Intel continues to lead the way in the consumer and gaming market with their top-of-the-line CPU, the Intel Core i9-13900KS. Recently, Intel released a video on their official YouTube channel showcasing the capabilities of their new flagship processor, which is able to reach a maximum frequency of 6,000 MHz without any need for overclocking.
One of the most interesting aspects of the demonstration was that the processor was cooled using a conventional Corsair water cooling system with a dual fan setup. The motherboard used was an ASUS ROG based on the Intel Z790 chipset.
To prove there were no tricks involved in achieving these frequency levels, Intel continuously displayed the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility (XTU) and HWiNFO tools, as well as running a 7zip benchmark in the background. The result was reaching 6,000 MHz despite having two active cores.
The second P-Core was operating at 5,600 MHz. It’s worth noting that Intel emphasizes that the frequencies will depend on factors such as temperature and software used.
No Tricks: Intel Proves 6 GHz is Possible with Core i9-13900KS
It’s important to remember that the Intel Core i9-13900KS offers the same 24-core and 32-thread configuration as the ‘K’ variant, but with a “black-binned” silicon that can achieve higher frequencies. The high-performance cores are the 8 P-Core cores which reach a maximum speed of 6.00 GHz.
Essentially, this is an extra 200 MHz compared to the K version. When a pair of cores are activated simultaneously, the maximum frequency is 5.80 GHz (an increase of 100 MHz). With all cores active, the speed remains at 5.40 GHz. The base frequency is also slightly higher at 3.20 GHz (vs 3.00 GHz).
These cores are accompanied by 16 energy-efficient cores (E-Core), which have not changed from the Core i9-13900K and operate at a base and turbo frequency of 2.20 and 4.30 GHz respectively.
However, the increase in P-Core frequencies does come at a cost, as the Core i9-13900KS has a higher energy consumption of 150W compared to the 125W of the Core i9-13900K. However, the power consumption ceiling remains at 253W at maximum power. Essentially, this means that the Core i9-13900KS will not be able to reach 6.00 GHz.
Availability and Price
Unfortunately, the availability and price of the Intel Core i9-13900KS has not been announced at this time. However, it can be expected to carry a higher price tag than its predecessor due to its increased performance capabilities.