TheF34RChannel
Senior member
- May 18, 2017
- 786
- 309
- 136
One thing is known for certain; Intel will release their 8 core chip around the same time or sooner than AMD releases their updated Ryzen chips. If you want to know what Intel is going to do, just watch AMD. Yep, those days are back again. Who knows how long they will stay though. Hopefully for a long time.
No, I think they'll do it as soon as they can get Z390 ready. They need to get those chips out ASAP, and that platform out doubly so.
If the octocore happens, it will most likely support Z370 too, it's not like there is any difference from the pov of the whole platform - if Z270/Z370 is able to support the hexacores, it can support octocore too. There could be power delivery shenanigans again - which would show that Intel is deeply in improvising mode - instead, which is unrelated to chipset itself. But I doubt it.As for Z370 supporting the 8 core who knows.
True but that was an emergency paper launch aimed at destroying Ryzen DIY sales. The real release is in January which would be the typical year.
Icelake on desktop is dead.
CFL 8C is an emergency model as well just like CFL 6C. Both weren't planned.
CFL 8C is an emergency model as well just like CFL 6C. Both weren't planned.
When lead time in years, and tens of millions in masking costs alone, everything is planned.
CL may have been part of contingency plan (for 10nm issues), but it was planned.
When lead time in years, and tens of millions in masking costs alone, everything is planned.
CL may have been part of contingency plan (for 10nm issues), but it was planned.
6 yes, 8 no. 8 is coming because Icelake is now falling apart.
6 yes, 8 no. 8 is coming because Icelake is now falling apart.
It wasn't planned until Intel realized they had to cancel Cannonlake for desktop entirely because of their ongoing 10nm issues. Coffeelake is an emergency generation for the canceled Cannonlake, both 6C and 8C.
Icelake on desktop is dead.
Edit: WTH am I talking about. I like budget chips, not these $1000 monstrosities.
Ryzen Launched Feb-Mar 2017, I think the earliest anyone expects the refresh Pinnacle Ridge (Ryzen 12nm), is Feb-Mar 2018 (some are saying as late as Q3).
So I don't think Ryzen 2 is expected before Feb-Mar 2019. Leaked Slides show Ryzen 2 in 2019.
The other part of it is that Icelake's clocks are going to be lower, likely enough to wipe out gains from any IPC increase and then some. So Icelake on desktop with an 8 core CFL available would be redundant at best.
What sources do we actually have for Intel planning an octocore Coffee Lake ? Is there anything but the dubious forum post by the Eurocom employee? That one could have been just a mistake or based on misunderstanding of the leaked roadmaps and outdated Cannon Lake information.
There is absolutely no indication that Icelake is falling apart or is delayed. So where you got that from, I do not know.
.
8c or no 8c, Intel just can't afford to fail on Icelake anyway. They already punted on desktop Cannonlake. They have that patched-up okay-ish - people are buying Kabylake and Coffeelake. Problem solved. But I don't think they can get around another botched launch.
There is absolutely no indication that Icelake is falling apart or is delayed. So where you got that from, I do not know.
Besides all the rumors that 10 nm is in shambles? It's not Icelake that's the problem, it's 10 nm.
I agree that if it was just clocks Intel would continue on as planned, but they wouldn't do the 8 core CFL. It's one or the other, not both.
let me get something straight.
Next year H310 B360 etcs will come out, which are (by definition) inferior to the z370, but those WILL support ICL just like Z390? is that correct?
Why not both? If the Coffee lake 8c is real and it indeed clocks higher than Icelake would that means Coffee lake would be faster in MT at least. But Icelake would be much more efficient. .
Esp with the way desktop sales are going, Intel wouldn't have spent the money to design the 8 core CFL unless they really needed to.... and assuming 10nm yields are that bad, they have to do something to fill the void.
Design costs for an 8 core CFL would not be high. The hard work (taping out the key IPs to 14nm++) is already done. Adding a few ring stops and a few cores requires a new die to be made, but in terms of difficulty/complexity an 8 core CFL shouldn't be hard to do at all.
Also, to your point that 8C CFL is replacing ICL, this doesn't make sense. Even if you assume no improvement in per core perf, there are going to be improvements elsewhere in the SoC that will matter to the OEMs. Also, if Intel can't increase ST perf for enthusiasts, they could do a 10 core mainstream SKU that'd fetch a lot of $$.
From what I read it is photomasking costs that have escalated through the roof, and for a new chip of different dimensions, I would expect you would need a whole new set of masks.
Also, to your point that 8C CFL is replacing ICL, this doesn't make sense. Even if you assume no improvement in per core perf, there are going to be improvements elsewhere in the SoC that will matter to the OEMs. Also, if Intel can't increase ST perf for enthusiasts, they could do a 10 core mainstream SKU that'd fetch a lot of $$.
The point is that they are doing the 8 core Coffee Lake because 10 nm yield is so bad that an 8 core Icelake isn't realistic in the timeframe needed.