How about a Core i3 6300K for
instance, with just two cores
and hyper-threading? A limited
number of memory dividers, an
un-locked Base clock as well,
but a locked CPU-multiplier or
partially unlocked multiplier.
Surely this is a viable SKU, even
if the configuration isn’t exactly
the same as the one mentioned
here. The point is that there’s still
a market for a dual core hyperthread capable CPU that will not
in any meaningful way impact on
the rest of the line-up. If need be,
pricing of the other SKUs could be
adjusted to make space for this
new CPU or alternatively it could
sacrifice hyper-threading, and
keep to the low side of the price
range at $110 to $130 USD.
Against today’s CPUs this would
make it rather costly, however
with that, we do receive a CPU that
is cheap enough for overclocking
without negatively affecting the
rest of the family. As I am not privy
to pricing structures and that
which goes into manufacturing
or selling processors, one cannot
get into specifics. Suffice to say, I
do believe there’s a market here
which will place positive upward
pressure on the other K and X
CPUs within INTEL’s CPUs. In the
same way that those who have
experienced a performance car
at any level, usually stay in that
range or move up into a higher tier
vehicle. Either way, the margins
are better there than at the low
end. I would argue that the same
holds true for the DIY/enthusiast
market.
In a healthy market, AMD would
take advantage of this situation,
but at present is not a factor at
all given that even the fastest
current generation AMD FX CPUs
are undesirable when compared
to the vast majority of Core i3
products. Perhaps if not for raw
CPU performance, it is because
of the ancient platform on which
they operate. Thus, even if the
pricing of this fictional CPU did not
compete well in price with AMD’s
offerings, it offers a way into a
significantly better eco-system
over and above the performance
16 The OverClocker Issue 37 | 2016
advantages in games etc.
We have established by now
that high end PC gaming is
the way forward for the PC
gaming space as a whole.
There’s simply no demand
anymore for an ever faster
spreadsheet processing
machine within the home.
Between the smartphones,
tablets, notebooks and
consoles, most individuals
have found that they are not
in need of any desktop at all.
The ones that do have desktop
computers have tended to be
those who spend on DIY builds
costing thousands. These are
the very same people who buy
the $180+ priced CPUs on the
low side.
If these users have
disposable income, and
having them spend it on a
high end keyboards, SSDs
or whatever else, how about
INTEL entices them to spend
that on an affordable low
end K SKU CPU? It shouldn’t
be this difficult to convince
INTEL to reach out to even
more customers at virtually
no cost to the company, which
again would in turn help board
vendors.
Between the end users,
motherboard vendors and
of course INTEL, there
seems to be little to no
communication and as a result
“...there are those
who would site
technical reasons
why this was
done and how it
makes sense.”