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What is 9th generation processor? The Intel 9th generation core processors are all about 45 watt mobile and desktop processors. These processors are codenamed ‘Coffee Lake Refresh,’ and are actually a rejuvenation of the Coffee Lake hardware of the 8th generation.
As such, there are a few minor adjustments and enhancements made in the thermal interface of the processor as well as other aspects such as:
- The processor comes with an ability to support up to 8 cores
- The newer chipsets also come with an integrated USB 3.1 Gen 2 that performs at 10 Gbps and
- It will also have a CNVi-enabled Wi-Fi for better and more stable connectivity.
As for the microarchitecture of this processor, it resembles the Skylake microarchitecture of the 6th generation processor that was launched in 2016.
However, the notable difference in the microarchitecture of the 9th generation chip is that it is built on the latest 14 nm process technology of Intel. This adds to the frequency and efficiency of the processor that comes with more cores, making it a better performing chip.
The different variants of processors come with different names. Intel actually names their processors in two specific divisions. The first is the Core I-series number, such as:
- Core i9, that comes with 8 core and hyperthreading ability
- Core i7, that comes with 8 cores but with no hyperthreading ability
- Core i5, that has 6 cores and no hyperthreading ability
- Core i3, that comes with 4 cores and no hyperthreading ability
- Pentium Gold, that contains only 2 cores but with hyperthreading ability and
- Celeron, that comes with 2 cores but with no hyperthreading ability.
The second part of the name is an extra suffix. This signifies the specific features that are either enabled or disabled in the processor. These are:
- K, signifying that the chip is overclockable
- KF, which signifies that the processor is overclockable but does not have any integrated graphics
- F means it has no integrated graphics and
- T, which means it is of low power and has a 35-watt TDP.
Sometimes, there may be no suffix at all in the nomenclature. This signifies that the processor is a standard model that comes with integrated graphics and a TDP ranging between 54 and 65 watts.
When you look at the 9th generation processors, there is a new suffix, F. This means that there are no integrated graphics in it. The main difference in this processor, as compared with the others, is in its base frequency, which determines the TDP rating.
The main idea behind such naming is to give the users a fair idea about the features available in the processor and to choose one according to their needs.
What is 9th Generation Processor?
With a few manufacturing changes made in the architecture of the 8th generation processor, Intel has come out with its 9th generation processor.
Therefore, if you are expecting something spectacular and magical in it, be warned, you can be pretty disappointed. However, this does not mean you should not give it a try, provided you have the system compatibility and the budget to afford such a costly upgrade.
Initially, the mainstream 9th generation chips did not have Core i3 processors in the list, which was an unexpected thing for the users. Presumably, the main reason behind this was the extra emphasis on the performance by the manufacturer.
This, ideally, is not the key factor to consider for the low-tier chips. That is why you will find the upgraded Core i9 processor in the Intel Core family which will be compatible with any regular motherboard of a desktop computer.
Here is what you will get in each of the 9th generation Core i5-9600 K, Core i7-9700 K and the Core i9-9900 K chips.
- All are built on the 14 nm process technology
- The base speed of each are 3.7 GHz, 3.6 GHz, and 3.6 GHz respectively
- All will have a maximum turbo speed at all cores of 4.3 GHz, 4.6 GHz, and 4.7 GHz respectively
- The maximum turbo speed for the single core will be respectively 4.6 GHz, 4.9 GHz, and 5 GHz
- The number of cores will be 6, 8, and 8 respectively
- The L3 cache size will be 9 MB, 12 MB, and 16 MB and
- All will have a GPU that will support UHD Graphics 630.
However, the Core i5 and i7 variant will not have hyper-threading ability like the Core i9-9900 K chips.
The base clock speed for all 9th generation processors is not as high as expected but if you compare the price of these new chips with the older variants, there is not much to complain since it has not changed significantly either.
However, the reasons you should opt for the 9th generation processors are:
- It will perform at a higher speed
- It will be able to perform multithreaded tasks
- With full HD resolution capability and support, it is suitable for high-end gaming
- Few chips, such as the Z370, comes with enhanced features such as a built-in support for USB 3.1 Generation 2 ports numbering to six which ensure higher rate of data transfer at 10 Gbps and
- It comes in a wide and varied product range.
Investing on it will enable you to enjoy processor frequency ranging from 4.6 GHz to 5 GHz, 6 to 8 cores, Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 technology, HT technology, smart cache size of 9 to 16 MB, DDR4 2666 memory support for dual memory channels, Intel UHD graphics with dynamic frequency of up to 1200, and Quick Sync Video of Intel.
It all depends on whether you choose a Core i5, i7 or i9 model.
Looking at the different variations of the 9th generation processors, the features of each can be enumerated as per its specifications.
