The upcoming 14th generation of Intel CPUs, including the i9-14900K, has had its pricing details leaked online, hinting at a price surge compared to the preceding generation, as reported by Game Rant.
Online leaks hint at price surge
Recent leaks have revealed the potential pricing for Intel's awaited 14th-generation CPUs, including the much-anticipated Core i9-14900K. The price tags of the previous generation have provided a basic understanding of what might be on the horizon. The extent of the price increase has yet to be confirmed. Although there's a lack of consensus among the leaks concerning the exact prices, it's reasonably safe to deduce from the Raptor Lake Refresh 14th-generation CPUs unveiling that prices are on an upward trajectory.
Intel introduced its 13th generation of CPUs, codenamed Raptor Lake, in October 2022. The pinnacle of this line was the Core i9-13900K, initially priced at US$589. This was later overshadowed by the more potent Core i9-13900K S, debuting at US$699. While the 14th-gen CPU prices are not anticipated to hit these levels, the price variance between the two gives a feasible spectrum for the upcoming prices.
Tentative pricing unveiled by Overclockers UK
Intel Core i9-14900K to cost £579 according large UK retailer https://t.co/ZrrrnxWDck
— VideoCardz.com (@VideoCardz) October 9, 2023
Overclockers UK, at one point, disclosed and subsequently withdrew the pricing for the 14th-gen CPUs. The Intel Core i9-14900K CPU was tentatively tagged at £579. When juxtaposed with the Core i9-13900K, which retains its debut retail price of £570, this reflects a modest price bump of £10 or about 2%. The Core i7-14700KF and Core i5-14600K prices also surfaced via Overclockers UK at £398 and £320, respectively. These prices for the 14th-gen CPUs are roughly £20 above those of their 13th-gen counterparts, translating to a 5-7% increment.
Given the US price for the Core i9-13900K is US$589, extrapolating from Overclockers UK's tentative pricing suggests a possible price tag of around US$600 for the i9-14900K. Though this is a restrained estimate, a price range of US$610 to US$620 could also be plausible. Anything beyond would be startling, yet with the ascending trend in tech prices for gaming PC hardware over recent years, it's not beyond the realm of possibility.
On the specification front, the Intel Core i9-14900K shows key distinctions when aligned with the 14th-gen Intel CPU against its 13th-gen precursor, showcasing enhanced A-Core clock frequency and maximum memory bandwidth. The Core i9-14900K operates at a 3.2 GHz clock speed, peaking at 6.0 GHz with Thermal Velocity Boost, whereas the Core i9-13900K runs at a 3.0 GHz clock speed, reaching a peak Turbo Boost Max frequency of 5.8 GHz. Preliminary benchmark leaks signal a roughly 5% uptick in multithreaded performance.
A roughly 5% price hike for a similar percentage in performance enhancement is justified on the surface.
However, it's noteworthy that Intel still needs to reduce the prices for its 13th-generation CPUs over the previous year, maintaining them at full price. Coupled with the intensifying competition from AMD and the often-discounted Ryzen 9 7950X3D that might offer comparable performance, PC gaming enthusiasts mulling over an upgrade have much to ponder, especially as the rumoured October 17 launch of Intel's 14th-gen CPU lineup nears.
