How much do you want 5GHz turbo on every core?
Are you determined to have the best Intel gaming CPU on the block without splurging on an X-series? You’ll soon have a chance to pick one up. Intel has revealed that its special edition Core i9-9900KS processor will be available on October 30th at a recommended price of $513. If you’ll recall, this is really a top-binned version of the 9900K that can reach a 5GHz turbo speed across all eight cores rather than one, and hit a base speed of 4GHz instead of 3.6GHz. It won’t represent a major leap in performance (especially if you’re used to overclocking), but it could make a difference in games that make good use of multiple cores.
Intel needs this launch to some extent. AMD is slated to release its 16-core Ryzen 9 3950X in November, and the more comparably priced 12-core 3900X is already available. The 9900KS may be tempting for gamers who are on the fence and are more interested in having the highest-possible factory clock speeds (or insist on Intel tech) than loading up on additional cores.
