Intel today formally launched its Core X 9000-series socket LGA2066 high-end desktop (HEDT) processors. Based on the same "Skylake-X" LCC and HCC dies as the Core X 7000-series, these processors are a minor refresh, in that Intel has bumped either the clock-speeds, or core-count, or L3 cache amount at existing price-points. The only physical difference between these chips and their "predecessors" is soldered integrated heatspreader, or STIM as Intel likes to call it. The processors are drop-in compatible with existing socket LGA2066 motherboards, although some boards may require BIOS updates. Many boards offer USB flash-back, a feature with which you can update the system BIOS even without any processor or memory installed.

With the introduction of 6-core and 8-core mainstream-desktop processors, Intel withdrew 6-core/12-thread for the LGA2066 platform. There is no more HEDT platform option under $500, such as the Core i7-7800X, or the smash-hit Core i7-920. The Core i7-9800X is an 8-core/16-thread chip clocked at 3.80 GHz nominal and 4.40 GHz boost, priced at $589. Its clock speeds may be lower than those of the i9-9900K, but it gives you quad-channel memory interface, 16.5 MB L3 cache (in addition to 1 MB L2 cache per core), and 44-lane PCIe interface. That's right, Intel learned from its blunder of stripping its sub-$1000 Core X processors of half their PCIe lanes, and now the entire lineup features the full 44-lane PCIe root complex, and quad-channel memory.

The Core i9 X-series lineup begins with the i9-9820X, priced at $889. This 10-core/20-thread chip features the same 16.5 MB L3 cache as the i7-9800X, and clock speeds of 3.30 GHz, with 4.10 GHz Turbo Boost. These specs make it similar to the i9-7900X. At $989 you get the Core i9-9900X. Much like the i9-9820X, this is a 10-core/20-thread chip. All that the extra $100 gets you is more L3 cache, at 19.25 MB, and higher clock speeds of 3.50 GHz base, with 4.40 GHz boost. All SKUs above the i9-9900X feature the same 19.25 MB of L3 cache.

The $1,189 Core i9-9920X is a 12-core/24-thread processor with the same clock speeds as the i9-9900X - 3.50 GHz base with 4.40 GHz boost. At $1,387, the Core i9-9940X is a 14-core/28-thread part clocked slightly lower, with 3.30 GHz base and 4.40 GHz boost. Intel's 16-core/32-thread option is priced close to double that of AMD's Threadripper 2950X, at $1,684, with the Core i9-9960X, clocked at 3.10 GHz based with 4.40 GHz boost. The flagship Core-branded part from Intel is the Core i9-9980XE, which is an 18-core/36-thread processor clocked at 3.00 GHz, with 4.40 GHz boost.

All SKUs feature Turbo Boost Max 3.0, an additional clock-speed boosting layer concentric to Turbo Boost, which rewards your processor with automated overclock to up to 4.50 GHz, if your cooling is up to the job. The TDP of all SKUs is rated at 165W, and the standard memory divided has been bumped to DDR4-2666.