Intel Unveils ‘Most Extreme Desktop Processor’ Ever

Intel this week unveiled a new lineup of processors, which is big news because most of the leading laptops and desktops out there—including Apple computers—rely on Intel chips for peak performance.

Intel’s new range is dubbed the “X-Series.” Gregory Bryant, corporate vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group at Intel Corporation, described the lineup’s top processor—the new i9 with 18 cores and 32 threads—as “by far the most extreme desktop processor ever introduced.”

Bryant, who unveiled the processors at Computex in Taipei, says the X-Series is about more than just adding cores—it’s about creating processors that perform optimally for specific purposes, from gaming to content creation to virtual reality.

“One size doesn’t fit all,” he says,  “and no one wants to settle.”

The Core-X Family starts at $242 for the i5, which has four cores and four threads. The i7 starts at $339 and goes up for $599 for eight cores and 16 threads. The i9 ranges from $999 to $1,699. Higher-end Core models will also boast an upgraded Turbo Boost which Intel calls Max 3.0, technology that helps optimize each processor’s performance.