More Data Requires More Power; Intel Introduces New 4-18 Core SKUs, Intel Core i9 and its First Teraflop Desktop CPUs

May 30, 2017 - 

By Gregory Bryant

As I take the stage in Taipei today at Computex, it’s striking to me how many of the most interesting technology innovations are made possible by our expanding ability to generate, share, analyze and leverage data. New uses of data are driving transformation in profound ways, but also fueling new levels of user demand and expectation for the personal computer, a device that is central to so many every day.

This is in turn creating – and I say it with all conviction – one of the most exciting times we’ve seen in this industry. Innovation across the ecosystem is staggering. From  gorgeously designed always connected 2 in 1s, to incredibly powerful high-end desktops, not to mention the amazing experiences that come to life on all of them.

This broad level of innovation also addresses two basic truths: one size doesn’t fit all and no one wants to settle. These truths are particularly relevant for the enthusiast community. Although many equate enthusiasts solely with gamers – and they are certainly a vital part of the community – it also includes content creators, which in this immersive, data-driven world is a rapidly growing percentage of the population.

Although every enthusiast is different depending on their interests, a common denominator is their hunger for the best performance. Our goal is to always deliver the best performance and, today, we are taking it to the next level. I’m proud to announce the new  Intel® Core™ X-series processor family: Intel’s most scalable, accessible and powerful desktop platform ever.

The  Intel® Core™ X-series processor family introduces a series of firsts that reflect the extreme performance we are delivering. This family includes Intel’s first teraflop desktop CPUs, a prime example of just how much raw compute these processors can handle. We’re also introducing the entirely new Intel® Core™ i9 processor, representing the highest performance for advanced gaming, VR and content creation. At the top of the lineup is the new Intel® Core™ i9 Extreme Edition processor – the first consumer desktop CPU with 18 cores and 36 threads.

Press Kits:  Intel Core X-Series Family Processors |  Compute Card |  2017 Computex

This is by far the most extreme desktop processor ever introduced. With such a wide range of options and price points to match, the new Intel® Core™ X-series processor family delivers the most scalable and accessible desktop platform for the enthusiast community.

More than just offering extra cores, however, our technologies work together to deliver extreme performance across the entire platform. Along with this family of processors, we’re introducing the new Intel® x299 chipset, which adds even more I/O and overclocking capabilities. And, we are announcing updates to Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0, which will now identify the two top performing cores and direct critical workloads to those cores for a big jump in single- or multithreaded performance.

The possibilities with this type of performance are endless. Content creators can have fast image rendering, video encoding, audio production and real-time preview – all running in parallel seamlessly so they spend less time waiting and more time creating. Gamers can play their favorite game, while they also stream, record and encode their gameplay, and share on social media – all while surrounded by multiple screens for a 12K experience with up to four discrete graphics cards.

With our partners rolling out new Intel® X299 chipset-based motherboards and complete desktop systems, consumers can look forward to getting their hands on the Intel® Core™ X-series processor family in the coming weeks.

The all new Intel® Core™ X-series platform is a powerful addition to our product lineup, but it’s by no means the only news we have at Computex. I’m also fortunate enough to introduce several other major Intel advances, spanning  everything from the cloud to the Internet of Things and more:

Intel® Compute Card:  Today we are sharing more details on  availability for the Intel Compute Card, which offers the capabilities of a full computer but in the size of a credit card. The applications are endless – smart screens, interactive appliances, smart factories and more – and it’s a perfect complement to everything else we are doing to bring more compute power and connectivity into the home and beyond.

The Intel Compute Card is a modular computing platform with all the elements of a full computer — all in a package that is slightly longer than a credit card. (Credit: Intel Corporation) 

Virtual Reality: Nowhere are amazing experiences more apparent than with VR, and I’m particularly proud of the work we’ve done to enable the first open vsports tournament, The Unspoken VR Tournament. We’re also pushing VR forward even more today with a new collaboration with HTC*. We will be working together to leverage Intel’s® WiGig technology to create a VR accessory that allows Vive customers to get high-fidelity, low latency, immersive VR experiences without the wire.

8th Gen Intel® Core™ Processor: We will have more to say about the 8th Gen Intel Core processor in the future but it’s exciting to share that in the latest testing, we’re seeing a performance improvement of more than 30 percent over the 7th Gen Intel® Core™ processor.1

New Devices, Including New Always Connected PC: Finally, in the spirit of ongoing innovation, we’re pleased to show off new Intel-powered devices from Acer*, Dell*, Huawei*, HP*, Lenovo* and MSI*, and preview a new device from Asus*. Code-named “Kukuna,” this super thin, light and stylish 2 in 1 from Asus* is a great example of an  always connected PC, offering amazing Intel performance and connectivity inside. The always connected PC is a category we predict will grow over time due to its no-compromising nature: It gives the best performance, full Windows experiences, connectivity and long battery life in amazing, mobile designs.

I am honored to see and share all of these amazing innovations at Computex with our industry partners who will help bring them to life. Like I said, there’s never been a more exciting time in the PC industry, and you can bet there are even more great things ahead.

Gregory Bryant is senior vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group at Intel Corporation.