Intel to Discontinue Itanium 9700 ‘Kittson’ Processor, the Last of the Itaniums

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Intel on Thursday notified its partners and customers that it would be discontinuing its Itanium 9700-series codenamed Kittson processors, the last Itanium chips on the market. Under their product discontinuance plan, Intel will cease shipments of Itanium CPUs in mid-2021, or a bit over two years from now. The impact to hardware vendors should be minimal – at this point HP Enterprise is the only company still buying the chips – but it nonetheless marks the end of an era for Intel, and their interesting experiment into a non-x86 VLIW-style architecture.

The current-generation octa and quad-core Itanium 9700-series processors were introduced by Intel in 2017, in the process becoming the final processors based on the IA-64 ISA. Kittson for its part was a clockspeed-enhanced version of the Itanium 9500-series ‘Poulson’ microarchitecture launched in 2012, and featured a 12 instructions per cycle issue width, 4-way Hyper-Threading, and multiple RAS capabilities not found on Xeon processors back then. It goes without saying that the writing has been on the wall for Itanium for a while now, and Intel has been preparing for an orderly wind down for quite some time.

At this point, the only systems that actually use Itanium 9700-series CPUs are the HPE Integrity Superdome machines, which are running the HP-UX 11i v3 operating system and launched in mid-2017. So Intel's sole Itanium customer will have to submit their final Itanium orders, as well as orders for Intel’s C112/C114 scalable memory buffers by January 30, 2020. Intel will then ship its last Itanium CPUs by July 29, 2021. HPE for its part will support their systems through at least December 31, 2025, but depending on how much stock HPE wants to keep on hand, they'll presumably stop selling them a few years sooner than that.

With the EOL plan for the Itanium 9700-series CPUs in place, it certainly means that this is the end of the road for the whole Itanium project, both for HPE and Intel. The former has been offering Xeon-based NonStop and Integrity servers for years now, whereas the latter effectively ceased development of new CPUs featuring the IA-64 ISA earlier this decade. The machines running these CPUs will of course continue their operations through at least late 2025 (or until HPE drops HP-UX 11i v3) simply because mission-critical systems are bought for the long-haul, but Intel will cease shipments of Itaniums in 2.5 years from now.

Related Reading:

• Intel to Discontinue Itanium 9500 ‘Poulson’ CPUs
• Intel’s Itanium Takes One Last Breath: Itanium 9700 Series CPUs Released
• Intel to Release New Itanium CPUs in 2012: New Architecture and Up to Eight Cores

Source: Intel

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Intel releases its monstrous 28-core processor for $2,999

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After talking about its 28-core processor for what we feel like was forever, Intel is finally releasing the Xeon W-3175X. 

The new workstation processor packs 28-cores, 56-threads and a whopping $2,999 (about £2,280, AU$4,120) price tag. That’s quite the cost even compared to the most expensive HEDT chips, including the $1,979 (£1,919, AU$2,999) Intel Core i9-9980XE and $1,799 (£1,639, AU$2,679) AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Of course, this is a much hardier enterprise-level CPU designed to take on the biggest workloads, such as creating and rendering media, film editing and 3D graphics rendering. Not only will the Intel Xeon W-3175X do the work, it’ll work faster than other chips, thanks to its 3.1GHz base frequency, 4.3GHz single-core Turbo clock and 38.5MB of L3 cache.

Likewise, this chip's supporting Intel C621 chipset is meant for production system builds. The chipset brings support for up to 68 PCIe lanes (44 PCie 3.0) and six-channel DDR4-2666 memory, which will allow users to pair this processor with up to a gargantuan 512GB of RAM.

While we don’t have any plans to review this workstation processor, as it's outside of our scope of consumer-class components coverage, you can read all about how this processor performs from our friends at Anandtech and Tom’s Hardware.

• Here’s are the best processors designed for everyday computing and gaming

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Intel announces the Xeon W-3175X, its first 28-core, 56-thread processor

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AMD might be the CPU community's new darling, but Intel is fighting back. The company today announced the official launch of its Intel Xeon W-3175X processor, which is designed for high-intensity workloads.





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Robert Swan Named CEO of Intel

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Intel today announced that its board of directors had named Robert Swan, its CFO and interim CEO, as full-time chief executive officer. Mr. Swan will be the company’s first CEO with financial background.

This is a breaking news, we are adding more details as we get them.

Intel’s press release reads as follows:

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 31, 2019 – Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) today announced that its board of directors has named Robert (Bob) Swan as chief executive officer. Swan, 58, who has been serving as Intel’s interim CEO for seven months and as chief financial officer since 2016, is the seventh CEO in Intel’s 50-year history. Swan has also been elected to Intel’s board of directors.

Todd Underwood, vice president of Finance and director of Intel’s Corporate Planning and Reporting, will assume the role of interim chief financial officer as the company undertakes an internal and external search for a permanent CFO.

“As Intel continues to transform its business to capture more of a large and expanding opportunity that includes the data center, artificial intelligence and autonomous driving, while continuing to get value from the PC business, the board concluded after a thorough search that Bob is the right leader to drive Intel into its next era of growth,” said Chairman Andy Bryant. “The search committee conducted a comprehensive evaluation of a wide range of internal and external candidates to identify the right leader at this critical juncture in Intel’s evolution. We considered many outstanding executives and we concluded the best choice is Bob. Important in the board’s decision was the outstanding job Bob did as interim CEO for the past seven months, as reflected in Intel’s outstanding results in 2018. Bob’s performance, his knowledge of the business, his command of our growth strategy, and the respect he has earned from our customers, our owners, and his colleagues confirmed he is the right executive to lead Intel.”

