AnandTech has seen documents and supporting information from multiple sources that show that Intel is planning to release a new high-end desktop processor, the Core i9-9990XE. These documents show that the processors will not be sold at retail; rather they will only be sold to system integrators, and then only through a closed online auction.
This new processor will be the highest numbered processor in Intel’s high-end desktop line. The current top processor is the i9-9980XE, an 18 core part with a base frequency of 3.5 GHz and a turbo frequency of 4.0 GHz. The i9-9990XE, on the other hand, is not simply the 9980XE with an increase in frequency.
The Core i9-9990XE will be a 14 core processor, but with a base frequency of 4.0 GHz and a turbo frequency of 5.0 GHz. This makes it a super-binned 9940X.
This probably means this is very much a low-yield chip Intel can’t make enough of to sell at retail.
Although it should be a BEAST. Without retail volume, its unlikely to get much in the way of optimisations nor OS support. Without that, will you really see much/any benefit over retail versions?
OS support? What are you talking about?
This is basically an overclocked i9-9940X
I doubt it is low-yield in general. I rather guess these are special picks from a i9-9940X wafer.
AFAIK, chip manufactures check the chips on the wafer and then decide how to mark them. 18 core, 16 only working, make it a 14 core chip. Fine at 5GHz, make it a 9990, And so on ..
Official overclocking at its purest form. Which can be nice for making a quick buck, considering Intel doesn’t have to play the “silicon lottery” and gets to test wafers at production. Not that I am complaining, there are many affordable CPUs available out there.
Most people here already probably know it, but there are good reasons why most CPUs don’t have a stable frequency of 4GHz despite a stable frequency of 4GHz being the stated goal of Prescott back in 2005 (and Prescott’s successor, named Tejas, aiming at 10GHz – really).
The reason is this:
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/High-performance-chip-power-trend_fig1_239412558
Yes, at some point a trend was “predicted” that indicated 350+W power dissipations by the CPU in the near future. Of course, that didn’t happen. So, let CPU manufacturers sell the gigahertz myth to anyone who will listen, I prefer to look at actual performance. This is not an AMD rant, both companies have been seen to one-up each-other when it comes to efficiency gains (performance per GHz)
On another related node, this CPU is the proof is making the most they can out of their existing process, having perfected it to the point it produces 4GHz CPUs at sellable volumes (not marketable though), which is understandable considering how their new process is fairing..