Intel has officially moved the embargo forward for their 8th generation desktop processors known as Coffee Lake. The embargo allows us to cover details that were presented by Intel during a event few days ago and include specifications, prices and performance numbers (official) on the 8th gen processors.

Intel 8th Generation Desktop Core Family Officially Announced - First Core i7 With 6 Cores, First Core i3 With 4 Cores and a Core i5, 6 Core CPU Under $200 US

Intel is detailing a lot in their presentation regarding the 8th generation desktop family but they are also keeping a few details out of our reach. The 8th generation desktop family comes will be arriving at a time when Intel faces a heated battle with its competitor in the CPU department that has long been vacant of any competition. There are a few things happening with Intel's desktop platform and the processor family which can be seen as a direct or indirect result of this uprising. So let's get on with the details.

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This new family introduces the first-ever 6-core Intel Core i5 desktop processor and first-ever 4-core Intel Core i3 desktop processor. The family offers a wide range of performance options for consumers with unlocked“K” processors that deliver maximum tuning flexibility at each brand level and up to 40 platform PCIe 3.0 lanes for system expandability on graphics, storage and I/O. These processors are supported with new Intel Z370 chipset-based motherboards. via Intel

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

New 8thGen Intel Core desktop processors and Intel Z370 chipset are perfect for gamers, content creators and overclockers with a range of unlocked“K” processors.Includes a new Intel Core i7 desktop processor that is the best gaming processor ever from Intel, first-ever 6-core Intel Core i5 desktop processor and 4-core Intel® Core i3 desktop processor.Performance boosts that deliver frame rate improvements of up to 25 percentcompared with 7thGen Intel Core for smooth gaming experiences and up to 65 percent faster editingin content creation compared with a 3-year-old machine.

Intel Coffee Lake Is Built on the Same Architecture as Kaby Lake, Improved 14nm++ Process and More Cores

First of all, what is Coffee Lake? In simple terms, Coffee Lake is an improved Kaby Lake that is been possible with the latest 14nm++ process node. Intel briefed in their webinar that the Coffee Lake is on the same architectural level as Kaby Lake with no changes at all. Aside from that, the new 14nm process allows for improved power efficiency and higher clock speeds. There's a reason that Intel is bumping up the core count across their entire range of processors. The Intel Core i7 and Core i5 lineup gets 6 cores (HT/Non-HT) while the Core i3 lineup gets 4 cores.

The Intel Core i7 and Core i5 processors with 6 cores feature the same TDPs as their predecessors so bumping up the core count hasn't changed the TDP numbers. Actual power consumption may vary during testing real world applications but for that, you'd have to wait for our review in coming weeks. You will also note that Intel has given a fairly good bump to both CPU and integrated GPU clock speeds which is only possible with the new and improved 14nm++ process.

Intel Coffee Lake Is Only Supported by The 300-Series Chipset - LGA 1151 On Z370 Offers No Backward Compatibility - Full Platform Details

The next significant detail is the Intel 300-series platform. Intel is confirming that the Coffee Lake processors are only compatible with the 300-series chipset. The Z370 motherboards come with a socket known as LGA 1151 and that is the same socket we have seen on the consumer platform since Skylake. But with Coffee Lake, LGA 1151 on Z370 is no longer compatible with older CPUs. Even Coffee Lake processors are not backward compatible to 100 or 200 series motherboards.

The reason cited by Intel is the change in electrical lanes and power delivery that Z370 improves substantially. We did have a word with some motherboard manufacturers and while they reveal that Coffee Lake may work with older motherboards, it won't deliver the same level of stability or clocking as on the Z370 series motherboards.

So with one of the controversies explained, let's head over to the platform details. The 8th gen desktop platform has a range of new features that mainly include:

More CoresMore Intel Smart CacheBest In Class DesignEnhanced OverclockingImproved 14nm Process

And of course, powering the new platform is the Z370 PCH. The PCH offers the following:

Improved Power Delivery for 6 Core processorsEnhanced Package Power Delivery For overclockingMemory routing support for DDR4-2666Rec.2020 & HDR Support, HEVC 10-bit HW Decode/Encode, VP9 10-bit HW DecodeIntegrated USB 3.1 Gen2 (10 Gbps)Support for integrated Intel wireless AC (WiFi 802.11ac R2 & Bluetooth 5)Intel Optane memory supportIntel Smart Sound Technology with quad core audio DSP24 Chipset PCIe 3.0 Lanes10 USB 3.1 Ports With Up To 6 USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) PortsUp To 6 SATA 3.0 PortsIntel Rapid Storage Technology 16PCIe 3.0 x4 Storage Support

Intel Desktop Platform Chipset Comparison