a great choice for PC gaming. But it's not enough to just have the CPU; you need to complete your system with components that can keep up and tap into its full potential, and that's where CORSAIR comes in.

Today, Intel launched the new Intel Core 14th Generation desktop processor family, led by the Intel Core i9-14900K. This latest-generation desktop processor family includes six new unlocked desktop processors at launch, delivering up to 24 cores and 32 threads and up to 6 GHz of frequency right out of the box. Additionally, the Intel Core i7-14700K arrives with 20 cores and 28 threads thanks to four more Efficient-cores (E-cores) compared with the prior generation. And Intel's Extreme Tuning Utility (XTU) now features the new AI Assist feature, bringing one-click AI-guided overclocking to select unlocked Intel Core 14th Gen desktop processors.

"Since the introduction of our performance hybrid architecture, Intel has consistently raised the bar for desktop performance. With our Intel Core 14th Generation processors, we're showing once again why enthusiasts turn to Intel for the best desktop experience available on the market today." -Roger Chandler, Intel vice president and general manager, Enthusiast PC and Workstation, Client Computing Group.