Intel’s Graphics-Free Chips Are Also Savings-Free: Same Price, Fewer Features
by Ian Cutress on January 16, 2019 8:00 AM EST- Posted in
- CPUs
- Intel
- Core 9th Gen
We recently reported on the fact that a range of new mainstream Intel desktop processors are coming onto the market without the integrated graphics enabled. This processors, indicated by the ‘F’ designation (not to be confused with Intel’s chips with an integrated fabric, also called ‘F’), have had their specifications released for a short while, except for the price. Intel is now happy to fill that part in.
Intel’s pricing scheme is a little different to AMD. Rather than provide MSRP, or Manufacturer Suggested Retail Pricing, or SEP, Suggested Etailer Pricing, Intel provides ‘tray’ pricing. This value is the company’s list price for OEMs buying literal trays of CPUs, in batches of 1000. We usually write this as ‘1ku’, for one thousand units. OEMs, like Dell or HP or Supermicro, will happily buy thousands of CPUs, often with a single year warranty. This is in stark contrast to the end-user buying a retail unit obviously only wants one processor and often wants a longer (in most cases, the retail box has a three-year warranty).
The on-shelf price of the processor in a retail box, with or without a cooler, is not listed by Intel. The company leaves it up to distributors and then retailers to determine the market value of such a product. This is why the Intel Core i9-9900K, the current flagship of Intel’s 9th Gen Core desktop processor line, has a ‘tray’ price of $488, but actually came to market on Amazon at $582.50, before settling at its current price of $529. This is also why there has been a debate about whether our comparison between the AMD Athlon 200GE ($55 SEP) and the Intel Pentium G5400 ($64/1ku) is suitable, given that only certain regions with an oversupply seem to hit the Intel price point.
With all that being said, here is Intel’s pricing for the new ‘F’ CPUs:
| Intel 9th Gen Core CPUs | ||||||||
| AnandTech | Cores | Base Freq |
Turbo Freq |
IGP | IGP Freq |
DDR4 | TDP | Price (1ku) |
| i9-9900K | 8 / 16 | 3.6 GHz | 5.0 GHz | UHD 630 | 1200 | 2666 | 95 W | $488 |
| i9-9900KF | 8 / 16 | 3.6 GHz | 5.0 GHz | - | - | 2666 | 95 W | $488 |
| i7-9700K | 8 / 8 | 3.6 GHz | 4.9 GHz | UHD 630 | 1200 | 2666 | 95 W | $374 |
| i7-9700KF | 8 / 8 | 3.6 GHz | 4.9 GHz | - | - | 2666 | 95 W | $374 |
| i5-9600K | 6 / 6 | 3.7 GHz | 4.6 GHz | UHD 630 | 1150 | 2666 | 95 W | $262 |
| i5-9600KF | 6 / 6 | 3.7 GHz | 4.6 GHz | - | - | 2666 | 95 W | $262 |
| i5-9400 | 6 / 6 | 2.9 GHz | 4.1 GHz | UHD 630 | 1050 | 2666 | 65 W | $182 |
| i5-9400F | 6 / 6 | 2.9 GHz | 4.1 GHz | - | - | 2666 | 65 W | $182 |
| i3-9350KF | 4 / 4 | 4.0 GHz | 4.6 GHz | - | - | 2400 | 91 W | $173 |
| Relevant Intel 8th Gen Core CPUs | ||||||||
| i3-8350K | 4 / 4 | 4.0 GHz | - | UHD 630 | 1150 | 2400 | 91 W | $168 |
| i3-8100 | 4 / 4 | 3.6 GHz | - | UHD 630 | 1100 | 2400 | 65 W | $117 |
| i3-8100F | 4 / 4 | 3.6 GHz | - | - | - | 2400 | 65 W | $117 |
The only CPU in this list which doesnt have a non-F is the overclockable Core i3-9350KF, showing a 1ku price of $173, which is a few dollars more than the previous generation Core i3-8350K ($168/1ku), and has a turbo frequency.
