While Intel confirmed their flagship Core i7-6950X processor on their own webpage last week, ASRock has confirmed the rest of the processors which will be part of the Broadwell-E family. Based on the 14nm node developed for the Broadwell architecture, the Broadwell-E lineup will make its way to the market in Q2 '16 (Computex) along with new entries in the X99 boards from AIBs like ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte and others.

ASRock has confirmed all four Broadwell-E processors on their website.

Intel's Broadwell-E Family Confirmed By ASRock - Core i7-6950X, Core i7-6900K, Core i7-6850K and Core i7-6800K CPUs Headed Out To Enthusiast X99 Platform

We have been hearing about Intel's Broadwell-E for several months now and things are finally clear in regards to the lineup and specifications. The Broadwell-E family is based on the same process and architecture which we saw recently on the Broadwell-EP processors that incorporate several billion transistors under the hood. In the official launch post, we covered that the Broadwell-EP parts were based off three different dies.

We know that Intel's Broadwell-E processors will have four variants, a 10 core variant, a 8 core variant and two 6 core variants. Like the Broadwell-EP, the Broadwell-E lineup can either use a single die configuration such as the LCC (Lowest Core Configuration) which houses up to 10 cores and seems like the perfect candidate for the HEDT family but Intel could also use the MCC die configuration to send off the disabled units to the consumer family.

The three 14nm dies used in building the Broadwell-EP family. Broadwell-E can be based on the LCC die.

Depending on the die used, Broadwell-E can feature any where from 3.4 Billion transistors on 246mm2 dies or 4.7 Billion transistors on 306mm2 dies. The first and second options will still be a vast improvement in overall transistors per die moving from Haswell-E which housed up to 2.6 Billion transistors on a 355mm2 die. In both cases, he transistor density has increased by a great margin.

The post over at ASRock has the following to say:

Whether you were aware of it before or not, Intel's new line of 14 nanometer die shrink Broadwell-E processors are arriving shortly this year, and ASRock's engineers have already completed uploading new versions of BIOS for their X99 motherboards to support these Intel® Broadwell-E CPUs. Clearly the new chips aren't available in the market yet, but if patience isn't your strong suit, then perhaps you could get a two minute head start by downloading the BIOS and upgrading now. The most unmissable part of Intel Broadwell-E is the flagship Core i7-6950X, which will be the first deca-core processor for the commercial market. While this new CPU boasts a compelling ten cores and twenty threads architecture, users require a BIOS update for their motherboards to handle it, this update applies to the rest of the Broadwell-E gang, including i7-6900K, i7-6850K and i7-6800K as well. Rest assured that ASRock's former X99 chipset motherboards will all support the new chips. Upgrade now and hold on to your horses until the new CPUs are delivered, just don't hold your breath.

Intel Broadwell-E Family

Processor Name Intel Core i7-6950X Intel Core i7-6900K Intel Core i7-6850K Intel Core i7-6800K Process Node 14nm 14nm 14nm 14nm Cores/Threads 10/20 8/16 6/12 6/12 Core Clock 3.00 GHz 3.20 GHz 3.60 GHz 3.40 GHz Boost Clock 3.50 GHz 3.70 GHz 3.80 GHz 3.60 GHz L3 Cache 25 MB L3 Cache 20 MB L3 Cache 15 MB L3 Cache 15 MB L3 Cache Unlocked Multiplier (BCLK OC) Yes, Full Range OC Yes, Full Range OC Yes, Full Range OC Yes, Full Range OC Chipset X99 X99 X99 X99 Socket LGA 2011-3 LGA 2011-3 LGA 2011-3 LGA 2011-3 PCI-E Lanes 40 40 40 28 Memory Support DDR4-2400 MHz DDR4-2400 MHz DDR4-2400 MHz DDR4-2400 MHz TDP 140W 140W 140W 140W Launch Price $1723 US $1089 US $617 US $434 US

*Note - Prices are based on rumors and are expected to change.

Intel Core i7-6950X – The First Deca-Core, Extreme Series Processor

The Intel Core i7-6950X processor will be the flagship processor of the Broadwell-E lineup. The processor will feature 10 cores and 20 threads. The processor will run at a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a 3.50 GHz boost clock. The processor will come in an unlocked package to allow overclocking support to enthusiasts but I think Intel will be making a point with the upcoming launch, that they are not stopping at 8 cores for their HEDT family but increasing the core count even further for consumers. The processor rocks 25 MB of L3 cache (2.5 MB per core) and will be compatible with current generation X99 motherboards that feature the LGA 2011-v3 socket.

One of MSI's flagship X99 motherboard which is loaded with lots of gaming and overclocking tools.

There’s no reason to believe that board partners of Intel won’t launch new motherboards to mark the arrival of the first 10 core processor from any company. Currently, the highest core count processors that exist on retail include 8 core parts. Intel recently launched their workstation and datacenter platform, Broadwell-EP which has increased the core count up to 22 cores but those are expensive chips. The Xeon E5-2600 V4 chips do work with many X99 motherboards with proper BIOS support but unlike enthusiast class chips, they cannot overclock. The Core i7-6950X is rumored to launch at $1500 US according.

Intel Core i7-6900K – The Faster Octa Core Processor

Although the Core i7-6950X is one hell of a processor, Intel will also launch three more SKUs in the Broadwell-E lineup. This is the first time that Intel is launching four processors in an HEDT lineup but it might cover up the big price differences we have seen in the older lineups. Starting off with the Core i7-6900K which is an 8 core processor with 16 threads and has 20 MB of L3 Cache.

A poster on Imgur has submitted a picture of his X99 rig running a HEDT processor. Many enthusiasts shift to HEDT platform because of insane amount of features and longevity the platform offers.

Now the processor specifications reminds me of the 8-Core Core i7-5960X which is the flagship Haswell-E offering that launched back in 2014 but fear not, this new processor would not only be a little bit cheaper than the Core i7-5960X but also come with faster clock speeds of 3.20 GHz base and 3.70 GHz boost.

All along with the added sweetness of an unlocked multiplier and full support on the latest X99 motherboards to allow for better overclocking. The Core i7-6900K is expected to hit the market at around $999 US range.

Intel Core i7-6850K and Core i7-6800K – Hexa Core Options For The Masses

At the bottom of the lineup, Intel will have two SKUs, the Core i7-6850K and the Core i7-6800K. Both CPUs have 6 cores and 12 threads and come with 15 MB of L3 cache but the interesting thing is that both chips are placed for the entry level enthusiasts which means these will be retailing for a price of sub-$450 US.

The current X99 motherboards are fully capable and ready for Next-Gen Broadwell-E processors!

The Core i7-6850K will feature a base clock of 3.60 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost while the Core i7-6800K will feature clock speeds of 3.40 GHz base and 3.60 GHz boost. Both processors are fully compliant with the LGA 2011-3 socket and will feature support for quad channel DDR4 memory with speeds of up to 2400 MHz (O.C+). The new chips will be arriving in the second quarter of 2016. For those on X99 planning to upgrade to the new HEDT processors can seek ASRock's webpage to download the latest BIOS to support Broadwell-E on their X99 ASRock motherboards.

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