“In my role as interim CEO, I’ve developed an even deeper understanding of Intel’s opportunities and challenges, our people and our customers,” Swan said. “When I was first named interim CEO, I was immediately focused on running the company and working with our customers. When the board approached me to take on the role permanently, I jumped at the chance to lead this special company. This is an exciting time for Intel: 2018 was an outstanding year and we are in the midst of transforming the company to pursue our biggest market opportunity ever. I’m honored to have the chance to continue working alongside our board, our leadership team, and our more than 107,000 superb employees as we take the company forward.”

Swan is a proven leader with a strong track record of success both within and outside Intel. As interim CEO, Swan has managed the company’s operations in close collaboration with Intel’s senior leadership team. Swan has been Intel’s CFO since October 2016. In this role, he led the global finance, mergers and acquisitions, investor relations, IT and corporate strategy organizations. Prior to joining Intel, Swan served as an operating partner at General Atlantic LLC and served on Applied Materials’ board of directors. He previously spent nine years as CFO of eBay Inc., where he is currently a director. Earlier in his career, he was CFO of Electronic Data Systems Corp. and TRW Inc. He also served as CFO, COO and CEO of Webvan Group Inc., and began his career at General Electric, serving for 15 years in several senior finance roles.

 

Related Reading:

Intel's CEO Brian Krzanich Resigns, CFO Robert Swan as Interim CEO

Source: Intel

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G.Skill Launches Crazy 6-Channel DDR4 Trident-Z Memory Kits for Intel's Xeon W-3175 CPU

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Up to 192GB in a single memory kit!

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Moto G7 Plus spy shots out 27W fast charging and OIS support

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Last week nearly all the specifications for four new Moto G7 phones were leaked, and now the high-end variant - the Moto G7 Plus - has been spotted in the wild. 

Images of the Moto G7 Plus were picked up by TudoCelular after they surfaced on a closed Facebook group for Brazilian Motorola fans, and revealed some interesting features for the smartphone. 

The handset in the leaked images appears to be a box-ready Moto G7 Plus complete with a protective plastic sheet over the screen spelling out some of the phone's key features.

If genuine, the image confirms the 16MP rear camera on the Moto G7 Plus will feature Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) - which should provided more detailed, blur-free shots and improved low-light shooting.

The leaked shot of the rear of the Moto G7 Plus shows a dual camera setup (the second sensor is rumored to be 5MP) and a fingerprint scanner below it, incorporated into the Motorola logo.

So far then, these specs match previous leaks we've seen regarding the handset.

TurboPower fast charge to get a boost

Another interesting tidbit from the leak is that the Moto G7 Plus will apparently support 27W TurboPower fast charging. Usually, 15W fast-charging adapters are included in the box of many smartphones, but the G7 Plus may buck the trend with a 27W adapter.

Other specifications of the phone such as the 6.2-inch Full HD+ (2270 x 1080 pixels) display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor are also shown, with the octa-core CPU clocked at 1.8GHz and arrives alongside 4GB of RAM.

The Moto G7, Moto G7 Plus, Moto G7 Play and Moto G7 Power are expected to launch on February 7, and TechRadar will be reporting live to bring you all the latest from Motorola. 

• Moto G7 Plus release date, price, news and leaks

Via Gadgets360

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Asetek Launches 690LX-PN Cooler for Xeon W-3175X: Up to 500 W

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Asetek has introduced one of the industry’s first closed-loop liquid cooling solutions specifically designed for Intel’s 28-core Xeon W-3175X processor for extreme workstations. The 690LX-PN cooler can dissipate up to 500 W of heat and therefore enables owners to overclock the CPU beyond its stock frequency.

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AMD's latest earnings should have Intel and Nvidia shaking

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AMD is one of the few tech companies surging on Wall Street this past week, besting the likes of Intel and Apple with favorable earnings.

The chipmaker's revenue of $1.42 billion (about £1.09bn, AU$1.97bn) for its fourth quarter means that it was up 6% year-over-year.  Yes, it narrowly missed Wall Streets’ $1.44 billion (about £1.10bn, AU$2bn) estimates, its stock price is currently up more than $15 at the time of writing.

It's more than just the latest quarter that's gone well for AMD. As for its annual 2018 financial results, it reported $6.48 billion (about £4.96bn, AU$9.01bn) in revenue and a net income of $337 million (about £258m, AU$468m).

That's dramatically better than the total $5.3 billion (about £4.05bn, AU$7.37bn) in revenue and $33 million (about £25m, AU$46m) net income the company made last year.

What's behind AMD's growth?

AMD attributes its growth to a 50% increase in Ryzen desktop processor shipments and doubling enterprise-grade Epyc CPU shipments since the previous quarter.

Looking toward 2019, AMD CEO Lisa Su shared her hopes to see a 30% increase in Ryzen desktop processor sales and a 50% increase in notebook processor sales – the latter of which seems to be a major focus with the introduction of 2nd Gen Ryzen Mobile processors.

The golden child

Annual financial results time hasn’t been particularly kind to tech companies in 2018. Apple announced it was seeing a continuing slump with iPhone sales, with revenue for the smartphone falling 15%.

Before Nvidia even announces its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2018 financial results on February 14, it lowered its fourth-quarter predictions by $500 million (about £382m, AU$695m). Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang cautioned “Q4 was an extraordinary, unusually turbulent and disappointing quarter.”