Normally when a part of a processor is fused off, usually cores, we expect to see a decrease in the listed price. In this instance, Intel is putting the same tray price on its GPU-free processors to make them also savings-free. Given how tray price is often not connected to the retail price, it will depend on how many processors actually make it to market or to retail (if any end up in retail packaging) to see if they will actually be sold at a lower price than the parts with integrated graphics.
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Opencg - Thursday, January 17, 2019 - link
Your model of the world that says every company must push the least consumer friendly model is terribly flawed. Enjoy being stupid so that your mind can rationalize its own flawed makeup. I know plenty of companies that pass savings on to consumers. I know plenty that are taking over their respective fields while doing it. The only reason amd is catching up witb intel is because intel was happy to stagnate and abuse consumers for 8 years instead of trying to push the value they can give. Now even the long held crown of desktop gaming will be challenged by amd according to their recent announcements. I expect that to be a best case scenario but amd has been fairly accurate on these things lately so the gap will be extremely small. Keep rationalizing your fucked up ways while dinosaurs like you continue to die off.bldr - Thursday, January 17, 2019 - link
With your name calling and cursing would you be able to site one of these companies you reference (preferable a publicly traded one worth a few dollars to compare apples to apples, I'm not looking for a reference to your friends Etsy store). I'm not sure how you draw a line between a company's actual business model and your gross misunderstandings to me "being stupid so that your mind can rationalize its own flawed makeup" I can tell by the emotional response you're already defensive so I know that learning isn't going to happen at this point. You suffer from a very closed minded perspective which completely negates the need for future product development. I'm not sure how many multi billion dollar research facilities you have managed the production of, but I'm guessing selling your current products for bottom dollar hasn't left you with much capitol to entertain this opportunity. That's a great perspective though, ignore future growth and development potential, ignore securities and unforeseen liabilities, just view each pricing model in a vacuum so simple even Opencg can understand it. Of course Intel has been stagnant. Of course I'm not happy we don't have less expensive, higher performing chips. Point me in the direction where I can purchase a higher performing chip in the desktop and pro markets? I'll give them my money instead.nathanddrews - Wednesday, January 16, 2019 - link
Is it at all likely that the deactivated IGP will allow for higher OC due to better thermal? No IGP also means losing features like Quick Sync encode and video decode support (no Netflix 4K HDR), correct?Sounds like a terrible chip if there's no additional OC headroom while also losing features.
Sahrin - Wednesday, January 16, 2019 - link
The IGP can be deactivated in the BIOS, so this isn’t really a ‘benefit’ they’re just pre-making a decision for you then charging you for it.CaedenV - Wednesday, January 16, 2019 - link
When you deactivate in bios it is still active circuitry, but traffic is not directed to it. Supposedly with these chips it is fused off entirely which may make a bit more difference. But that is giving up quite a few features for the potential of a few hundred MHz on chips that can typically hit 5GHz+ anyways. I really would have liked to see this happen at a lower price point... and would like Netflix to allow those of us with older but still very capable computers to be able to view 4k HDR content.Sahrin - Wednesday, January 16, 2019 - link
>When you deactivate in bios it is still active circuitry, but traffic is not directed to it.This doesn't make any sense at all. Modern CPU's implement clock gating and deep sleep states which mean this is either not true or that there is a major design flaw in every Intel CPU with an integrated GPU.
namechamps - Wednesday, January 16, 2019 - link
Few hundred MHz. I think you vastly underestimate how low idle power consumption can be with components in sleep states. My guess is 0 MHz although individual results may vary. It isn't like a disable IGP is burning away at full tdp.blu3dragon - Wednesday, January 16, 2019 - link
Netflix 4k works on older cpus if you have a newer gfx card (nVidia pascal with minimum 3Gb or AMD polaris or vega). Also requires Win10 with latest updates and using Edge. (confusingly the Netflix app does not allow 4k).Sahrin - Wednesday, January 16, 2019 - link
The only reason this company is relevant is because you guys keep giving them your money.AshlayW - Wednesday, January 16, 2019 - link
+1