Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition Broadwell-E CPUs arrive

Intel launched its Core i7 Extreme Edition "Broadwell-E" enthusiast-class processors at Computex. The new HEDT platform is made on a 14nm process, it features a DDR4-2400 memory controller and is supported by current X99 motherboards.

There are four processors in the Broadwell-E lineup, including the first decacore processor in Intel's consumer lineup. The 10-core Core i7-6950X can run 20 threads, it has a 3GHz base clock, 3.5GHz Turbo Boost and a 25MB L3 cache.

Then there's also the octo-core Core i7-6900K with 3.2GHz core, 3.7GHz Boost and 20MB L3 cache, as well as the six-core Core i7 6850K (3.6GHz/3.8GHz) and Core i7-6800K (3.4GHz/3.6GHz), which come with 15MB L3 cache.

All four models have a 140W TDP and pricing ranges from $434 to $1,723. Intel is moving up the price brackets as there's simply no competition in the high-end x86 processor market.

Intel has a long, storied heritage of continually pushing the boundaries of computing. As the industry enters an entirely new era defined by immersive experiences, high-end gaming and content creation, Intel is committed to driving a regular cadence of innovation in the PC across 2 in 1s, gaming, and entry segments.

Intel announced the Intel® Core™ i7 processor Extreme Edition, the company’s most powerful desktop processor ever. The new Intel Core i7 processor Extreme Edition family is designed for the needs of today’s “mega-tasking” gamers and content creators. It features Intel’s first 10 core desktop processor with up to 20 threads for handling many compute-intensive workloads simultaneously, platform scalability with 40 PCIe lanes for system expansion with graphics cards and SSDs, and new levels of performance with the new Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and quad-channel memory support that sets a new bar for what a PC can do. It is also fully unlocked for performance tuning, which will be on display throughout the week as enthusiasts at Computex push it to the limit as part of the annual HWBOT Overclock World Tour.

Intel also talked about the innovation that is coming later this year to PCs, demonstrating 7th Gen Intel Core processors (code named Kaby Lake) for the first time and highlighting some of the advancements in performance, battery and media capabilities to come to premium devices in the second half of 2016. It is another example of how Intel’s PC business is foundational to the company’s strategy with a commitment to an annual cadence of new products and how it creates critical IP that drives innovation across the entire product portfolio. Beyond powering a wide spectrum of PCs, from ultra-thin 2 in 1s to extreme gaming desktops, Intel is also extending Intel Core to the IoT space for solutions in retail, signage, industrial IoT and medical.