There has been a lot of talk about the release of the new ones processori Raptor Lake Refresh intended for desktop systems. Now it’s official: the Santa Clara company has in fact revealed the characteristics and confirmed the availability of the new chips which see the presence in the catalog of models up to a maximum of 24 core e 32 thread e fino a 6 GHz.
The new Core i9-14900K, i7-14700K and i5-14600K processors
The top of the range is the processor Core i9-14900K but a very interesting proposal is confirmed by the new one Core i7-14700K which integrates 20 cores and supports 28 threads thanks to the addition of four E-cores compared to the previous generation. In another article we saw the differences between core-E and core-P. The i9 and i5 models (see below) have the same number of queues as their predecessors.
The Extreme Tuning Utility (XTU) from Intel, a software application allows users to adjust and monitor certain system settings to optimize processor performance, enhances the functionality AI Assist which enables theoverclocking based on a single click (thanks to the use of artificial intelligence) on a selected set of processors.
Combined with a significantly improved overclocking experience, thanks to compatibility with motherboard serie 600/700, the new 14th generation Intel Core desktop processors offer the computing power and performance required by the most advanced users. In terms of RAM memoryRaptor Lake Refresh supports DDR4-3200 to DDR5-5600 modules, just like 13th generation processors.
The new desktop processor family also offers built-in support for WiFi 6/6E and Bluetooth 5.3, as well as support for the latest “iterations” of both technologies: WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. Additionally, compatibility with soon-to-be-introduced Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 5 wired connectivity is plannedbandwidth bidirectional up to 80 Gbps.
Raptor Lake Refresh processors: unchanged prices despite improved performance
Despite the rumors of price increases, Intel has decided to maintain the retail cost of the three models of the previous generation: alongside the i9 and the i7, in fact, there is also the cheapest Core i5-14600K. The objective is evidently to continue to offer affordable prices, driving away the competition from AMD. All three chips are also available in KF configurations (the final abbreviation in the model name) which lack integrated graphics and are offered at a slightly lower price.
For the benefit of fans of gaming, Intel says that the new Raptor Lake Refresh hands back the gold medal to the company led by Pat Gelsinger. In fact, they would surpass AMD Ryzen 7000X3D processors by up to 23% in terms of performance; they would also be up to 54% faster in “creative” uses, winking at the professional segment. The Core i7-14700K looks particularly attractive considering the price.
Improved Intel 7 construction process
As we have already highlighted, the 14th generation chips are backwards compatible with existing 600 and 700 series motherboards as well as heat dissipation solutions targeting the LGA 1700 socket. Partner companies have also released a refreshed range of motherboards Z790 capable of ensuring more robust power in addition to connectivity USB Gen 3.2 and WiFi 7.
Raptor Lake Refresh processors still use cores Raptor Cove P and core Gracemont E: from the point of view of the number of instructions per clock managed (IPC) there are therefore no new features or leaps forward. However, the US company has improved the construction process Intel 7 ensuring the possibility for new processors to move on an improved voltage/frequency curve. All this translates into an increase in the base clock frequency of 100-200 MHz.
The cooling solution, however, will play an important role in boost speed obtainable: a 360 mm heatsink is in fact an obligatory choice for the Core i7 and i9 models. Intel recommends a classy solution H150i (e.g. Corsair 360mm AIO) for better performance.
