(Updated) 6-Core Intel processors going mainstream in 2018 with Coffee Lake

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As AMDs processors close in with some Zen slowly yet steadily we see some movement at Intel as well. For ages now 4-core processors have been the norm in the mainstream desktop segment, it seems that 6-core Intel processors are finally becoming mainstream in 2018.



This news-item (from July 2016) has been updated with new screenshots.

In it's yearly Form 10-K document about Intel's financials the company now really makes note of a three-step cycle. So after a new procedure (die shrink), there will be a new architecture followed by an upgrade of that architecture. This way Intel can release a new processor each year. However it now seems there will even be a 4th step.

Basically following Kaby Lake to release there will be a fourth generation processor series fabbed on the 14nm production process called Coffee Lake. It is interesting as at that same time the mobile/laptop Cannon Lake processors have already moved to 10 nm. It does make sense as Intel over a year ago announced to abandon its tick-tock model, which alternately introduced a new architecture and a new production process. Basically Intel will use whatever fab process works out the best for them practially and economically aimed at a certain target area.

Coffee Lake CPUs will get two, four or six cores and will get a GT3e, an on-board GPU with dedicated video memory. The processors are rated at a 35 Watt to 45 Watt TDP range.


 

  
MicroarchitectureCPU seriesTick or TockCycleFab nodeYear Released
Presler/Cedar Mill Pentium 4 / D Tick   65 nm 2006
Conroe/Merom Core 2 Duo/Quad Tock   65 nm 2006
Penryn Core 2 Duo/Quad Tick   45 nm 2007
Nehalem Core i Tock   45 nm 2008
Westmere Core i Tick   32 nm 2010
Sandy Bridge Core i 2xxx Tock   32 nm 2011
Ivy Bridge Core i 3xxx Tick   22 nm 2012
Haswell Core i 4xxx Tock   22 nm 2013
Broadwell Core i 5xxx Tick Process 14 nm 2014 & 2015 for desktops
Skylake Core i 6xxx Tock Architecture 14 nm 2016
Kaby lake  Core i 7xxx Tock Optimization 14 nm 2017
Coffee Lake Core i 7xxx Tock Optimization 10 nm 2018
Cannonlake Core i 8xxx? Tick Process 10 nm 2018
Icelake Core i 8xxx? Tock Architecture 10 nm 2019
Tiger Lake Core i 9xxx? Tock Optimization 10 nm 2020
tba tba Tick Process 7 nm 2020

 
The new road-map that was spotted at PC Watch also shows the first Cannon Lake processors scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2017. This involves the U and Y models, for laptops and 2-in-1's. 


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