So far, AMD seems like the only company not to cry wolf about “deteriorating macroeconomic conditions” and the slowing economy in China impacting its business.

• We're hoping the Radeon VII will kick off a new line of AMD graphics cards too

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Intel Skylake-X release date, news and features

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Over the last few years, there has been a ton of newfound competition in the CPU space – reigniting the endless war of AMD vs Intel. Enter Skylake-X, Intel’s answer to AMD’s massively successful Ryzen and Threadripper CPUs.

In 2017, AMD launched its Ryzen line or processors, and Intel was caught completely by surprise. For a while, we didn’t know how Intel would respond. We had heard rumors that Intel would launch Cannon Lake at Computex 2017, but that didn’t happen. Instead, Intel announced Skylake-X, a new line of Core i9 HEDT processors. 

And, Skylake-X successfully competed with AMD. Intel launched the Core i9-7980XE at Computex 2017, and while we all saw it coming, we were impressed by the performance – even if it was so expensive that most users couldn’t afford it. But, it doesn’t end there.

About a year later, in 2018, Intel announced the new HEDT Basin Falls Refresh processors, like the beastly Intel Core i9-9980XE, based on the same architecture, along with a 28-core Xeon W chip.  

Cut to the chase

• What is it? Intel’s 8th Generation high-end desktop processors
• When is it out? June 2017
• What will it cost? From $389 (£329, AU$519) to $1,979 (£1,649, AU$2,729)

Release date

Intel released the lower-end Skylake-X processors immediately following their reveal at Computex 2017 with the Core i7-7800X, Core i7-7820X and Core i9-7900X. All of which released on June 19, 2017. 

And then, Intel released three more enterprise-level processors in the following months, with the Intel Core i9-7920X, Core i9-7940X and Core i9-7960X all releasing by September 2017. Then, finally, Intel launched the beast itself, the Core i9-7980XE in late September, absolutely destroying everything in its path.

And, now that Kaby Lake-X chips are a thing – or, were a thing when they died unceremoniously – you might be thinking to yourself that all the fun ended with the 7980XE. However, Skylake-X isn’t dead yet. 

Intel’s newest addition to this family was announced on October 8, 2018 in the form of Basin Falls Refresh, the next generation of Skylake-X, aimed at dethroning Threadripper 2nd Generation.  

Price

The biggest thing holding Intel Skylake-X chips from an easy recommendation is their price – they’re some of the most expensive consumer CPUs you can buy today. If you want to pick up a Core i9 processor for your latest build, you might actually need to sell your car first, as they start out around $999 (about £750, AU$1,340).

Now, the Core i7 Skylake X processors are a bit more reasonable, but you’re still paying to adopt a high-end platform, so don’t expect to base a budget build off of Skylake-X. Below you can find the pricing for all of the Skylake-X processors currently available.

• Intel Core i7-7800X: $383 ( £329, AU$519)
• Intel Core i7-7820X: $589 (£509, AU$799)
• Intel Core i9-7900X: $989 (£819, AU$1,309)
• Intel Core i9-7920X: $1,189 (£990, AU$1,589)
• Intel Core i9-7940X: $1,387 (£1,099, AU$1,899)
• Intel Core i9-7960X: $1,684 (£1,399, AU$2,279)
• Intel Core i9-7980XE: $1,979 (£1,649, AU$2,729)

As for the Basin Falls Refresh chips coming out later this year, we don’t know the pricing yet. However, we do know that the 28-core A-series chip is going to be extremely expensive – building a PC with that CPU slotted in will likely set you back $10,000. 

Specs

Intel newest Cascade Lake chip, the Intel Xeon W-3175X, seems to be beyond the realm of these other Skylake-X HEDT chips. With a name like Xeon, this CPU is designed for more enterprise usage than enthusiast overclocking.

Although the chip first debuted at Computex 2018 with a 5.0GHz boost clock, it was later revealed that Intel was actually overclocking while immersing the processor in liquid-nitrogen. Without an extreme setup, you're more likely to see this chip running at a maximum of 4.3GHz.

However, the next actual HEDT processors lie within the Basin Falls Refresh lineup. Chips like the Intel Core i9-9980XE are positioned to take on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX and Threadripper 2970WX. And, while it is faster, it’s still hard to justify the high price. 

Then, when you get to the top end of the Core i9 stack, you get processors that defy physics. The Core i9-7960X features 16-cores, 32-threads, a 4.2GHz boost clock and 22MB of L3 Cache. And, if that’s still not enough, the top-of-the-line Core i9-7980XE comes with 18 cores and 36 threads, clocked at 2.6GHz with a 4.2GHz boost clock.

If these absurdly high-end processors are a little out of your reach, there are still some high-performing Skylake-X processors that don’t cost as much as your car. 

There are two Skylake-X Core i7 processors available in the Core i7-7800X and the Core i7-7820X. While they don’t reach the same highs as their Core i9 counterparts, they’re still worthwhile chips. The Core i7-7800X features 6-cores and 12-threads, clocked at 3.5GHz with a turbo boost of 4.0GHz. The Core i7-7820X is much beefier, with 8-cores and 16-threads, clocking in at 3.6GHz and boosting up to 4.3GHz.

Now, we’d actually recommend going with the Core i7-7800X or the Core i7-7820X for most average users. However, as you can see above, if your workload requires it, Intel Skylake-X allows for massive amounts of computational power – as long as you have the budget to support it.

Keep in mind, though, that none of these Skylake-X processors come with a heatsink in the box. However, if you’re using this high-end platform, you’re probably going to be using an aftermarket cooler anyways, so no big loss there. 

