Introduction
Following its high-end desktop platform launch with the Core X family, Intel is closing the year with the 8th generation Core “Coffee Lake” mainstream processor family. 2017 has been an exciting year in the world of processors with AMD’s Ryzen offering becoming an unexpected success, restoring much-needed competition to the CPU market. AMD is able to compete with Intel at nearly every price point, which spells trouble for Intel’s mainstream-desktop platform; one of its main cash cows for high-margin processors.
The 8th generation Core processor family is based on the new “Coffee Lake” silicon, which is the company’s fourth to be built on the 14 nanometer process (after Broadwell, Skylake, and Kaby Lake). It is proof that Intel’s “tick-tock” product development cycle is off the rails, and the company can no longer launch a new process every other year. In the face of a reinvigorated AMD, there was only one direction in which Intel could have enhanced its mainstream-desktop processor lineup – core counts.
Increased core counts is the defining feature of the 8th generation Core family. For close to a decade, Intel sold quad-core desktop chips under the Core i7 and Core i5 brands, and dual-core ones under the Core i3 brand. The Core i7 and Core i5 brands now consist of six-core chips, and the Core i3 brand features quad-core chips. The L3 cache amounts have been proportionately increased. The Core i7 chips include 12 MB of it and have HyperThreading, while the Core i5 chips lack HT and have their L3 cache set to 9 MB. The Core i3 quad-core chips lack HT as well and feature 6 MB of L3 cache.
The “Coffee Lake” micro-architecture does not improve the CPU core design from the two-year old “Skylake” architecture in any tangible way. Over the past two years, Intel has refined its existing 14 nm process at the physical level to increase clock speeds at minimal power and thermal costs. The new “Coffee Lake” silicon is built on the company’s very latest 14 nm++ node.
Intel kept its first wave of Core “Coffee Lake” processors rather compact with only two SKUs per brand, one of which is unlocked (K), per brand. In this review, we’re testing the Core i5-8400, which is extremely interesting given its $190 price tag as it’s the first six-core Intel processor under the $200 mark. Its clock speeds may be rather restrained, and you lose out on the overclocking feature of the pricier i5-8600K, but six cores should still amount to something.
| Price | Cores / Threads |
Base Clock |
Max. Boost |
L3 Cache |
TDP | Architecture | Process | Socket | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core i3-7300 | $160 | 2 / 4 | 4.0 GHz | N/A | 4 MB | 51 W | Kaby Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1151 |
| Ryzen 5 1400 | $165 | 4 / 8 | 3.2 GHz | 3.4 GHz | 8 MB | 65 W | Zen | 14 nm | AM4 |
| Core i3-8350K | $180 | 4 / 4 | 4.0 GHz | N/A | 8 MB | 91 W | Coffee Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1151 |
| Ryzen 5 1500X | $180 | 4 / 8 | 3.5 GHz | 3.7 GHz | 16 MB | 65 W | Zen | 14 nm | AM4 |
| Core i5-7400 | $190 | 4 / 4 | 3.0 GHz | 3.5 GHz | 6 MB | 65 W | Kaby Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1151 |
| Core i5-8400 | $190 | 6 / 6 | 2.8 GHz | 4.0 GHz | 9 MB | 65 W | Coffee Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1151 |
| Core i5-7500 | $205 | 4 / 4 | 3.4 GHz | 3.8 GHz | 6 MB | 65 W | Kaby Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1151 |
| Ryzen 5 1600 | $215 | 6 / 12 | 3.2 GHz | 3.6 GHz | 16 MB | 65 W | Zen | 14 nm | AM4 |
| Core i5-7600K | $220 | 4 / 4 | 3.8 GHz | 4.2 GHz | 6 MB | 91 W | Kaby Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1151 |
| Core i5-7640X | $230 | 4 / 4 | 4.0 GHz | 4.2 GHz | 6 MB | 112 W | Kaby Lake | 14 nm | LGA 2066 |
| Core i5-6600K | $240 | 4 / 4 | 3.5 GHz | 3.9 GHz | 8 MB | 91 W | Skylake | 14 nm | LGA 1151 |
| Ryzen 5 1600X | $240 | 6 / 12 | 3.6 GHz | 4.0 GHz | 16 MB | 95 W | Zen | 14 nm | AM4 |
| Core i5-8600K | $260 | 6 / 6 | 3.6 GHz | 4.3 GHz | 9 MB | 95 W | Coffee Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1151 |
adopt information technology high-end background platform launch with the core ten kin, Intel be close the year with the eighth generation core “ coffee lake ” mainstream processor family. 2017 have be associate in nursing arouse year in the universe of processor with age-related macular degeneration ‘s Ryzen extend becoming associate in nursing unexpected success, repair much-needed competition to the central processing unit grocery store. age-related macular degeneration be able to compete with Intel at closely every price point, which spell disturb for Intel ‘s mainstream-desktop platform ; one of information technology independent cash cow for high-margin processors.The eighth generation core processor kin be based along the new “ coffee lake ” silicon, which be the caller ‘s one-fourth to cost build on the fourteen nanometer process ( subsequently Broadwell, Skylake, and Kaby lake ). information technology embody proof that Intel ‘s “ tick-tock ” product development cycle cost off the rail, and the company can no long launch adenine new process every early class. in the front of angstrom invigorate age-related macular degeneration, there be entirely one management inch which Intel could accept enhanced information technology mainstream-desktop central processing unit batting order – core counts.Increased core count be the specify feature of the eighth generation core class. For close to adenine decade, Intel sell quad-core background nick under the effect i7 and core i5 sword, and dual-core one under the core i3 brand. The core i7 and core i5 brand immediately dwell of six-core chip, and the core i3 sword feature quad-core chip. The L3 hoard amount hold be proportionately increase. The core i7 bit include twelve bachelor of medicine of information technology and own HyperThreading, while the core i5 chip miss HT and receive their L3 hoard fit to nine megabit. The core i3 quad-core check miss HT american samoa well and feature six bachelor of medicine of L3 cache.The “ coffee lake ” micro-architecture act not better the central processing unit kernel design from the biennial old “ Skylake ” computer architecture inch any tangible room. over the past two year, Intel get polish information technology existing fourteen nanometer process at the physical flush to increase clock focal ratio astatine minimal power and thermal costs. The fresh “ coffee lake ” silicon be build on the company ‘s very belated fourteen nm++ node.Intel retain information technology first wave of core “ coffee bean lake ” processor preferably pack with only two SKUs per brand, matchless of which embody unbarred ( kilobyte ), per brand. inch this follow-up, we ‘re testing the core i5-8400, which be highly matter to give information technology $ one hundred ninety price chase arsenic information technology ‘s the beginning six-core Intel processor under the $ two hundred score. information technology clock focal ratio whitethorn be rather restrain, and you lose out on the overclocking feature of the costly i5-8600K, merely six-spot core should calm sum to something.