For example, the Intel 9th generation Core i9, i7, i5, i3 processors will all have high-performing cores that are reviewed and certified by reputed and reliable sites like AnandTech.
These cores, numbering to 8, and with hyperthreading ability will have base threads and a Turbo frequency. However, different models of each can be classified as under the following heads:
Model Frequency L3 Cache DDR4 IGP TDP
i9-9900 K 8C / 16T 3.6 GHz 5.0 GHz 16 MB 2666 Yes 95 watts
i9-9900 KF 8C / 16T 3.6 GHz 5.0 GHz 16 MB 2666 No 95 watts
i9-9900 8C / 16T 3.1 GHz 4.9 GHz 16 MB 2666 Yes 65 watts
i9-9900 T 8C / 16T 2.1 GHz 4.4 GHz 16 MB 2666 Yes 35 watts
The intel Core i7 processors will have specifications under the same heads and as follows:
i7-9700 K 8C / 8T 3.6 GHz 4.9 GHz 12 MB 2666 Yes 95 watts
i7-9700 KF 8C / 8T 3.6 GHz 4.9 GHz 12 MB 2666 No 95 watts
i7-9700 8C / 8T 3.0 GHz 4.7 GHz 12 MB 2666 Yes 65 watts
i7-9700 F 8C / 8T 3.0 GHz 4.7 GHz 12 MB 2666 No 65 watts
i7-9700 T 8C / 8T 2.0 GHz 4.3 GHz 12 MB 2666 Yes 35 watts
The specifications of the Core i5 variant of the Intel 9th generation processors will look like:
i5-9600 K 6C / 6T 3.7 GHz 4.6 GHz 9 MB 2666 Yes 65 watts
i5-9600 KF 6C / 6T 3.7 GHz 4.6 GHz 9 MB 2666 No 65 watts
i5-9600 6C / 6T 3.1 GHz 4.6 GHz 9 MB 2666 Yes 65 watts
i5-9600 T 6C / 6T 2.3 GHz 3.9 GHz 9 MB 2666 Yes 35 watts
i5-9500 6C / 6T 3.0 GHz 4.4 GHz 9 MB 2666 Yes 65 watts
i5-9500 F 6C / 6T 3.0 GHz 4.4 GHz 9 MB 2666 No 65 watts
i5-9500 T 6C / 6T 2.2 GHz 3.7 GHz 9 MB 2666 Yes 35 watts
i5-9400 6C / 6T 2.9 GHz 4.1 GHz 9 MB 2666 Yes 65 watts
i5-9400 F 6C / 6T 2.9 GHz 4.1 GHz 9 MB 2666 No 65 watts
i5-9400 T 6C / 6T 1.8 GHz 3.4 GHz 9 MB 2666 Yes 35 watts
The Intel 9th generation Core i3 processors, on the other hand, will come with:
i3-9350 KF 4C / 4T 4.0 GHz 4.6 GHz 8 MB 2400 No 91 watts
i3-9320 4C / 4T 3.7 GHz 4.4 GHz 8 MB 2400 Yes 62 watts
i3-9300 4C / 4T 3.7 GHz 4.3 GHz 8 MB 2400 Yes 62 watts
i3-9300 T 4C / 4T 3.2 GHz 3.8 GHz 8 MB 2400 Yes 35 watts
i3-9100 4C / 4T 3.6 GHz 4.2 GHz 6 MB 2400 Yes 65 watts
i3-9100 F 4C / 4T 3.6 GHz 4.2 GHz 6 MB 2400 Yes 65 watts
i3-9100 T 4C / 4T 3.1 GHz 3.7 GHz 6 MB 2400 Yes 35 watts
Finally, the Intel 9th generation Pentium Gold and Celeron processors will have their respective specifications as:
G5620 2C / 4T 4.0 GHz NA 4 MB 2400 Yes 54 watts
G5600 T 2C / 4T 3.3 GHz NA 4 MB 2400 Yes 35 watts
G5420 2C / 4T 3.8 GHz NA 4 MB 2400 Yes 54 to 58 watts
G5420 T 2C / 4T 3.2 GHz NA 4 MB 2400 Yes 35 watts
G4950 2C / 2T 3.3 GHz NA 2 MB 2400 Yes 54 watts
G4930 2C / 2T 3.2 GHz NA 2 MB 2400 Yes 54 watts
G4930 T 2C / 2T 3.0 GHz NA 2 MB 2400 Yes 35 watts.
With such a large variety of 9th generation processors available, you will surely find one to use in your system.
The Pros of 9th Generation Processor
1. More physical cores
The 9th generation processors come with a higher number of physical cores, especially, the i7 and i9 variant.
It will, therefore, have a better performance rate and a higher clock speed. This means better and faster processing of data and information.
2. Powerful and secured
Using this processor in your systems does not only mean that you will have one of the most powerful processors in it.