Intel newest Skylake-X chip, the Intel Xeon W-3175X, seems to be beyond the realm of these other HEDT chips. With a name like Xeon, this CPU is designed for more enterprise usage than enthusiast overclocking.

Although the chip first debuted at Computex 2018 with a 5.0GHz boost clock, it was later revealed that Intel was actually overclocking while immersing the chip in liquid-nitrogen. Without an extreme setup, you're more likely to see this chip running at a maximum 4.3GHz.

Although Intel has yet to reveal a new chipset for the Xeon W-3175X, this CPU comes with a greatly expanded support platform. Team Blue has said the chip will support 68 PCIe lanes, 6-channel memory for up to 512GB of RAM running at 2,666MHz. All told, this maybe the processor to finally outpace the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX and Threadripper 2970WX.

• Meanwhile, AMD is forging ahead with Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation

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AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation release date, news and features

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While AMD Ryzen 2nd Generation launched in April 2018 and brought notable performance and power improvements. Then, in August 2018, AMD launched Threadripper 2nd Generation, producing the very best high-end desktop (HEDT) processors on the market – well, at least until Intel’s Basin Falls Refresh launched (albeit for a much higher price). 

Just like we saw during the move from Ryzen to Ryzen 2nd Generation, Threadripper 2nd Generation gave us a notable boost in performance and efficiency. These new HEDT chips didn’t just boost core counts, but we saw better power management and higher clock speeds across the board. This helped boost the price-to-performance ratio in chips like the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X.

And, it looks like AMD is set to repeat its magic a third time. Team Red is planning to push out Ryzen 3rd Generation later this year, and we’re sure that the next generation of Threadripper is going to follow. 

Now that AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation has been out for a while, we decided to dive into everything you need to know about these workstation processors. So, be sure to keep this page bookmarked – we’ll keep it updated with with any Threadripper 2nd Generation information that pops up.

Cut to the Chase

•  What is it? AMD’s next generation of high-end desktop CPUs
•  When is it out? August 13, 2018
•  What will it cost? $649 (about £500, AU$880) for the 2920X – $1,799 (£1,639, AU$2,679)

Ryzen Threadripper Generation 2 release date

 Since Computex 2018, we knew that Ryzen Threadripper Generation 2 would launch in the second half of 2018. And, now the entire lineup, including the the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX and the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X has launched between August and October 2018. 

Ryzen Threadripper Generation 2 price

 Ryzen Threadripper proved to be a much more affordable line of high-end desktop processors than Intel Skylake-X, and it appears these 2nd Generation chips will continue the trend.

Here’s the pricing of the AMD Threadripper Generation 2:

• Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX: $1,799 (£1,639, AU$2,679)
• Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX: $1,299 (about £1,000, AU$1,755)
• Ryzen Threadripper 2950X: $899 (about £690, AU$1,210)
• Ryzen Threadripper 2920X: $649 (about £500, AU$880)

Although Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation introduces two higher-end SKUs to the series, AMD’s new HEDT chips (processors for high-end desktop computers) are actually more affordable than the ones they’ve replaced.

The $899 (about £690, AU$1,210) Ryzen Threadripper 2950X is notably $100 cheaper than the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X that initially launched with a $999 (£845, AU$1,359) price tag. Likewise, the Ryzen Threadripper 2920X runs for $649 (about £500, AU$880) and is also more affordable than its predecessor, the $799 (£689, AU$1,069) Ryzen Threadripper 1920X.

At the top-end of the series, the $1799 (about £1,380, AU$2,430) Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX remains more affordable than Intel’s flagship $1,999 (about £1540, AU$2,700) Core i9-7980XE.

Ryzen Threadripper Generation 2 specs

Thanks to moving to the same Zen+ 12nm architecture used in the recent Ryzen 2nd Generation processors, Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation gains better power management, higher clock speeds and most notably a huge increase in possible core counts.

Here’s a quick spec breakdown of the current Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation lineup:

• Ryzen Threadripper 2920X: 12-cores, 24-threads, clocked at 3.5GHz to 4.3GHz
• Ryzen Threadripper 2950X: 16-cores, 32-threads, clocked at 3.5GHz to 4.4GHz
• Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX: 24-cores, 48-threads, clocked at 3.0GHz to 4.2GHz
• Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX: 32-cores, 64-threads, clocked at 3.0GHz to 4.2GHz

Of course, the highlight of AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation lineup has to be the 32-core and 64-thread 2990WX. What’s more impressive is that the CPU is apparently capable of running up to 4.2GHz – a noticeable upgrade over the 1950X top speed of 4.0GHz with half as many cores and threads.

Some may point out that the 28-core processor that Intel showed off at Computex hit 5GHz, but we’re still not 100% sure of the particulars (i.e. cooling setup) surrounding that demo and Intel later clarified it achieved that speed with overclocking. 

You may have also spotted the WX suffix at tail end of AMD’s two top-end HEDT processors, and this is to signify a new series of consumer workstation-grade processor meant for creators and innovators. AMD is specifically targeting these two CPUs at creators and innovators such as video editors, those in design and general media creators.

Meanwhile, the X-series Threadripper 2nd Generation processors, the 2920X and 2950X, cater towards streaming gamers who need that extra processing power to drive 4K livestreaming as they game. Once again AMD flexes the strength of its 12nm architecture, by giving us an 2950X that’s 0.3-0.5Ghz faster than the 1950X it replaces, and we haven’t even gotten to overclocking yet.

