Intel’s processor lineup for the first half of 2018 has been revealed; or we at least know what the chips will be called. Unsurprisingly, it will largely be focused on rounding out the existing eighth generation family of Core processors. That said, the first batch of ninth generation Core products are also expected to be appearing.
Kaby Lake looks to be finally bowing out after a refresh helped it sneak into the eighth generation processors. Instead, it looks like the generation will be introducing proper Coffee Lake chips with the increase in production capability. We’re already covered the existing of a Core i9 mobile chip, but there is also a new set of i7-8850H, i7-8750H, i5-8400H, and i3-8300H mobile processors.
The revealed desktop processors offer a more complete picture of Intel’s 2018 SKUs. They run the gamut from Core i7 down to Celeron, and include several processors with the “B” suffix. Pentium is also being somewhat changed; split between the Core technology based Gold series and the Atom based Silver series. In all, there should be 46 Coffee Lake based desktop processors next year (including six that have already been released).
As before, Intel will be offering Coffee Lake S with regular and low powered TDP variants. This is indicated with the “T” suffix on the processor names. What is really unknown is what the B range of processors mean. The company hasn’t used the letter before, and what it means is extremely uncertain.
Similarly, there’s no telling what the names of the ninth generation processors indicate. In the past, this would refer to a completely new architecture; but that was thrown out the window when the eighth generation included a Kaby Lake refresh alongside Coffee Lake chips.
Speculation has it the first wave of new processors could follow this trend, with the first ninth generation chips simply being a Coffee Lake refresh. It would certainly give Intel more time to get its 10++ nm Ice Lake production up to speed.
[Source: Anandtech]
