The retail packaging of Intel's 6th generation Core "Skylake" processors in the LGA1151 package, will be surprisingly colorful, and a throwback to the pre-Pentium 4 era, according to spy-shots of the retail boxes of the upcoming Core i7-6700K and Core i5-6600K. What's even more surprising, is that packages of the i7-6700K and i5-6600K, which feature unlocked base-clock multipliers, making them primed for overclocking, do not include stock cooling solutions. Their retail packages resemble those of Intel's Core i7 HEDT processors. In the box, you'll find just the processor, its case-badge, and basic documentation.

Both the Core i7-6700K and Core i5-6600K feature the same integrated graphics SKU - HD Graphics 530. Both feature integrated memory controllers that support both DDR3L and DDR4 memory types. The Core i5 predictably lacks HyperThreading, and only features 6 MB of L3 cache, while the Core i7 features HyperThreading, and the full 8 MB present on the chip. The "Skylake" silicon will be built on the 14 nm process.

MSI is set to fuse its two premium motherboard lines - OC Series and Gaming, with its upcoming Z170 family. The company's upcoming Z170 XPower Gaming Titanium Edition is the first such product. This stunning looking board features a silvery-white PCB, with the frosty-silver scheme continuing on to the chipset and VRM heatsinks. Its main PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots (which are wired to the CPU), feature a chrome tipped slot brace. Built in the ATX form-factor, the Z170 XPower Gaming Titanium Edition draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX, 8-pin EPS, 4-pin ATX, and 6-pin PCIe power connectors. It uses a 16-phase VRM with tantalum capacitors, to condition power for the CPU. The CPU is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots, supporting up to 64 GB of dual-channel memory.

Expansion slots include four PCI-Express 3.0 x16, from which three are wired to the CPU (electrical x16/NC/NC or x8/NC/x8 or x8/x4/x4); the fourth is electrical PCIe 3.0 x4 and wired to the PCH. Three PCIe 3.0 x1 slots make for the rest of the expansion area. Storage connectivity includes two M.2 32 Gb/s slots, two SATA-Express 16 Gb/s, and eight SATA 6 Gb/s ports. Display outputs include one each of DisplayPort and HDMI. USB connectivity includes 4 USB 3.1 slots, which include a mixture of type-A and type-C, with a physical type-A port pointing "forwards." MSI AudioBoost 3 audio solution, and Killer E2200 NIC make for the rest of its connectivity. The board features a detachable module with OC controls, called the OC Dashboard. This plugs into headers around the voltage measurement points. You also get automatic overclocking via a rotary knob. MSI will launch this board in its first wave of socket LGA1151 motherboards.

Here's the first picture of GIGABYTE's upcoming Gaming 3 motherboard. We're not allowed to name the chipset, that's as well-guarded a secret as Coca Cola's recipe, so you'll just have to use your imagination. This socket LGA1151 motherboard, is designed to strike a price-features sweetspot, and supports 2-way NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFireX. Built in the ATX form-factor, the board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS connectors, and offers a 7-phase CPU VRM. The socket is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots, supporting up to 64 GB of dual-channel DDR4 memory, and two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots (x8/x8, when both are populated). A third PCI-Express x16 slot (electrical gen 3.0 x4), is wired to the PCH, along with three other PCI-Express 3.0 x1 slots.

Storage connectivity includes two 32 Gb/s M.2 slots, three SATA-Express 16 Gb/s, and six SATA 6 Gb/s ports. Among the USB connectivity are two USB 3.1 ports (with at least one type-C port), at least eight USB 3.0 ports (from which four are given out via headers), and a number of USB 2.0/1.1 ports. The AMP-UP audio solution combines a 115 dBA SNR CODEC with ground-layer isolation, an OPAMP tuned for gaming and music, audio-grade capacitors, and EMI shielding. Networking is care of a Killer E2200 chip. Display outputs include D-Sub, DVI, and HDMI. GIGABYTE-exclusive Dual-UEFI BIOS is featured. Also offered is TurboOverclock+, a hardware-based overclock automation and stability testing system. This board will be a part of GIGABYTE's first wave of next-generation motherboards. It will include keys to some cool World of Tanks DLC.