This will also signify that you have the assurance that your system will have a higher level of protection against flaws in security and risks of hacking and other attacks.
3. Power boost
Not only literally, you will also get a significant power boost in all other aspects of your system when you use the 9th generation core processor.
While 4K video editing, it will be up to 28% faster, both compared with the 8th generation processors.
4. Supports Wi-Fi 6
The new chip supports Wi-Fi 6 Gig+. This is the latest standard in wireless technology which takes the performance and functionality of the processor far beyond the numbers.
The maximum output throughout is 10 gigabits per second. The Wi-Fi 6 AX200 adapter is compliant with the 802.11ax standard.
This will attain a speed up to 2.4 Gbps maximum by using the 5 GHz band. This is three times more than the 867 Mbps standard of the 802.11ac.
5. More bandwidth
Though you will not use all the speed offered by the 9th generation processor theoretically, you can actually have higher bandwidth when you use your laptop to play 4K content.
This will also help you to run high-end PC games or stream 4K videos. You will even be able to add a higher number of connected devices, and manage them more efficiently because there will be no slowdown in the connection.
The new Optane memory H 10 module is supported by the 9th generation processor. This will help you to catch the most and frequently used processes by your computer together with a distinct hard drive.
The processor helps in combining the super-fast memory of the Solid-State Drive or SSD with flash drives of high capacity. All these are done in the same M.2 form factor.
7. Game load times
If you are into high-end gaming then this latest chip will provide a lot of support.
Once again, the latest combination of the Optane memory with 1TB QLC 3D NAND storage of Intel will reduce the load times of the games making your system even faster by 2.29%.
As for the file opening rate, it will be about 1.63 times faster when compared with that of a system that has a triple-level cellular SSD.
8. Support DDR4 memory
If your laptop is equipped with the 9th generation Core processor, it will support up to 128 GB DDR4 memory. This will enable your consumer package PC to perform at workstation level.
This factor is facilitated even more by the ability of the processor to support other features such as the high-capacity SSD 660p of Intel and the new 17.x Rapid Storage Technology.
9. Efficiency and form factor
When you consider the form factor and efficiency of the new computers, the new 9th generation processor will help you to control your tasks and the activities of the system in a much better way.
You can switch to a number of diverse modes, if your system comes with it, that is.
10. Battery life
Finally, the 9th generation processor will improve the battery life significantly, though there is no official announcement from Intel about the exact figurative value.
The Cons of 9th Generation Processor
In spite of the hype, the GPU of the 9th generation Intel Core processor is just the same as it was last year. This signifies that there will be no significant change in the display and performance.
12. Process technology
The 14 nm process technology of this processor is the same as last year’s as well. Therefore, it will be the same when the level of performance is concerned.
13. Internal design
If you consider the internal design of the 9th generation processor, you will see that there is no significant change in it as well.
Since everything boils down to the price, do not expect to make any savings while upgrading your system with a 9th generation Intel Core processor. In fact, the high cost of the CPU may compel you to decide against such an upgrade.
15. Power consumption
You will not save much in power and energy efficiency either. This is because the 9th generation core processors are known for its significant power draw.
The processor also gets hot very easily and quickly. This means that it may damage the components of your system as well as the chip itself.
You will need to invest in a proper and efficient cooling system, but then that will raise the cost even more.
17. Limited usage
The usage of the 9th generation processor is significantly limited to a few specific types of users. If you are a regular computer user, you may not want using this hi-fi processor because it will actually be an overkill.
18. New motherboard
If you want to use this processor, you will first need to invest on a new motherboard, because it will not fit into the old one. Once again, this will add to your cost.
As of now, there are not many 9th generation processors available in the market, especially the i7 models. You will mostly get the i9 series that has a good benchmark but comes with a high price tag.
20. Trivial speed changes
If you are looking for speed, then there is no compelling reason to upgrade your PC with a 9th generation processor.
This is because the speed differences will be trivial as compared to the other previous generations. In fact, the change is just about 6%.
21. Multi-user system issues
If you want to use the 9th generation processors for multi-user systems then you may face some serious issues regarding side-channel attacks.
This is because you will need a malware running on the same physical mechanism as the one that deals with the target process.
22. Clock speeds
There will also be a mild increase of about 7% in the clock speed, but that is only in the Turbo Boost Clocks and that too in the best-case scenarios. As for the base clock, the speed is the same as its predecessors and is at 2.6 GHz.
23. Suitable for high-end devices
The 9th generation processor will not be able to provide much of its inherent benefits to the computers, especially laptops, that are averagely priced and are in the i5 core section.
Putting everything, from the features, specs, pros and cons across the table, it can be concluded that the entire series of the 9th generation processors, especially the mobile processors, can provide a welcome hike in the performance of the system. It is ready to compete and win the ‘Best Gaming Processor’ title.