(image via @wxnod on Twitter)

Recent buzz has centered around Intel's plan to boost the core count of its rumored Raptor Lake CPUs, specifically the Core i7-14700K. The move reportedly aims to enhance performance in multi-threaded workloads, a welcome upgrade for users on either Alder or Raptor Lake systems. A notable Twitter leaker @wxnod has even shared blurred screenshots of the Core i7-14700K running benchmarks, spurring speculations that this chip is already being tested.

Unveiling the Core Counts

(Image via @harukaze5719 on Twitter)

Despite the obfuscated core counts, a different Twitter user has managed to unmask the blurred details, revealing the Core i7-14700K to feature an impressive 20 cores and 28 threads. This constitutes a minor bump from the Core i7-13700K, which packed an 8+8 P-and-E-core configuration for 16 cores and 24 threads. According to leaked benchmarks, the updated 8+12 configuration on the 14700K, which includes four additional efficiency cores, seems to make a significant difference in multi-core workloads.

Comparative Performance Uplift

The comparative performance between the Core i7-13700K and the updated i7-14700K shows a promising uplift of around 18-20%. A review by PCMag had the i7-13700K scoring 28,192 in Cinebench, with the 14700K hitting 32,696 - a significant increase of 28%. These numbers can vary depending on the testing environment but still represent a decent improvement for a mid-cycle refresh.

Clock Speed and Memory Enhancements

Apart from core count improvements, the leaked information shows a mild clock speed boost for the Core i7-14700K, topping out at 5.5GHz compared to the previous 5.4GHz on the 13700K. The upgraded chip has shown improved cache and memory performance on the memory front, although the exact elements contributing to this enhancement remain unclear.

Launch Date and Competition

Intel is expected to launch these chips in October 2023, meaning we can anticipate a steady influx of leaked benchmarks. The tech world will be watching to see if AMD has any counter-plays up its sleeve, though we expect no significant activity from the red team at the moment.

Final Thoughts

The Intel Core i7-14700K rumors have generated considerable interest, primarily due to the chip's reported performance improvements and core count increase. If these rumors are accurate, the new chip could offer a substantial performance boost for Intel's Raptor Lake CPUs users, particularly in multi-threaded workloads. However, until the official launch, these performance improvements remain speculative, though the anticipation continues to build.