
In two weeks from now, Intel and its board partners will introduce their brand new Z590 (500 Series) motherboards that will offer full support for 11th generation Rocket Lake Desktop processors. The main feature of these cards apart from next generation CPU support will be advanced I / O features and full support for the PCIe Gen 4.0 protocol.
Intel Z590 motherboards only offer PCIe Gen 4.0 compatibility when running 11th generation Rocket Lake Core i9, Core i7 and Core i5 Desktop processors, not supported by Comet Lake Refresh Core i3 processors
The information comes up on several Z590 chipset-based motherboards that we have started receiving from board partners before the announcement on 11 January. Each motherboard has a sticker on the top PCIe slot that mentions that the Gen 4.0 protocol will be supported by Intel’s Rocket Lake Desktop processors.
According to the previously leaked information that covered all Intel Rocket Lake SKUs, the lineup will consist of Core i9, Core i7 and Core i5 chips. The rest of the series, which includes the Core i3, Pentium & Celeron series, does not offer PCIe Gen 4.0 support and will retain Gen 3.0 compliance as they are part of the Comet Lake family. Only Intel Rocket Lake processors have the architectural upgrades needed to support PCIe Gen 4.0.
The PCIe Gen 4.0 protocol has not been as big a deal-breaker on the GPUs as it has been for PCIe-based storage devices. Next-generation PCIe 4.0 SSDs have shown tremendous performance, and with technologies such as NVIDIA’s RTX IO and Microsoft’s DirectStorage for desktops, will definitely use the pairing protocol to provide even faster performance and access times.
Here’s all we know about 11th generation Rocket Lake Desktop processors
Intel’s Rocket Lake-S desktop CPU platform will support the LGA 1200 connector, which debuted with 10th generation Comet Lake-S processors, but on 400 series motherboards. Intel Rocket Lake-S processors will primarily be launched for the 500 Series motherboards, but it has been confirmed that the LGA 1200 motherboards will offer support for Rocket Lake-S processors, especially considering that PCIe Gen 4.0 is a prominent feature by Z490 motherboards that would only be enabled using Rocket Lake-S desktop CPUs.
Motherboard manufacturers, especially ASUS, will pay extra attention to incorporating the hardware level of PCIe Gen 4 on the Z590 series with motherboards compared to the Z490 series that we pointed out here.
Key features of Intel Rocket Lake Desktop processors include:
- Increased performance with new Cypress Cove core architecture
- Up to 8 cores and 16 threads (double-digit IPC gain over skylake)
- New Xe graphics architecture (up to 50% higher performance than Gen9)
- Increased DDR4 3200 MHz memory support
- CPU PCIe 4.0 lanes (available on Z490 and Z590 motherboards)
- Enhanced display (integrated HDMI 2.0b, DP1.4a, HBR3)
- Added x4 CPU PCIe lanes = 20 total CPU PCIe 4.0 lanes
- Enhanced media (12 bit AV1 / HVEC, E2E compression)
- CPU-supplied storage or Intel Optane memory
- New features and options for overclocking
- USB audio relief
- Integrated CNVi & Wireless-AX
- Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20G)
- 2.5 GB Ethernet discrete LAN
- Discreet Intel Thunderbolt 4 (compatible with USB4)