Luckily, AMD is also sticking to the same TR4 Socket, so anyone looking to upgrade once Threadripper Generation 2 drops shouldn’t have to worry about buying a new board. However, unlike the Ryzen 2nd Generation jump to an X470 chipset, AMD isn’t introducing a new chipset to replace the existing X399 platform – at least in name anyway.

Instead, users will find a few new Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation-ready X399 motherboards designed with improved overclocking performance and power consumption. Thankfully, though, older motherboards are compatible after installing the latest BIOS, and it won’t require you to boot them with an original Ryzen Threadripper CPU or UEFI Boot Kits.

Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation features

Although Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation hasn't jumped to a new chipset, it has got a new bag of tricks thanks to enhanced features and even one that's brand new.

Precision Boost originally controlled CPU frequencies down to 25MHz increments. Now with version two, AMD has sprinkled in an algorithm that ensures the processor intelligently runs at its thermal and electrical limit whenever tasked. 

Extended Frequency Range 2 (XFR2) has also seen a significant buff allowing it to enable 16% additional processor performance across any number of cores and threads. On the previous generation of Ryzen Threadripper chips, XFR could only influence a small number of cores.

Lastly, Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) is a brand new feature that allows AMD's newest HEDT CPUs to exceed their specifications and max out their power draw from the abundant VRMs on X399 motherboards. Though users will technically void their warranty by doing so, PBO can help users achieve overclocks hitherto undreamt of.

AMD itself achieved a 5.1GHz overclock across all 32-cores with a liquid-nitrogen cooled processor.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation Performance 

We finally got our hands on the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX, and we have to say: the performance is phenomenal. While a lot of the benchmarks need to be updated to recognize the bonkers amount of cores that the 2990WX offers, you can basically throw any workload at the 2990WX and have a ton of performance to spare. 

Where the 2990WX falters is in its gaming performance. It falls behind the much more affordable Intel Core i7-8700K and the Ryzen 7 2700X, but that should be expected. Do us a favor – don’t spend $2,000 on a processor for gaming, it’s just not worth it. Buy two RTX 2080 Tis instead. 

Then, there’s the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX. At $1,199 (£1,199, AU$2,729), it does keep up with other HEDT processors like the 2990WX or the Intel Core i9-7980XE. However, oddly enough, it’s beaten out by the Intel Core i9-9900K in a lot of workloads. This is worrisome because of just how much cheaper Intel’s mainstream Core i9 is. 

Even if the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX does beat Intel’s chip in heavily multi-threaded tests like Cinebench, the value just isn’t there right now. So, unless your workload specifically demands all the cores and threads you can get, like say, if you’re working in an animation studio – you might want to look at the Intel Core i9-9900K and save a couple bucks.

• Best processors 2018: top CPUs for your PC

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Intel Cannon Lake release date, news, and rumors

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Remember how Intel was going to release Cannon Lake in 2016? And, then when it got pushed back to 2018? Well, according to Intel’s Q1 financial results we won’t see the long-awaited follow-up to Kaby Lake until 2019 – at least in a consumer-ready state. But, at least Intel is still on top of the processor game.

However, before we jump into all the juicy Cannon Lake rumors, we should step back, because Intel’s recent activity has been arcane, to say the least. So, in years past, Intel usually stuck to a predictable ‘Tick-Tock’ release schedule, where generations would alternate between introducing a new die process and architecture. This is why we all expected Cannon Lake to succeed Skylake in 2016.

But that never happened. Instead, Intel keeps pushing Cannon Lake back, releasing Kaby Lake, Coffee Lake and Coffee Lake Refresh instead. Three more refinements of Skylake. At this point, we’re not sure when Intel is going to release Cannon Lake, even if it claims it’ll release in 2019.

Trust us, you’re not the only one that finds this confusing, and it explains why AMD is regaining some marketshare. There’s some good news, though – we’ve seen a listing for a Cannon Lake processor. It’s a 10nm laptop chip that’ll probably never be released, but it’s something. So, what’s going on with Cannon Lake, since the 9th generation has already started?

Intel keeps denying that Cannon Lake has been canceled, even though Sunny Cove will be Intel’s next architecture with Ice Lake appearing in the very  release window we previously assumed would belong to Cannon Lake. And, while there has been a Cannon Lake laptop chip, we’re still trying to figure out what exactly Intel is doing. So, be sure to keep this page bookmarked, and we’ll update it with any new Cannon Lake information – that is, if there is any new Cannon Lake information.  

Cut to the Chase

• What is it? Intel’s next generation, 10nm CPU lineup
• When is it out? Sometime in 2019
• What will it cost? TBD 

Release date

We were supposed to get Cannon Lake twice already. The presumably 9th-generation Intel CPUs were initially supposed to follow Skylake in 2016, then Kaby Lake in 2018. But according to Intel’s Q1 2018 financial report, it’s “currently shipping low-volume 10nm product and now expects 10nm volume production to shift to 2019.” So, we’re probably not getting Cannon Lake in 2018. 

There was some recent speculation that pointed to Intel just cancelling Cannon Lake, because it wasn’t financially feasible to shift to 10nm. However, Intel came out and defended itself, saying that it was ‘making good progress on 10nm’ and that ‘yields are improving’. So, we just have to see when this smaller manufacturing process makes it to market.

But, then we keep getting more and more evidence that Cannon Lake might never see the light of day. Intel just announced its Sunny Cove 10nm microarchitecture, for both server and client processors, for release in late 2019. So, is Sunny Cove just Cannon Lake rebranded? Is Cannon Lake cancelled? Who knows.