Here are some of the first pictures of GIGABYTE's flagship socket LGA1151 motherboard targeted at professional overclockers, the Z170-SOC Force. Built in the standard ATX form-factor, this board offers strong CPU and memory VRM, and yet offers a connectivity loadout that's in league with "gaming" class motherboards. To begin with, the board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX, 8-pin EPS, 4-pin ATX, and 6-pin PCIe power connectors. A 24-phase VRM powers the CPU, its heatsink features preparation for liquid cooling. The CPU socket is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots (supporting up to 64 GB of dual-channel DDR4-3200 memory).

Expansion slots include four PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (electrical x16/NC/NC/x4 or x8/NC/x8/x4 or x8/x4/x4/x4); and three PCI-Express 3.0 x1. Storage connectivity includes three M.2 slots (32 Gb/s), three SATA-Express 16 Gb/s ports, and a total of eight SATA 6 Gb/s ports. USB connectivity includes two USB 3.1 ports (two type-A, from which one converts to type-C if it's populated), eight USB 3.0 ports (four on the rear panel, four by header), and a number of USB 2.0/1.1 ports, including two type-A ports near the SATA ports (could help serve as "front-panel" ports in bench-type case setups). Display outputs include one each of DVI, HDMI and mini-DisplayPort (which likely also means availability of Thunderbolt 20 Gb/s). Gigabit Ethernet and GIGABYTE's latest generation Amp-Up audio solution make for the rest of it. A plethora of onboard OC control options are available. Find more pictures at the source.

MSI is readying a trio of Gaming "M" Series socket LGA1151 motherboards with DDR4 memory slots. It's important to note that the "M" does not denote micro-ATX, as it used to, in previous generations. It's inserted before the model number, letting you know that it's an MSI Gaming product, and not by one of its competitors, which imitated its nomenclature, with its Z97 motherboards. The lineup includes the Z170A Gaming M5, the Z170A Gaming M7, and the Z170A Gaming M9 ACK.

The Z170A Gaming M5 offers all the features you need to build a slick gaming PC build, with up to two high-end graphics cards. It offers a 10-phase CPU VRM, an all-PCIe gen 3.0 expansion area, ten SATA ports (including two SATA-Express 16 Gb/s), two M.2 slots (both 32 Gb/s), and AudioBoost III audio, with Killer E2205 GbE. The Z170A Gaming M7 takes things a notch up, with a 14-phase CPU VRM, a "Game Boost" rotary knob that steps up CPU and memory clocks in 11 preset steps, and better onboard audio. The Z170A Gaming M9 ACK leads the pack, with a back-plate, liquid-cooling preparation for the VRM heatsink, and Killer ACK WLAN. All three feature USB 3.1 with both type-A and type-C ports.

MSI released this picture of its upcoming premium black-and-white themed socket LGA1151 motherboard, the Z170 Krait Gaming. Designed for gaming PC builds with up to two graphics cards, this board features white on not just its heatsinks, ports, and connectors (contrasting with black), but also in streaks on the PCB. The board draws power from 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS power connectors, and uses an 8-phase VRM to condition it for the CPU. The CPU socket is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots, supporting up to 64 GB of dual-channel memory, and two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots (x8/x8 when both are populated).

Other expansion slots on the Z170 Krait Gaming include a third PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (electrical gen 3.0 x4, wired to the PCH), three PCIe 3.0 x1, and a legacy PCI slot. The board offers MSI's AudioBoost 3 onboard audio solution, and Killer E2205 gigabit Ethernet. Storage connectivity includes six SATA 6 Gb/s ports (from which two can convert to a SATA-Express 16 Gb/s port), and one M.2 slot. Display outputs include DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort. The MSI Z170 Krait Gaming will be part of the company's first wave of LGA1151 motherboards, which launch alongside Intel Core i7-6700K and i5-6600K "Skylake" quad-core processors, in early-August.

In a bid to regain market share lost to Intel and Killer (Qualcomm) in the DIY motherboard market, particularly with motherboards targeted at online gaming PC builds; Realtek unveiled a new onboard LAN solution called the Realtek Dragon. Intel and Killer have replaced Realtek as a preferred onboard Ethernet chip provider for DIY PC motherboards over the past two generations, as perception of their lower driver overhead, lower latencies, and other advantages spread. Sensing that merely improving drivers for its existing RTL8111 family of PCIe gigabit Ethernet PHY chips won't fix the situation, Realtek sought to give its latest generation an off-beat brand name that it hopes could appeal to the DIY crowd.

