Intel Core i7-6950X , Intel Core i7-6900K and Intel Core i7-5960X

[pcslookout]

What would be the reason to get a processor this expensive for ?

I am curious.

How much more power do they have than a $300 to $400 processor ?

 

[wingman04]

More cores for more parallel computing. Then programs like encoding run faster.

 

[YBS1]

How much more power do they have than a $300 to $400 processor ?

Substantially more if your are working with something that can use the additional threads. Typically rendering or encoding. That being said, my children have/are growing out of that stage where they want to watch the same thing over and over so I have a diminishing need for these capabilities now. Unless I'm just bitten with the "gotta have it" bug for some future multi-threaded monster cpu, I'll likely just stick with the mainstream platforms from now on.

 

[pcslookout]

Substantially more if your are working with something that can use the additional threads. Typically rendering or encoding. That being said, my children have/are growing out of that stage where they want to watch the same thing over and over so I have a diminishing need for these capabilities now. Unless I'm just bitten with the "gotta have it" bug for some future multi-threaded monster cpu, I'll likely just stick with the mainstream platforms from now on.

Mainstream platforms being what ?

 

[YBS1]

Mainstream, meaning not the HEDT line. Z97, Z170, and future platform developments along that lineage.

 

[VirtualLarry]

With the new KBL-X platform (2066?), Intel is crossing over mainstream and HEDT platforms.

 

[XavierMace]

epeen.

If I really needed the threads, I'd be buying a Xeon workstation.

 

[lolfail9001]

epeen.

If I really needed the threads, I'd be buying a Xeon workstation.

Let's just say there are folks who want both: threads and clocks.

 

[Arachnotronic]

With the new KBL-X platform (2066?), Intel is crossing over mainstream and HEDT platforms.

Yep, and it's about dang time, too. HEDT platform needs to be the place where you can get the best processors, no matter whether you want moar coars or crazy singlethreaded perf.

 

[Ajay]

Yep, and it's about dang time, too. HEDT platform needs to be the place where you can get the best processors, no matter whether you want moar coars or crazy singlethreaded perf.

Agree. LGA-2066 is the way to go, and about time, for Intel high performance.

 

[wingman04]

Yep, and it's about dang time, too. HEDT platform needs to be the place where you can get the best processors, no matter whether you want moar coars or crazy singlethreaded perf.

What is the change?

 

[Ajay]

What is the change?

Specs don't advance much compared to LGA-2011 (PCIe 4.0 would have been nice for longevity).
The main issue is that the same chipset (and potentially, the same motherboard) will support both top binned Kabylake-X quad cores and Skylake-X 6,8 &10 core variants (with lower clock speeds). As Arachnotronic said, you get to choose higher clocks or more cores than the standard desktop line of CPUs.

 

[wingman04]

Specs don't advance much compared to LGA-2011 (PCIe 4.0 would have been nice for longevity).
The main issue is that the same chipset (and potentially, the same motherboard) will support both top binned Kabylake-X quad cores and Skylake-X 6,8 &10 core variants (with lower clock speeds). As Arachnotronic said, you get to choose higher clocks or more cores than the standard desktop line of CPUs.

Will not the standard desktop line have moved on by the time Kabylake X is released?

 

[Ajay]

Nope, Kabylake-X and Skylake-X come out Q2 of next year:
Check out this ATF post: Intel RoadmapSkylake-XKaby Lake-X and Skylake-W Processors in Q2 2017

 

[Arachnotronic]

Nope, Kabylake-X and Skylake-X come out Q2 of next year:
Check out this ATF post: Intel RoadmapSkylake-XKaby Lake-X and Skylake-W Processors in Q2 2017

Pushed to Q3/Q4, sadly.

 

[Ajay]

Well, I'd like your post, but I don't like the date

Given our reduced computer use due to mobile device usage - I'm going to consolidate mine and my wife's systems down to just one.
It'll probably be an overclock gaming system - but that won't matter to her .
I may go with SKL-X and do a hyper-V system, I'm just starting to look into that (I run Win10, she's sticking with Win7).

 

[Charlie22911]

Well, I'd like your post, but I don't like the date

Given our reduced computer use due to mobile device usage - I'm going to consolidate mine and my wife's systems down to just one.
It'll probably be an overclock gaming system - but that won't matter to her .
I may go with SKL-X and do a hyper-V system, I'm just starting to look into that (I run Win10, she's sticking with Win7).

Maybe I'm just on an unRAID kick, but the above use case seems like a decent excuse to go for an 8 core with two GPUs to pass through as separate work stations from one box

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Mainstream, meaning not the HEDT line. Z97, Z170, and future platform developments along that lineage.

Yeah -- that dissuaded me from what I described somewhere as two project plans for IB-E and Haswell-E that spent months on the drawing board but were "terminated."

If I were doing work that required more than 4 cores and the software actually used more than 4 cores, I can see it. It's nice to have "more than you need," and the result may leave one almost in a state of orgasmic climax. But if you have too much more than you need and have as much occasion to use it as would cost you an extra few hours a year on a lesser platform, then you might think yourself merely stupid.

I'm even now got more reservations about adding a second Gfx card for a 2x GTX 1070 SLI. The one I have is the Gigabyte OC Mini. Somehow, it seemed that mine was OC'd just a tad too much by some 24 Mhz. Or maybe I just had to adjust 3D settings, but I switched it down from "OC" in the Gigabyte software to "ECO." . The peak frequency is somewhere above 1,800 Mhz -- either way. After a few minor tweaks and explorations, I'm wondering if I would ever need more than one card.

I dunno -- maybe the Oculus Rift thing. More money to spend . . .

 

[Ajay]

Money in search of hardware - can't wait to be back in that position again - lolz!

 

[moonbogg]

Its nice that the mainstream and HEDT are merging in a way, but I still see a frustrating dilemma with choosing between 4 faster cores or 6-10 slower ones. It is what it is though. And Q3-4? Are you kidding? That's one hell of a long time. I guess Intel figures they can compete with Zen with what they have out now just fine? I think Intel should release Skylake-X 8 core for $600 and 6 core for $450 to take the wind out of Zen's sails. Sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[Ajay]

Intel probably doesn't want to 'take out' AMD. Intel wants to maximize profit margins and keep AMD from expanding significantly. Don't expect any deals on an 8 core SKL-X

 

[wingman04]

How could Intel take out AMD anyway, it is a free market.

 

[PontiacGTX]

With the new KBL-X platform (2066?), Intel is crossing over mainstream and HEDT platforms.

I dont think a Skylake Refresh will be released as enthusiast since the release frequency isnt the same as mainstream

Let's just say there are folks who want both: threads and clocks.

some Xeon E5 are unlocked for overclock

Will not the standard desktop line have moved on by the time Kabylake X is released?

Mainstream is limited to less PCIe Lanes, less memory channels , lower core count and only single socket cpus, if you wanted to get a mainstream cpu you would get a faster 4 core cpu but if the application you use need higher bandwidth,core count or pcie then you would get a slower cpu

 

[wingman04]

Mainstream is limited to less PCIe Lanes, less memory channels , lower core count and only single socket cpus, if you wanted to get a mainstream cpu you would get a faster 4 core cpu but if the application you use need higher bandwidth,core count or pcie then you would get a slower cpu

I have seen that PCI lanes don't matter at all in benchmarks.

 

[Ajay]

How could Intel take out AMD anyway, it is a free market.

Through aggressive pricing and marketing. But, that got a slap on the wrist already for aggressive marketing and, as I said, Intel doesn't want to erode its profits either.