Either way we’ll have to wait until at least 2019 to see Cannon Lake, or whatever it’s called now, but when in 2019? Well, we don’t know yet, but we did get our hands on a leaked Intel roadmap that shows Coffee Lake Refresh being Intel’s main platform through Q2 2019. But, given Intel’s recent supply issues, we could see the release pushed back to the latter half of 2019 or even 2020.  

Price

Intel probably isn’t going to rock the boat too much here. We expect prices to fall in line with the current lineup of 8th-generation Coffee Lake processors. We’ve taken the liberty of listing some of the prices here.

• Intel Core i7-8700K – $350 (£290, AU$520) 
• Intel Core i7-8700 – $313 (£290, AU$430) 
• Intel Core i5-8400 – $190 (£183, AU$250) 
• Intel Core i5-8600K – $257 (£190, AU$325) 
• Intel Core i5-8600 – $213 (about £150, AU$277) 
• Intel Core i3-8100 – $130 (£99, AU$145) 
• Intel Core i3-8350K – $180 (£160, AU$240) 
• Intel Core i3-8300 – $138 (about £98, AU$180)

Unfortunately, we won’t know until Intel actually releases pricing information, but between generations, Intel doesn’t generally shift its pricing all that much. 

Specs

This is where things are going to get interesting. It’s been a very long time since we’ve seen a die process shrink at Intel, but when Broadwell succeeded Haswell (yeah, it’s been that long), we saw 30% gains in efficiency. This will mean that battery life in the best laptops will surge, and we’ll be able to overclock even harder while keeping temps manageable.

Tom’s Hardware has reported that a dual-core Cannon Lake CPU was shipped last year according to a Spectre microcode guidance document, but it’s highly unlikely that consumer units will be the same. Otherwise, AMD would eat them alive for that. We’ll likely see higher core counts, as Intel is going to want to go up against AMD in a major way.

This dual-core chip was likely that Intel Core i3 8121U processor that was just listed by Intel. According to the product listing the processor features two-cores and four-threads delivering 2.2GHz of base performance and boost clock of 3.2GHz. It also has a TDP of just 15W and a 4MB cache.

And, Anandtech seems to have got its hands on a laptop running that Core i3-8121U for testing – and, well, it’s not the next-generation revolution you were expecting. It beat the Kaby Lake Intel Core i3-8130U in some benchmarks, but many of the tests put the Cannon Lake mobile chip behind in power, while consuming more power. 

We’ve also seen a leaked document that suggests a new X399 chipset in the works that would support existing Coffee Lake CPUs and possibly Cannon Lake processors as well, suggesting enthusiasts won’t need to upgrade their motherboard to get on the Cannon Lake train.

If the newly-announced Intel i7-8086K is any kind of clue as to what we can expect from future Intel products with its 5GHz boost clock, we won’t only see high core counts as a result of the move to a 10nm process, but crazy high clock speeds as well. 

Ultimately, we won’t know what performance advantages Cannon Lake CPUs will offer until Intel shares some more information about it, but because it’s been pushed back until 2019. It’s likely we won’t hear anything from the tech behemoth until Computex  2019. But, don’t worry if anything changes, we’ll update this page. So, keep your eyes glued to this page.

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The Intel Xeon W-3175X Review: 28 Unlocked Cores, $2999

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Intel has always ensured that its high-end server platforms, one where multiple CPUs can act as a single system, have the highest core count processors. These servers go into the most expensive deployments, so they can afford the most expensive silicon to produce. The consumer market by contrast is very price sensitive by comparison, so consumers get fewer cores. However, consumers have always asked for a way of getting all of those cores, preferably in an overclockable chip, at more reasonable prices. Intel has answered your call, with the Xeon W-3175X. All 28-cores, all the time. This is our review.

 

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Best business laptops 2019: top laptops for work

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If you're looking to buy a new laptop for work, then this list of the best business laptops will help you choose. The best business laptops combine cutting edge productivity features with slimline designs and long battery life that provides mobility and productivity - essential functions for the modern workplace.

While compiling this list of the best business laptops, we've taken into consideration a number of key factors including power, battery life, feature set and sheer value for money.

This means that we've selected a wider range of laptops to suit most (if not all) budgets and hopefully all tastes; there's a mix of cutting-edge products and old favourites here.

Almost all of them come with the professional version of Windows 10 to enhance their business credentials.

We also have our very own price comparison tool that will compare prices and make sure you're buying the very best business laptop for the very best price.

If you're looking for a bit more power, then check out our list of the best mobile workstations, as well as our pick for the best business desktop PC.

• Here's our full list of the best laptops of 2019

Where to buy business laptops

• Apple MacBook Pro
• Lenovo Yoga, ThinkPad and Ideapad
• HP ZBook, Elitebook, Pro and ElitePad
• Toshiba Portege, Tecra and Satellite Pro
• Fujitsu Lifebook and Celcius
• Dell Latitude, Precision and Vostro

Previous versions of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon have been the absolute best-in-class when it comes to business laptops, and this year's model is no exception, with Lenovo delivering a thinner and smaller design with practically no trade-offs. Despite its small size, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon comes with pretty much every feature you need in a productivity machine, making it the best business laptop money can buy. Thanks to a battery life of up to 15.5 hours, and a rapid charging feature that brings the battery back up to 80% capacity in only an hours, the X1 Carbon is an ultrabook that lets you keep on working while you're on the move.

