Intel Core i9-10900K - Review

We have received the Intel Core i9-10900K processor for review. This new processor belongs to the Comet Lake-S family and is based on 14nm lithography, an improved version of lithography that debuted with Skylake processors. This processor is also characterized by increasing the number of cores in the mainstream range, offering 10 cores and 20 threads.

The new Comet Lake-S family on a technical level implements few new features with respect to Coffee Lake Refresh-S. Perhaps the most interesting thing is the increase in cores and the recovery of HyperThreading at all levels of this family. Cut that only the Core i9-9000 supported HyperThreading, leaving the Core i7, Core i5 and Core i3 without this possibility.

Intel Core i9-10900K Specifications

Intel Core i9-10900K has 10 cores and 20 threads, being the most powerful desktop processor the company offers. It has 20MB of L3 cache, so there is not a big increase in this regard. One of the most 'outstanding' novelties is that it supports 128GB DDR4 @ 2933MHz in a Dual Channel configuration. It integrates an Intel UHD Graphics 630 iGPU with a base frequency of 350MHz and a Boost frequency of 1.2GHz.

This processor is based on the new LGA12000 socket which has dimensions of 37.5 × 37.5mm. All Comet Lake-S support only PCIe 3.0 interface, but motherboards will support PCIe 4.0. This suggests that Rocket Lake-S, which will hit the market next year, will be compatible with these motherboards and that it already supports PCIe 4.0.

Frequencies Intel Core i9-10900K

You may notice that we have not talked about the working frequencies in the specifications and it has an explanation. The reason is that at least the Core i9-10900K comes with no less than 7 different frequencies, which is nonsense. The most worrying thing is that at an effective level we will see two frequencies, three at the most, there are frequencies that we will hardly see.

This Core i9-10900K processor arrives with a base frequency of 3.7GHz with an associated TDP of 125W. Interestingly, Intel establishes a TDP-down of 95W for a frequency of 3.3GHz. Surely this frequency is intended for assemblers who want to integrate it into laptops. So far easy.

Theoretically, this processor can reach 5.1GHz in Boost mode in the 2 best processor cores. One of these cores can reach 5.2GHz using Boost Max 3.0 technology. But also this privileged core can be boosted at 5.3GHz thanks to Thermal Velocity Boost. For all cores, the maximum Boost is 4.8GHz, being able to reach 4.9GHz through Thermal Velocity Boost.

Come on, we have a large number of frequencies that can be summarized as reaching 4.8GHz in the best of cases. Later we will talk about the subject of cooling, because this processor brings them.

Summary of frequencies

Thermal Velocity Boost Technology (TVB)

I want to dwell on this technology that has been implemented in these new Comet Lake-S and that we doubt will work. According to rumors, it would be limited to a temperature of 65ºC, when this margin is exceeded, it will no longer work. But the Intel documentation on the web indicates that the temperature limit is 50ºC.

Since Intel confirmed that these processors would arrive, we have asked about TVB, with no luck. They have only given us an excerpt from the web that does not even refer to the Comet Lake-S. We leave you the extract below

Intel Thermal Velocity Boost (Intel TVB) is a new feature supported by the Intel Core i9-8950HK processor. Automatically and timely increase the clock rate above the Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 single-core and multi-core frequencies, depending on what the processor is operating below its maximum temperature. Frequency gain and duration depend on workload, processor performance, and processor cooling solution. For processors with the Intel TVB feature enabled, the maximum core frequency can be reached while the processor is at a temperature of 50 ° C or lower and turbo energy budget is available. Frequencies may drop over time as processor temperature increases.

Taking into account the problems we have had to cool this processor, neither 50ºC, nor 65º, nor any other. The Core i9-10900K has serious temperature issues, something we'll highlight later.

Consumption Intel Core i9-10900K

One of the most prominent and most talked about parameters about Comet Lake-S processors is consumption. Despite the fact that we have not found a power supply in time from which to take more precise measurements, we have measured the overall consumption of the system.

The system as a whole in IDLE has a consumption of only 60W. No load or low load, this processor does not consume excessively. With load things change a lot. Within the different benchmarks to which we have subjected the processor, we have noticed an increase in consumption. We have reached a consumption of 274W (variation of 2%), which although it is high, it is not crazy for the whole group.

It should be noted that the consumption of 274W has been a benchmark for the Core i9-10900K processor. And is that all the tests have focused on testing the load on the processor, which is what concerns us.

Intel Core i9-10900K temperature

Here comes another of the problems of the Comet Lake-S processors and specifically the Core i9-10900K. We have tested the Cooler Master MA410P and MA610P heatsinks, and the Arctic Cooling Liquid Freezer II 360 liquid cooling system.

With IDLE temperatures there is no problem, it moves with the heatsinks by air at 38-40ºC and with the RL at 32-35ºC. The problem comes when we submit the processor to a benchmark.

The Cooler Master MA410P heatsink was not enough for this processor, causing the equipment to shut down when we started the benchmark.

Then we installed the Cooler Master MA610P which has withstood temperatures between 95ºC and 100ºC. This temperature is very high and this is a clear indication that air heatsinks for this processor are not an option.

Finally we have installed the Arctic Cooling Liquid Freezer II 360 liquid cooling. We have subjected it to the rigorous benchmark and the Core i9-10900K has remained at 68-70ºC. We see that the temperatures are somewhat high with maximum load on the processor, but still not bad.

We have tried overclocking the Core i9-10900K, encountering some difficulties. We have directly tried to get it to work at 5.3GHz frequency and it has rebooted. Under a frequency of 5.2GHz the processor has been able to pass the behchmark, always with Arctic Cooling liquid cooling. Under this frequency the processor moves at a temperature of 90-95ºC. An indication that these processors are heavily squeezed out of the box.

Interesting for gaming is the Intel Core i9-10900K?

I want to stop at one of the most important aspects of this processor, or well, of all processors, in general. And is that this processor, like the rest of Intel desktop processors are labeled as the best for gaming.

Well, according to the company itself, 60% of the games are optimized for 1 core, which is quite striking. Logically, modern games are optimized for more cores, but still, let's not expect support for 10 cores, which are what the Core i9-10900K has. Of course, Intel processors count as a factor in favor of moving at high frequencies, something that gives them a certain advantage in games compared to AMD Ryzen.

Even so, considering that the Core i3 of the Comet Lake-S family have 4 cores and 8 threads, for gaming they are better than this Core i9-10900K. The good thing about Comet Lake-S is that we can have a 4-core and 8-thread processor for very little money, more than enough for 1080p, 1440p and even 4K gaming. Perhaps for Ray Tracing and 4K a 6-core processor would be better, to avoid bottlenecks.

Benchmark

Testing equipment

Test results

Institutional

Gallery

Conclusion

The Intel Core i9-10900K processor is not by chance one of the company's best products in recent years. Given the data we have collected, this processor has little to do with respect to the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X and Ryzen 9 3950X processors. There are more performance problems than the performance benefits that these processors provide.

Integrating 10 cores and 20 threads into a monolithic design is not an easy task, but 14nm lithography, polished as it may be, is not enough for more. This processor shows that the 14nm lithography is expired and an urgent change is needed.