At the heart of the Realtek Dragon is the new RTL8118AS, a PCIe gigabit Ethernet PHY, much like the 8111 family. Realtek says it made refinements to the chip over previous generations, which will offer better performance (lower driver overhead) for traffic with small UDP packets, which is how most online multiplayer games work, and lower power consumption than competing solutions, such as the Killer E2200. Realtek even set a new branding for its chip, and will allow motherboard makers to print it on their PCBs, just as they print branding for Killer or Intel onboard LAN solutions. Realtek Dragon will make its debut with certain socket LGA1151 motherboards by ECS.

Intel is expected to debut its 6th generation Core "Skylake" desktop processor family at Gamescom 2015, which will be held in Cologne, Germany, between 5th and 9th August. PC enthusiasts should look forward to two parts in particular, the Core i7-6700K, and the Core i5-6600K. The two quad-core chips will be built in the LGA1151 package, compatible with upcoming motherboards based on Intel's 100-series chipset. Motherboards based on the Intel Z170 Express chipset will allow CPU overclocking. The integrated memory controller of "Skylake" CPUs support both DDR3 and DDR4 memory standards, and should prove to be a transition point between the two.

Following the i7-6700K and i5-6600K with Z170 chipset motherboards, at Gamescom; Intel will launch other parts in the 6th gen. Core processor family between late-August and early-September. Those launches will include i7-6700/6700T, Core i5-6600, 6500, 6400, 6600T, 6500T and 6400T, and H170 and B150 chipsets. Then in late-September, the company will launch the entry-level H110 chipset.

In addition to its flagship GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics card, Colorful unveiled its most premium socket LGA1151 motherboard, the Z170 Ymir-G. This board offers a massive 18-phase CPU VRM with provision for liquid cooling, four DDR4 DIMM slots, supporting up to 64 GB of dual-channel DDR4-3400 memory, three each of PCI-Express 3.0 x16 and PCI-Express 3.0 x1 slots, making up the expansion area. Storage connectivity includes two SATA-Express 16 Gb/s, one M.2 32 Gb/s (under a detachable portion of the metal shroud, two USB 3.1, six USB 3.0 ports; two gigabit Ethernet connections, and a premium 8-channel HD audio solution.

Noctua announced in its Computex 2015 presentation that the company will give away adapters that let its CPU cooler models from as far as 2005 support Intel's upcoming socket LGA1151. The company will give away NM-115x retention module, which will let you install its CPU coolers on socket LGA1151 motherboards, which drive Intel's upcoming 6th generation Core "Skylake" processors. Products in Noctua's current product-stack already support LGA1151, as the socket features an identical mount-hole spacing to its predecessors, the LGA1150, LGA1155, and LGA1156. Those with older Noctua coolers that are upgrading from another socket (eg: LGA775 or LGA1366) should be able to write to Noctua with a few simple purchase details, and receive the adapter for free.

ASRock is seeking to strike a cost-features sweet-spot around the $130-150 mark with the new Z170 Extreme4 motherboard. ASRock didn't finalize the board's heatsink design, but showed it off at Computex. This ATX form-factor, socket LGA1151 motherboard based on Intel's Z170 Express chipset, features four DDR4 DIMM slots, supporting up to 64 GB of dual-channel DDR4-3400 MHz memory. A 10-phase VRM powers the CPU. The board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS connectors; and with this generation, is appears that ASRock has finally got the onboard electrical distribution right; with the board lacking any additional power inputs.

Expansion slots include two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (x16/NC or x8/x8), one PCI-Express x16 (electrical x4) wired to the PCH, and three PCIe 3.0 x1 slots. Much like the beefier Z170 Extreme7, this board offers three SATA-Express 16 Gb/s ports, but just one M.2 (32 Gb/s) slot; and six SATA 6 Gb/s ports. All other essentials for this generation are covered, with two USB 3.1 ports (one each of Type-C and Type-A), and eight USB 3.0 (four on the rear panel, four by headers); 115 dBA SNR onboard audio with a headphones amp and ground-layer isolation; and a single gigabit Ethernet interface (Intel controller).

Here's one of the first pictures of ASRock's flagship socket LGA1151 motherboards from its mainline Z170 Extreme series, the Z170 Extreme7. This board offers an exhaustive feature set, and should appeal to gamers and overclockers alike. The board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX, 8-pin EPS, with no other auxiliary inputs. The LGA1151 socket is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots, supporting up to 64 GB of dual-channel DDR4-3200 MHz memory; and three PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots (x16/NC/NC or x8/x8/NC or x8/x4/x4); the fourth PCIe x16 slot is electrical x4, wired to the PCH. There's also an mPCIe slot; which will seat a WLAN+Bluetooth card on the /ac variant of this board.

