Intel will release new CPU to beat rival AMD.
Intel will release a new CPU to beat rival AMD across the board in the mainstream, by upping its core count again giving it a total of eight cores and 16 threads to play with. This is according to the rumor mill at Videocardz. While the rest of the specifications of the new CPU may be pure speculation, the core count is almost a certainty as is the architecture. Rumors of the new CPU date well back into 2017, and it's a predictable move for Intel. Its current mainstream flagship, the six-core Core i7-8700K, has 50% more cores than its predecessor, the Core i7-7700K, in order to counter the likes of AMD's Ryzen 7 1800X, which has eight cores. Intel succeeded here, thanks to higher CPU clock speeds compared to AMD's equivalents price-wise. The Core i7-8700K was faster in many tests despite a two core deficit. However, in raw multi-threaded performance, especially in benchmarks that aren't otherwise Intel-optimised, AMD has bragging rights. This means that Intel can't claim to be faster than AMD in everything.
Intel is looking to address multi-threaded performance with the new CPU, because even with better boosting algorithms, AMD's expected Ryzen second generations CPUs won't be able to match the speed compared to a Core i7-8700K with eight cores. Since AMD's 12-core Threadripper 1920X retails for $670, Intel has alot of wiggle room, with its new eight core CPU. The Core i7-8700K retails for around $350, so even if the new CPU costs $500, it's going to make it difficult to differentiate between both AMD and Intel's high-end desktop platforms. AMD could find it difficult to counter Intel's move unless the Ryzen 200o-series / 2nd generation is much faster than the first generation. It's likely that Intel will have the bragging rights to having the fastest and most powerful mainstream desktop CPU. We will have to wait until AMD announces the specifications on the Zen 2 7nm CPUs next year to see how long Intel can hold on.