There is no taste test involved when evaluating the best CPU for gaming, and hopefully that's never the case. However, it does appear that Intel is readying a new processor that Colonel Sanders would approve of, at least in name.
Our friends at Anandtech found a reference to a new 'KFC' model of the Core i9-9900K while digging through the release notes of AIDA64 Extreme, a somewhat popular system identification and testing utility.
It remains to be seen if it will be offered in original and extra crispy variants, but either way, we don't suggest trying to shove it down your gullet. So, what exactly is the Core i9-9900KFC?
Intel uses the "K" designation for its processors that have unlocked multipliers, which makes them easier to overclock. The "F" designation is a recent addition to Intel's model naming scheme, and it indicates the processor lacks integrated graphics. For example, both the Core i9-9900K and Core i9-9900KF are 8-core/16-thread processors clocked at 3.6GHz to 5GHz, with 16MB of SmartCache. Both also have unlocked multipliers. However, the K model sports Intel UHD 630 graphics, and the KF model does not.
This is where things get tricky. Intel previously applied the "C" designation to its Broadwell CPUs that had improved integrated graphics. That wouldn't apply to the KFC model, because the "F" tells us there is no IGP.
As Anandtech explains, "C" model Broadwell CPUs also contained a small amount of eDRAM to act as a buffer between the L3 cache and the CPU. This mainly benefited the integrated graphics on those parts. Nevertheless, it could indicate that the Core i9-9900KFC will have some eDRAM as well.
Or it could mean something entirely different that is yet to be revealed. Incidentally, this is not the first time that KFC and technology have crossed paths. Anyone remember this?
We don't suspect there's any sort of collaboration going on here, but who knows. We've reached out to Intel and AIDA for comment and will update this article when/if we hear back.
