Confirmed: the i7

In a previous opportunity we had commented on the benefits of the new Intel i7-6950X processor based on the Broadwell-E core, the latest generation of Intel microprocessors manufactured in 14nm. Intel just confirmed (by mistake) most of the specifications of this processor with its 10 cores and support for ME (Management Engine) software.

i7-6950X: The first 10-core processor for the general public

The new Intel Core i7-6950X will be the new top of the range of Intel processors and surely also on the market, being the first 10-core processor aimed at the enthusiastic consumer sector. Thanks to Hyper-Threading technology, the i7-6950X will allow about 20 threads of execution, unprecedented so far in a processor for the general public, but that's not all, it will also come with about 25MB of L3 cache.

Processors with this number of cores already existed today but only for servers such as the Intel Xeon or the AMD Opteron.

Below these lines we can see in more detail the technical specifications of the Intel Core i7-6950X and that of its younger brothers such as 6900K, 6850K and 6800K, all based on the same Broadwell-E core.

I7-6950X Specifications

As you can see, the normal working frequencies of the i7-6950X will be 3GHz and 3.5GHz in Turbo mode and it will also be compatible with DDR4 memories up to 2400MHz. Compatibility with the X99 chipset and LGA 2011-3 socket motherboards is also confirmed. Probably the most surprising thing is its maximum TDP of 140W, this thanks to the new manufacturing process of 14 nanomilimeters (nm) that allows a lower power consumption of our PC.

Naturally, such specifications have a cost, the i7-6950X would cost around 1100 euros, while the i7-6900 would stay at 999 euros. The 4 Broadwell-E based Intel processor models would be released this quarter. How much faster will they be than the Ivy Bridge-E processor family? We will know very soon.