Intel slash prices for 10th Gen Core i9 CPUs 50% due to imminent threat of AMD Threadripper
If you forked out for one of Intel’s top-end 9th Gen Core i9 processors then you may want to look away now. Intel has just announced revised pricing for its 10th Gen HEDT processors, absolutely slashing the prices compared to 9th Gen due to the threat of AMD’s Ryzen 3rd Gen Threadripper processors.
Intel has long been the dominant forces across just about every sector of the processor market but AMD’s unstoppable resurgence as undoubtedly got the blue team spooked. During the run-up to November’s launch, Intel’s 10th Generation HEDT CPUs have had their prices dropped 40-50% when compared to the previous gen. This brings the 10th Gen CPU pricing into more direct competition with Threadripper.
The 10th Gen Core i9’s are set to be Intel’s best-in-class High End Desktop processors. They’re Cascade Lake-X chips, still effectively running on revisions of the aging Skylake architecture, but Intel continues to squeeze out more performance. Each of the 10th Gen i9s comes with an additional four PCI Express 3.0 lanes and will be joining by the arrival of new X-series motherboards. You’ll still be able to use existing X299 boards if you wish but you’re going to lose out on the four extra PCIe 3.0 lanes.
Each of these processors also comes equipped with Turbo Boost 3.0 technology as well. This technology identifies and boosts the four fastest cores for lightly threaded applications. For gaming purposes that could be a very handy, although gamers shouldn’t realistically be looking at CPUs like this unless they’ve got cash to burn. An Intel Core 9700K should handle itself just as fine in gaming applications as these processors.
| Base Clock | Turbo Boost 2.0 | Turbo Boost 3.0 | All Core Boost | Cores/Threads | L3 Cache | PCIe 3.0 Lanes | Unlocked Multiplier | TDP | Price | 9th Gen Price | Price Drop | |
| Intel Core i9-10980XE | 3.0 GHz | 4.6 GHz | 4.8 GHz | 3.8 GHz | 18/36 | 24.75 MB | 48 | Yes | 165W | $979 | $1975 (9980XE) | 50.40% |
| Intel Core i9-10940X | 3.3 GHz | 4.6 GHz | 4.8 GHz | 4.1 GHz | 14/28 | 19.25 MB | 48 | Yes | 165W | $784 | $1387 (9940X) | 43.40% |
| Intel Core i9-10920X | 3.5 GHz | 4.6 GHz | 4.8 GHz | 4.3 GHz | 12/24 | 19.25 MB | 48 | Yes | 165W | $689 | $1189 (9920X) | 42% |
| Intel Core i9-10900X | 3.7 GHz | 4.6 GHz | 4.7 GHz | 4.3 GHz | 10/20 | 19.25 MB | 48 | Yes | 165W | $590 | $989 (9920X) | 40.30% |
Performance and specs are kind of by the by for now though, as it’s the revised pricing which immediately grabs our attention. Intel has gutted its pricing structure across the entire 10th Gen Core i9 range. All of these processors are available for almost as little as half the price of their previous gen counterparts. If you want to know just how much Intel has been price-gouging its customers with precious little competition, that right there is all you need to know. Intel can halve the price and still bring a product to market and make profit, indicating huge margins on the Core i9 9th Gen CPUs.
For too long, Intel has had it too easy, and now it’s sweating bullets. AMD’s 3rd Gen Ryzen Threadripper processors are also expected to launch in November, promising to offer specs and performance which would’ve left Intel high and dry if they’d stuck their old pricing schemes. As it now stands, we expect competition to much, much tighter in the HEDT market.
What are your thoughts then, do you think Intel is reeling after AMD’s explosive surge this past couple of years? Have reports of AMD CPUs outselling Intel 3:1 got Team Blue spooked? Remember to let us know what you think of it all below!
