Intel introduces first Skylake processors

Intel introduced its first Skylake-generation processors on the first day of GamesCom 2015. The processors, for the time being two versions, have a new architecture and are produced at 14nm.

The Skylake generation is a so-called ‘tock’, so it is a processor generation with a new architecture on board. The Skylake processors thus succeed the Haswell and Broadwell generations. Haswell was also a tock and Broadwell was the tick, or a reduction of the production process from 22nm to 14nm.

Intel has only released two Skylake processors at the games fair in Cologne. The top model, the Core i7-6700K, has a clock speed of 4GHz with turbo to 4.2GHz. The Core i5-6600K is clocked at 3.5GHz with turbo to 3.9GHz and, unlike the i7, does not support hyperthreading. Both processors are quad-cores with an Intel HD 530 GPU on board and a TDP of 91W. The i7 has a suggested retail price of $350 and the i5 should cost $243. Converted, with VAT, this would mean that the 6700K should cost about 400 euros and the 6600K about 300 euros,

Both Skylake models are aimed at gamers and overclockers. Not only is the multiplier adjustable, as with all K-models, but the base clock is also fully adjustable. In addition, all voltages must be supplied by the motherboard, so that they can be set by the user via the bios. That should give you more overclocking options.

The processors have a flexible memory controller that can handle both DDR3 and DDR4 memory. However, the high-end motherboards will mainly come with DDR4 memory slots. Those motherboards contain the only released chipset that belongs to Skylake: the Z170 chipset. It supplies 20 PCIe lanes, USB 3.0 ports and SATA ports. Motherboards for Skylake processors are not compatible with previous generations of processors, the socket has 1151 pins, whereas Haswell motherboards use socket lga1150.

More Skylake-generation processors, both for mobile and desktop, should be released during the quarter.