Intel breaks the 6GHz barrier with the 13th Gen Core i9 13900KS processor, check price, specifications- Technology News, Firstpost

FP StaffJan 14, 2023 19:43:10 IST

Intel launched its 13th Gen desktop processor in September globally, whereas the lineup was launched in mid-October in India. This month, they are launching its fastest desktop processor to date, which breaks the 6GHz barrier at stock speeds for the first time. 

The new Core i9-13900KS is without a doubt the fastest desktop CPU on the market right now and is based on the 13th Gen Core i9 13900K that came close to the 6GHz barrier with its 5.8GHz turbo frequency last year. The new KS version has been priced at $699 or Rs 56,800 in the US and is likely to be priced similarly in India.

The CPU is aimed at professional creators, gamers and other enthusiast-level users. It uses Intel’s performance hybrid architecture to give users an unparalleled experience in productivity-related tasks, gaming, and content production.

The 13900KS is the first CPU to achieve 6GHz without overclocking, breaking over the 6GHz barrier and enhancing PC gaming performance. It does this by utilising Intel’s Thermal Velocity Boost technology.

Intel has bumped up the base power of the 13900KS to 150 watts, from the base power of 125 watts of the 13900K. At max turbo power, the KS version will hit slightly above 250 watts.

The base frequencies of the Performance cores have been bumped up to 3.2GHz, up from the 3GHz on the 13900K. Other than that the new CPU is similar to the 13900K. The new 13900KS CPU has the same eight Performance and 16 Efficiency cores for a total of 24 cores, which run on 32 threads. The new CPU has 36MB of Intel Smart Cache, and 20 PCIe lanes, of which 16 are PCIe 5 and four are PCIe 4.

The new 13900KS is compatible with Z790 motherboards as well as Z690 motherboards, although to get the best out of Intel’s flagship desktop CPU, it is better paired with Z790 motherboards. Users will need to update their existing MoBos with the latest BIOS for the best gaming and content creation experience.

As for RAM, the 13900KS supports DDR5 RAMs with speeds of up to 5600 MT/s and DDR4 RAMs with speeds of up to 3200 MT/s.

The Intel Core i9-13900KS is available with major retailers for users planning to build their own PCs, and will soon start appearing on OEM machines.