The following are the most important Rocket Lake Desktop processors we can expect in the 11th generation family:
- Core i9-11900K
- Core i9-11900
- Core i9-11900T
- Core i7-11700K
- Core i7-11700
- Core i7-11700T
- Core i5-11600K
- Core i5-11600
- Core i5-11600T
- Core i5-11500
- Core i5-11500T
- Core i5-11400
- Core i5-11400T
11th Generation Intel Rocket Lake Desktop CPU Setup Specifications (Preliminary):
CPU name | Cores / threads | Base Clock | Boost Clock (1-core) | Boost Clock (All-Core) | Cache | Graphics | TDP (PL1) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Core i9-11900K | 8/16 | 3.50 GHz | 5.30 GHz | 4.80 GHz | 16 MB | Intel Xe 32 EU (256 cores) | 125W |
Core i9-11900 | 8/16 | 1.80 GHz | 4.50 GHz | 4.00 GHz | 16 MB | Intel Xe 32 EU (256 cores) | 65W |
Core i9-11900T | 8/16 | TBC | TBC | TBC | 16 MB | Intel Xe 32 EU (256 cores) | 35W |
Core i7-11700K | 8/16 | 3.60 GHz | 5.00 GHz | 4.60 GHz | 16 MB | Intel Xe 32 EU (256 cores) | 125W |
Core i7-11700 | 8/16 | 2.50 GHz | 4.90 GHz | TBC | 16 MB | Intel Xe 32 EU (256 cores) | 65W |
Core i7-11700T | 8/16 | TBC | TBC | 16 MB | Intel Xe 32 EU (256 cores) | 35W | |
Core i5-11600K | 6/12 | TBC | 4.90 GHz | 4.60 GHz | 12 MB | Intel Xe 32 EU (256 cores) | 125W |
Core i5-11600 | 6/12 | TBC | TBC | TBC | 12 MB | Intel Xe 32 EU (256 cores) | 65W |
Core i5-11600T | 6/12 | TBC | TBC | TBC | 12 MB | Intel Xe 32 EU (256 cores) | 35W |
Core i5-11500 | 6/12 | TBC | TBC | TBC | 12 MB | Intel Xe 32 EU (256 cores) | 65W |
Core i5-11500T | 6/12 | TBC | TBC | TBC | 12 MB | Intel Xe 32 EU (256 cores) | 35W |
Core i5-11400 | 6/12 | 2.60 GHz | 4,400 GHz | 4.20 GHz | 12 MB | Intel Xe 24 EU (192 cores) | 65W |
Core i5-11400T | 6/12 | TBC | TBC | TBC | 12 MB | Intel Xe 24 EU (192 cores) | 35W |
The unlocked SKUs in the K-series have a base PL1 TDP of 125W, while the non-K SKUs have a based TDP of 65W. The variants in the T-series, which are the lower TDP-SKUs, come with a based TDP of 35W. Intel Core i9 and Core i7 CPUs based on Rocket Lake CPU architecture have 8 cores, 16 threads and 16 MB L3 cache. The Core i5 SKUs have 6 cores and 12 threads plus a total of 12 MB L3 cache. All processors will have an Intel Xe integrated GPU with 32 EUs or 256 cores.
By moving on to the Comet Lake Refresh series, Intel looks set to relocate its enhanced Skylake architecture to mainstream and budget level. The lineup will include the following SKUs:
- Core i3-11100
- Core i3-11100T
- Core i3-11300
- Core i3-11300T
- Core i3-11320
- Pentium G6420
- Pentium G6420T
- Pentium G6520
- Pentium G6250T
- Pentium G6220
- Celeron G5930
- Celeron G5930T
- Celeron G5950
11th Generation Intel Comet Lake Refresh Desktop CPU Setup Specifications (Preliminary):
CPU name | Cores / threads | Base Clock | Boost Clock (1-core) | Boost Clock (All-Core) | Cache | Graphics | TDP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Core i3-11320 | 4/8 | TBC | TBC | TBC | 8 MB | UHD 630 24 EU (192 cores) | 65W |
Core i3-11300 | 4/8 | TBC | TBC | TBC | 8 MB | UHD 630 24 EU (192 cores) | 65W |
Core i3-11300T | 4/8 | TBC | TBC | TBC | 8 MB | UHD 630 24 EU (192 cores) | 35W |
Core i3-11100 | 4/8 | TBC | TBC | TBC | 6 MB | UHD 630 24 EU (192 cores) | 65W |
Core i3-11100T | 4/8 | TBC | TBC | TBC | 6 MB | UHD 630 24 EU (192 cores) | 35W |