The Z170 Extreme7 is the first motherboard to feature three M.2 slots, all three of which are PCIe gen 3.0 x4 (32 Gb/s). Other storage options include three SATA-Express 16 Gb/s, and ten SATA 6 Gb/s ports. The board features two USB 3.1 ports, one each of Type-C and Type-A; and eight USB 3.0 ports, four on the rear panel, four by headers. Display outputs include one each of dual-link DVI, HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2. The onboard audio is an ASRock designed Purity Sound III solution, which combines a Realtek ALC1150 CODEC with ground-layer isolation, a headphones amp, and audio-grade capacitors. Other features include dual-BIOS (manual switching), and a high-quality plastic sheath running along its I/O area.

ECS unveiled two socket LGA1151 motherboards based on the Z170 Express chipset, under its L337 line of gamer-centric products - the ATX Z170-Claymore, and the micro-ATX Z170-Blade (pictured in that order). The two pictured below are pre-launch versions, the company didn't finalize their heatsink design or color-scheme. The Z170-Claymore features a 12-phase CPU VRM, four DDR4 DIMM slots, and five PCI-Express x16 slots. Of these, three are wired to the CPU (x16/NC/NC or x8/x8/NC or x8/x4/x4); and two are gen 2.0 x4, wired to the Z170 PCH. Storage connectivity includes six SATA 6 Gb/s, one SATA-Express 16 Gb/s, one M.2, two USB 3.1, six USB 3.0, Realtek-made gigabit Ethernet and HD audio, and 2-way SLI support. The Z170-Blade, on the other hand, is a micro-ATX board with a 9-phase CPU VRM, two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots (x16/NC or x8/x8), one PCIe 2.0 x1, six SATA 6 Gb/s ports, an M.2 slot; 6-channel HD audio, and gigabit Ethernet, making up the modern connectivity. Two USB 3.1 and six USB 3.0 ports make for the rest of it.

Here's one of the first glimpses of a socket LGA1151 motherboard featuring both DDR3 and DDR4 memory slots, the Hi-Fi B150Z5 by BIOSTAR. The board supports up to 16 GB of DDR3L-1600, and up to 32 GB of DDR4-2133. The board is driven by Intel's mid-range B150 Express chipset, and should do just fine for gaming builds with single graphics cards. Expansion slots include one PCI-Express 3.0 x16, one PCIe 2.0 x16 (electrical x4), three legacy PCI, and one PCIe 2.0 x1. Storage connectivity includes six SATA 6 Gb/s (from which two wire out as SATA-Express 16 Gb/s). BIOSTAR's Hi-Fi 6-channel onboard audio solution, gigabit Ethernet (Intel controller), and six USB 3.0 ports, make for the rest of its connectivity. The board features dual-UEFI BIOS.

ASUS' mainline motherboard lineup based on the upcoming Intel Z170 chipset could retain the black + glossy white design scheme from the company's X99 mainline motherboard series. The company showed off its premium upper-mid segment Z170-Pro motherboard, which could be sold around the $170-$190 price range. This socket LGA1151 motherboard offers a 16-phase CPU VRM, a new high-capacity VRM heatsink design; and four DDR4 DIMM slots, supporting up to 64 GB of dual-channel DDR4-3000 memory.

Expansion slots include three PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (x16/NC/NC or x8/x8/NC or x8/x4/x4), and four PCI-Express 2.0 x1. Storage connectivity includes eight SATA 6 Gb/s, from which two wire out as a SATA-Express 16 Gb/s slot; and an M.2 slot. Other modern connectivity includes two USB 3.1 ports, eight USB 3.0 ports, two Intel-driven gigabit Ethernet interfaces, 802.11 ac WLAN with Bluetooth 4.0, and Crystal Sound 2 audio (115 dBA SNR CODEC, ground-layer isolation, audio-grade capacitors, EMI shielding, and DTS Ultra PC II).

ASRock is designing multiple Fatal1ty Killer branded socket LGA1151 motherboards, which it plans to differentiate using a new naming scheme - K3, K4, and K6. The company showed off some of its latest such boards at Computex. The series is led by the Z170 Gaming K6, followed by the Z170 Gaming K4, H170 Performance, and the Z170-e ITX. All four feature the familiar red+black color scheme, and Fatal1ty branding.