Huawei may not be the first name you think of when looking to buy a new business laptop - whereas Dell and Lenovo are two names you'd more likely associate with notebooks for work, but the Chinese company has proved to be an excellent laptop manufacturer with its new MateBook X Pro. It has a beautiful design that will get appreciative looks in the boardroom, it's light enough to carry around with you, and it has powerful components and excellent battery life. It's also one of the cheaper ultrabooks on the market.

Believe it or not, Dell classifies the XPS 13 as a business laptop, albeit one that is geared towards a home office environment but businessmen (and women) will love the design. This ultraportable laptop – as Dell puts it – punches above its weight with Windows 10 Pro across the entire range as well as rather attractive pricing.

This award winning laptop (it won best laptop of the year from us and many others) manages to pack a 13.3-inch display into the chassis of an average 11.6-inch model. It was also refreshed in 2017 with even better components, for a much improved business laptop experience.

The laptop can be upgraded to 16GB of RAM and a 1TB M2 SSD drive. Battery life is exceptional as well with almost 22 hours of continual use when using productivity applications.

With the 2018 refresh, the Dell XPS 13 is a slimmer, more powerful version with a stunning 4K display and a gorgeous Rose Gold on Alpine White color option. It's powered by an 8th-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU to boot.

The 2018 model of the 13-inch Macbook Pro with Touch Bar is a brilliant upgrade to Apple's formidable laptop range, and it's one of the best business laptops money can buy. While Microsoft had the performance edge over last year's MacBook Pro, with the Surface Book 2, Apple has come out swinging with some seriously beefed up specs for the 13-inch MacBook Pro 2018. The 13-inch model can be configured with the latest Intel Core processors, all USB-C ports are not Thunderbolt 3, and you can have up to 16GB of RAM. If you want even more performance, the 15-inch version is worth considering, as it bumps the specs up even more.

HP was the only one of the three big laptop vendors who didn't have a flagship thin-and-light laptop: Dell has the XPS 13 and Lenovo, the Yoga 900.

That is now no longer the case with the introduction of the HP Spectre Pro 13 G1. This is a device that not only oozes luxury with a combination of colours and a clever design but also one that packs some incredible components.

Despite being just over 10mm thick and weighing just over 1.16Kg, it manages to pack a proper Core i7 CPU with a full HD 13.3-inch display, a massive 4-cell 38Whr battery and three USB Type C connectors. 

Lenovo took an existing form factor and refined it to deliver the new 2016-2017 ThinkPad E470. Powered by the 7th generation Intel Core processors, this particular SKU has a 14-inch FHD anti-glare display, powered by a discrete Nvidia Geforce 940MX 2GB GPU.

Equipped with a spill resistant keyboard, a TrackPoint and a 3+2 buttons click pad, the E470 has more than enough ports and expansion capabilities to keep the average user happy. Shame that it doesn't do DisplayPort, so no 4K output.

We’ve been waiting years for a new MacBook Air, and it’s finally here. Now thinner, lighter and with a Retina display for the first time, it’s easily the best MacBook Air we’ve ever used, and it makes it one of the best business laptops in the world as well, thanks to its thin and light design, improved hardware for better performance (including 8th-generation processors, more RAM and faster SSDs) and affordable price. We just wish that these were full-fat U-series quad core chips, rather than the Y-series dual-core fanless processors. Still, this means that you’re going to easily get all-day battery out of this thing, which makes it one of the best Macs for travel.

Read the full review: MacBook Air 2018 

Last year’s Dell XPS 15 was already one of the best laptops you could buy, but now that Dell has taken the beautiful redesign of the Dell XPS 13 and applied it here – while also making it a convertible. This makes it easily one of the best business laptops money can buy in 2018. It looks fantastic, feels great to use and it packs one of those new Intel Kaby Lake G-series CPUs featuring ‘discrete-class’ Radeon graphics. This means that this laptop packs serious power – even if it can get a little loud.

Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 

The Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch) is another entry from Microsoft in our best business laptop list, and it's worthy of its spot, as Microsoft has crafted one of the most powerful 2-in-1 laptops in the world. The Surface Book 2 has some powerful enough components to handle most day-to-day tasks, and even some light gaming and video editing if you go for a model with a dedicated graphics card. If you want a bigger screen, then there is also a 15-inch version of the Surface Book 2, which comes with more powerful components.

Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch)

Chromebooks might not be the most obvious devices for business laptops, but the Asus Chromebook Flip proves that they can be excellent work tools. It comes with a full-fat Intel Core processor, full HD 1080p display and backlit keyboard. ChromeOS is now a more robust operating system with plenty of tools, and if you rely on web-based CMS or Google Docs to do your work, then the Asus Chromebook Flip is an affordable, well built and handy business laptop.

Check out our laptop buying guide video below.

• Want more choices? Check out our list of the best laptop 2018

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Best rugged smartphones of 2019: Waterproof, shockproof and more

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If you're after a phone that can withstand the elements, or survive accidental drops and knocks, then our list of the best rugged smartphones in 2019 is here to help.

Not only are the best rugged smartphones money can buy water and dust proof, they also come in shock-resistant cases, which makes them ideal for working outdoors. If you're a fan of outdoor activities such as hiking, canoeing and climbing, then these brilliant rugged smartphones are a great choice as well.

The best rugged smartphones will have undergone stringent IP68 tests to ensure that they meet military-specified standards for protection against vibration, shock, extreme temperatures, dust and water (albeit in controlled environments).

