Intel introduces high-end X99 platform
Intel has introduced its latest high-end platform for desktops. The platform consists of three new processors, of which the top model is a copy with eight physical cores for the first time. New DDR4 memory is required for this X99 platform.
The three new processors form the Haswell E generation, the latest variant for Intel’s high-end desktop platform, also known as the hedt platform. The Haswell E processors have six or eight cores and offer not only more L3 cache than the regular consumer Haswell generation, but also more pcie lanes. The three processors must be combined with one or more separate video cards; a built-in GPU is missing.
With the introduction of the Haswell E generation, a new platform becomes available: the X99 platform. Part of the X99 platform are not only the new X99 chipset, but also a new socket. The lga2011 v3 socket is not compatible with older lga2011 sockets from the X79 platform. This is mainly due to the new memory controller built into the Haswell E generation; for the first time a consumer platform with ddr4 is released. Some server platforms have already been equipped with this new, more energy-efficient memory. DDR4 modules have a working voltage of 1.2V and in addition have a larger capacity; a module can be 8GB instead of 4GB with ddr3.
The three processors that Intel releases for the platform are three Core i7 processors, all three suitable for overclocking thanks to a freely adjustable multiplier. The top model, the Core i7-5960X, has eight physical cores and 20MB L3 cache. The cores run at 3GHz and the processor has 40 PCIe lanes. The middle model, the 5930K, has six cores that run at 3.5GHz, while the entry-level model, the 5820K, also has six cores that run at 3.3GHz. The trio’s TDP is 140W and the memory controller for the DDR4 memory drives the memory at 2133MHz. The prices, when purchasing a thousand pieces, are respectively 999,583 and 389 dollars.
| cores/threads | 8/16 | 6/12 | 6/12 |
| Clock speed/turbo | 3GHz / 3.5GHz | 3.5GHz / 3.7GHz | 3.3GHz / 3.6GHz |
| L3 cache | 20MB | 15MB | 20MB |
| PCie 3.0 lanes | 40x | 40x | 28x |
| tdp | 140W | 140W | 140W |
| Price | USD 999 | 583 usd | USD 389 |