The Z170 Gaming K6 leads the pack with a strong 13-phase VRM, 3-way multi-GPU support, dual-channel DDR4-3000 support, dual SATA-Express 16 Gb/s, Ultra M.2 (32 Gb/s), Killer E2200 NIC, and high-end 115 dBA SNR audio. The Z170 Gaming K4 and H170 Performance share a common PCB design, offering all essentials from this platform, and are intended for gaming PC builds with single graphics cards; the Z170 ITX offers a decent feature-set despite its space constraints, including mSATA, Ultra M.2 (32 Gb/s), SATA-Express 16 Gb/s, and USB 3.1 ports. ASRock did not finalize heatsink design.

MSI's third-generation "GAMING" series motherboards are almost ready, and the company displayed two of them at Computex. The first is a mid-range socket LGA1151 motherboard, the MSI Z170A-G45 Gaming, and the X99A-GODLIKE Gaming (we kid you not). It looks like MSI is doing away with the "Gaming 3/5/7/9" nomenclature in the wake of GIGABYTE copying it. The Z170A-G41 Gaming offers a decent feature-set for gaming PC builds with up to two graphics cards. This includes an 10-phase CPU VRM, four DDR4 DIMM slots (dual-channel DDR4), three PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots, two M.2 slots (32 Gb/s and 10 Gb/s); SATA-Express 16 Gb/s, six SATA 6 Gb/s, Killer E2205 networking, and 8-channel HD audio with ground-layer isolation and audio-grade capacitors.

The X99A-GODLIKE Gaming is a different beast. Topping off the company's LGA2011v3 lineup, this board offers top of the line components. It begins with a 12-phase VRM that draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX, 8-pin EPS, and 4-pin ATX power connectors; five PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots with support for 4-way SLI/CrossFire, 32 Gb/s M.2 slot, and an EMI shield that covers a large part of the front PCB area (a la ASUS TUF), and gaming-centric connectivity that includes two gigabit interfaces, 8-channel audio with onboard 600Ω headphones amp, 802.11 ac Killer ACK Double-Shot WLAN, and USB 3.1 type-C ports.

GIGABYTE showed off its entry-level ATX motherboard based on Intel Z170 chipset, the Z170-HD3. This socket LGA1151 board, ready for 6th generation Core "Skylake" processors, offers a basic feature-set for single graphics card gaming PC builds. The board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS power connectors, and conditions it for the CPU with a 7-phase VRM. The CPU socket is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots, supporting dual-channel DDR4 memory.

Expansion slots on the Z170-HD3 include one PCI-Express 3.0 x16, a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x4, wired to the PCH), and two each of PCI-Express 2.0 x1 and legacy PCI. Storage connectivity includes 32 Gb/s M.2 (PCI-Express 3.0 x4 physical layer), two SATA-Express 16 Gb/s, and six SATA 6 Gb/s. Display outputs include one each of D-Sub, dual-link DVI, and HDMI 2.0. Six USB 3.0 ports, gigabit Ethernet (Realtek controller), and 8-channel HD audio with audio-grade capacitors and ground-layer isolation make for the rest of its modern connectivity.

Here's the first picture of BIOSTAR's upcoming socket LGA1151 motherboard, the Gaming-Z170X, designed for 6th generation Core "Skylake" processors. This particular board, in its unfinished form, features DDR4 DIMM slots; but there could be other models in the series, with DDR3 DIMM slots. The board could be exhibited without its final PCB color and heatsinks, at the upcoming Computex event. This picture also gives you a glimpse of the Z170 PCH in the flesh.

From the looks of it, the Gaming-Z170X looks pretty feature-packed, offering a 14-phase CPU VRM, three PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots (x16/NC/NC or x8/x8/NC or x8/x4/x4), and storage connectivity that includes three (yes, three) SATA-Express 10 Gb/s ports, carved out of the board's six SATA 6 Gb/s ports; and two M.2 10 Gb/s slots, with a third mPCIe riser. BIOSTAR's Hi-Fi audio solution, which includes a 600Ω headphones amp, a 115 dBA SNR CODEC, and ground-layer isolation; and Killer E2200 wired networking, along with a handful of USB 3.0 (including some USB 3.1?) ports make for the rest of its modern connectivity.