The best rugged smartphones will also offer extra features to distinguish themselves from the rest of the competition: some have infrared camera functionality, others have sound level meters and even VOC (volatile organic compound) detectors.

Finally, just bear in mind that while all ruggedized smartphones will be waterproof and dustproof (and therefore meet the IP68 specification), not all waterproof phones will be ruggedized.

So, read on to find out our top picks for the best rugged phones on the market right now.

• Check out the best business smartphones on the market

The Cat S61 is, in our view, the best rugged smartphone money can buy in 2018. This is a brilliant flagship phone in its own right, and it's a significant improvement on its predecessor (the Cat S60) in almost every way. At 162 x 77 x 13mm with a weight of 259g, this is a substantial piece of kit, and one that feels reassuringly solid and robust. 

In fact, it features both MIL Spec 810G and IP69 certifications, meaning the phone is designed to endure even high pressure water jets which are common in many industries. There’s plenty of polycarbonate and rubber to absorb shock and protect the device from drops, and a metal frame to improve its overall structure. 

It also features handy tools not found elsewhere, such as an  indoor air quality sensor as well as a laser-assisted distance measurement tool, and it also comes with some decent smartphone specifications as well, including 4Gb RAM, a Snapdragon 630 SoC and a lovely 5.2-inch 1080p screen. It comes with Android 8.0 and will be kept updated with the latest versions of Google's operating system in the future.

We tested out the AGM X1 earlier this year and found that it was mighty likable. The X2, which has been just released, promises to push the envelope even further with a complete upgrade to the internals. An upgraded Qualcomm processor now runs alongside 6GB of RAM. There’s a 16-megapixel camera at the front and a pair of 12-megapixel sensors at the back, surpassing even established models like the Samsung Galaxy S8.

Other than the boosted battery capacity (6000mAh) and 128GB of on-board storage, there’s also a VOC (volatile organic compound) detector, which makes this an incredibly useful smartphone for the right audience. It does support NFC and USB Type-C but offers no wireless charging and it supports only one 4G SIM.

• You can buy the AGM X2 from Gearbest

Note: Gearbest is an online Chinese retailer, and while its quoted price includes delivery, it’s exclusive of any taxes that may be levied by HMRC or the courier companies on behalf of the vendor. If you want to buy tech from Chinese sites, we’d advise you read this first.

The industrial, rugged look of the Doogee S60, and the fact that it uses a microUSB connector – not to mention the rather silly sounding name – might put off some potential buyers here. But if you can overlook these downsides, then this device has a lot to offer – and it’s half the price of the above AGM X2. 

The S60 packs a powerful punch, with a Gorilla Glass 5 glass overlay on the display, plus it offers dual SIMs plus dual standby, a 24W quick-charge charger, NFC and even wireless charging (but no wireless charger). It is crammed with sensors and tools as well, which will come in useful for handymen (and women): there’s a barometer, a gyroscope, a coulomb meter, a sound level meter and even a bubble level.

• You can buy the Doogee S60 from Gearbest

The Ulefone Armor 2 is one of a number of recently released rugged smartphones that offer significant upgrades over their predecessors at a very affordable price, far cheaper than either the S60 or the AGM X2. Somehow it still offers similar core components (a Mediatek Helio P25 octa-core CPU, 6GB of RAM and 64GB on-board storage).

The camera subsystem is the weakest of the three but nonetheless on par with other top-end non-ruggedized devices like the Samsung Galaxy S8 (note that the pixel count is only part of the equation when it comes to gauging the overall picture quality). This phone’s battery capacity is slightly under par and there’s no audio connector, so you will need to use a converter. Like the S60, it is bundled with a virtual toolkit that contains a few tools; but there’s no sound level monitor.

• You can buy the Ulefone Armor 2 from Gearbest

The Blackview BV7000 Pro is a balanced product aimed at a wider audience beyond the traditional builders and ruggedized verticals. In use, the phone proved to be a capable performer and didn’t stutter or run sluggishly during our brief encounter. The screen is gorgeous – even in broad daylight – and little additions like ‘smart somatosensory’ (which uses hand-waving to trigger events), the customizable notification light, or Parallel Space, which allows for apps to be cloned and used by multiple users, are great differentiators.

There’s no wireless charging or NFC, plus you’re still limited to 802.11n Wi-Fi. For now, though, the BV7000 Pro provides an interesting compromise if you want a mid-range model that doesn’t give away your trade, can take a few pictures in torrential rain, and doesn’t break the bank.

• You can buy the Blackview BV7000 Pro from Gearbest

The Zebra TC75x brings mid-range smartphone performance to ruggedized devices, albeit with a hefty price tag. The handset does more than make up for its cost, though, thanks to an impressive build quality and an enterprise-level application suite (and support). It is far more expensive than the rest of the competition, but then again, this rugged phone’s features put it at the cutting-edge of what is usually a rather slow moving niche.

A number of challengers have appeared on the market (Cipherlab, Cat, Unitech) but a successful product requires more than just a cheap price tag. Motorola’s legacy lives on and the wealth of expertise that the TC75x packs puts the device in a league of its own, both in terms of price and overall features.

• You can buy the Zebra TC75x from Stuff-UK

Also consider

Other noteworthy ruggedized smartphones available on the market are:

The Cat S60 is a good choice if you want to have access to a portable, feature-heavy and very handy infrared camera.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 Active is ideal for those who want a branded ruggedized smartphone with the latest technology inside.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Active is a smart move if you want the best value branded ruggedized smartphone.

The Homtom HT20 is the handset to go for if you want the absolute cheapest quality smartphone.

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