Pentium G6420 | 2/4 | TBC | Not relevant | Not relevant | 4 MB | UHD 630 24 EU (192 cores) | 58W |
Pentium G6420T | 2/4 | TBC | Not relevant | Not relevant | 4 MB | UHD 630 24 EU (192 cores) | 35W |
Pentium G6520 | 2/4 | TBC | Not relevant | Not relevant | 4 MB | UHD 630 24 EU (192 cores) | 58W |
Pentium G6250T | 2/4 | TBC | Not relevant | Not relevant | 4 MB | UHD 630 24 EU (192 cores) | 35W |
Pentium G6220 | 2/4 | TBC | Not relevant | Not relevant | 4 MB | UHD 630 24 EU (192 cores) | 58W |
Celeron G5930 | 2/2 | TBC | Not relevant | Not relevant | 4 MB | UHD 610 12 EU (96 cores) | 58W |
Celeron G5930T | 2/2 | TBC | Not relevant | Not relevant | 4 MB | UHD 610 12 EU (96 cores) | 35W |
Celeron G5950 | 2/2 | TBC | Not relevant | Not relevant | 4 MB | UHD 610 12 EU (96 cores) | 58W |
The Core i3 models have 4 cores and 8 threads, but all variants except the Core i3-11100 series will have 8 MB L3 cache against 6 MB L3 cache on the mentioned CPUs. The Pentium line processors have 2 cores, 4 threads and 4 MB L3 cache, while the Celeron series only gets 2 cores and no support for multiple threads. However, these chips will also have 4 MB L3 cache. The Core i3 and Pentium models have UHD 630 graphics with 24 EUs, while Celeron SKUs get UHD 610 graphics with 12 EUs.
The architecture for Rocket Lake processors is said to be Cypress Cove, which is reportedly a hybrid between Sunny Cove and Willow Cove designs, but which has Xe Gen 12 GPU architecture. Intel’s Core i9-11900K will be the flagship CPU offering in the lineup and expect more info about it soon. As for the launch, the motherboards will arrive in stores 11-12. January, while Intel’s 11th generation processors are expected to arrive by the end of March.
Intel Desktop CPU Generations Comparison:
Intel CPU family | Processor process | Processor cores (max.) | TDP | Platform chipset | Platform | Memory support | PCIe support | Start |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sandy Bridge (2nd generation) | 32 nm | 4/8 | 35-95W | 6 series | LGA 1155 | DDR3 | PCIe Gen 2.0 | 2011 |
Ivy Bridge (3rd generation) | 22nm | 4/8 | 35-77W | 7 series | LGA 1155 | DDR3 | PCIe Gen 3.0 | 2012 |
Haswell (4th generation) | 22nm | 4/8 | 35-84W | 8 series | LGA 1150 | DDR3 | PCIe Gen 3.0 | 2013-2014 |
Broadwell (5th generation) | 14nm | 4/8 | 65-65W | 9 series | LGA 1150 | DDR3 | PCIe Gen 3.0 | 2015 |
Skylake (6th generation) | 14nm | 4/8 | 35-91W | 100 series | LGA 1151 | DDR4 | PCIe Gen 3.0 | 2015 |
Kaby Lake (7th generation) | 14nm | 4/8 | 35-91W | 200 series | LGA 1151 | DDR4 | PCIe Gen 3.0 | 2017 |
Coffee Lake (8th generation) | 14nm | 6/12 | 35-95W | 300 series | LGA 1151 | DDR4 | PCIe Gen 3.0 | 2017 |
Coffee Lake (9th generation) | 14nm | 8/16 | 35-95W | 300 series | LGA 1151 | DDR4 | PCIe Gen 3.0 | 2018 |
Comet Lake (10th generation) | 14nm | 10/20 | 35-125W | 400 series | LGA 1200 | DDR4 | PCIe Gen 3.0 | 2020 |
Rocket Lake (11th generation) | 14nm | 8/16 | TBA | 500 series | LGA 1200 | DDR4 | PCIe Gen 4.0 | 2021 |
Age Lake (12th generation) | 10nm? | 16/24? | TBA | 600 series? | LGA 1700 | DDR5 | PCIe Gen 5.0? | 2021 |
Meteor Lake (13th generation) | 7nm? | TBA | TBA | 700 series? | LGA 1700 | DDR5 | PCIe Gen 5.0? | 2022? |
Lunar Lake (14th generation) | TBA | TBA | TBA | 800 series? | TBA | DDR5 | PCIe Gen 5.0? | 2023? |