Without much noise, Intel released the latest version of its Chipset Device software (INF update utility), that driver you install just after OS setup and forget about; which comes with a curious release notes. Version 10.0.27, adds support for three of the year's big buzzwords for PC enthusiasts - Intel 100-series chipsets (notably the Z170 Express chipset), 6th Generation Core "Skylake" processors, and Windows 10. The software comes with driver dates of 5th May, 2015, and given that Z170-driven socket LGA1151 motherboards are already in industry circulation as engineering samples, such as this one, product launches could be quite close. One can expect Z170-driven motherboards to make an appearance at Computex 2015 (early-June). Core "Skylake" processors launch later this year. Windows 10, on the other hand, is expected to launch in July.DOWNLOAD: Intel Chipset Device Software 10.0.27

Here is the first picture of Colorful's premium socket LGA1151 motherboard, the iGame-Z170. The company plans to carve out at lease three unique SKUs out of this PCB (second picture below), the iGame-Z170 being the base model. As its name suggests, the board is based on Intel's upcoming Z170 Express chipset, and is designed for 6th generation Core "Skylake" processors. Some variants of this board, such as the iGame-Z170U, will feature DDR4 DIMM slots (up to 64 GB), while others will feature DDR3 (up to 32 GB).

The board offers a pretty decent feature-set, including a 14-phase CPU VRM, two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots (electrical x8/x8 when both are populated) wired to the CPU, a third PCI-Express x4 slot wired to the PCH, three other PCI-Express x1 slots; storage connectivity that includes six SATA 6 Gb/s, one SATA-Express, and one M.2 10 Gb/s; two USB 3.1 ports, six USB 3.0 ports, gigabit Ethernet, and a modern onboard audio solution with ground-layer isolation, and audio-grade capacitors. The iGame-Z170 series will launch some time in Q3, 2015. The three will likely be exhibited at Computex 2015, this June.

Major pre-built desktop manufacturers began listing products driven by 5th generation Core "Broadwell" processors, which are having a brief stint at the markets before being replaced by 6th generation Core "Skylake" processors in Q3-2015. The 5th Generation Core family is led by two parts, the Core i5-5675C, and the Core i7-5775C, both of which come with unlocked base-clock multipliers, are based on Intel's new 14 nanometer silicon fab process, and built in the LGA1150 package, compatible with existing Intel 9-series chipset based motherboards, with BIOS updates.

The Core i5-5675C and i7-5775C aren't exactly successors of the i5-4690K and i7-4790K. The i7-5775C is placed in a product tier Intel calls "P1+," while the i5-5675C is placed in one called "MS2+." The two aren't exactly in the same plane as P1K (eg: i7-4790K) or MS2K (eg: i5-4690K), respectively, and don't qualify as P1 (eg: i7-4790 non-K) or MS2 (eg: i5-4690 non-K). The two still feature unlocked multipliers. This places them somewhere between P1K/MS2K and P1/MS2. Both the i5-5675C and i7-5775C are quad-core chips, and physically feature just 6 MB of L3 cache. The i7-5775C has access to all 6 MB of it, while the i5-5675K features just 4 MB.

Intel's presentation for Italian technology conference 3D Revolution 2014 was leaked to the web, revealing the company's most up-to-date desktop CPU roadmap, which looks deep into 2015. It reveals a wealth of new information. To begin with the HEDT (high-end desktop) segment, Intel plans to drag Core i7 "Ivy Bridge-E" through Q3-2014, and launch its succeeding Core i7 "Haswell-E" processor close to Q4-2014, or late into Q3, which would pin its launch some time in September 2014. "Haswell-E" is built in the new socket LGA2011-3 package, and is supported exclusively by Intel X99 Express chipset. It also heralds DDR4 memory to the consumer space. "Haswell-E" will have its reign till late-Q3 2015, when Intel plans to launch Core i7 "Broadwell-E," which is built in the same package, and supported by the same X99 platform, but based on a swanky new 14 nm silicon.

Things get interesting with the company's mainline desktop processors. Intel recently launched its "Haswell" Refresh silicon, and is bound to launch their unlocked variants, codenamed "Devil's Canyon," on the 25th of June. Built in the LGA1150 package, "Haswell" Refresh runs on both 8-series and 9-series chipset. Intel's 9-series chipset was originally designed to launch alongside the company's first processors built on the 14 nm silicon fab process, codenamed "Broadwell," which is an optical shrink of "Haswell," with a few minor tweaks and speed bumps, just as "Ivy Bridge" was to "Sandy Bridge." Intel's "Broadwell" chips are now expected to debut in Q1-2015, probably along the sidelines of the 2015 International CES. These chips will be supported by existing LGA1150 motherboards, some with BIOS updates.