Intel Announces the 6.2 GHz Core i9-14900KS Processor

When 6.0 GHz just isn’t enough, Intel has a 6.2 GHz solution

Intel has made the rumored Core i9-14900KS processor official, pushing out-of-the-box CPU frequencies to an eye-watering 6.2 GHz. Thus, Intel has bested Intel to retain the title as the world’s fastest desktop processor (beating the Core i9-13900KS by 200 MHz). The increased Max Turbo frequency will undoubtedly require careful binning, but will surely push desktop CPU power draw to levels with which we are unfamiliar – though, officially, this is still a 253-watt part.

Why It Matters: The unlocked i9-14900KS processor pushes the Intel Core 14th Gen desktop processor family to its fastest speeds yet – building on last year’s industry-first 6.0 GHz Core i9-13900KS. In addition to record-breaking frequencies, the i9-14900KS boasts 24 cores/32 threads and 36 megabytes (MB) of Intel® Smart Cache for powerful performance in gaming and content creation workloads that desktop enthusiasts expect from Intel’s latest-gen desktop processors.

With the Intel Core 14th Gen 14900KS, gamers can experience up to 15% better performance gen-over-gen thanks to its blazing speeds and Intel’s Application Performance Optimization (APO) feature2. And content creators will benefit from the 14900KS’ performance, which can provide up to 73% performance improvement in compute-intensive workflows, such as 3D production multitasking versus competition3.

What It Offers: Key features and capabilities of the i9-14900KS include:

Up to 6.2 GHz max turbo frequency with Intel Thermal Velocity Boost – the fastest desktop processor speeds available on the market.
Twenty-four cores (eight Performance-cores and 16 Efficient-cores), 32 threads, 150 watt processor base power, 36MB Intel Smart Cache and 20 PCIe lanes (16 PCIe 5.0 and four PCIe 4.0 lanes).
Expanded Intel® APO support for the i9-14900KS – providing up to 11% performance uplift in supported titles4. Intel is continuing to expand support for APO, which now includes 14 gaming titles.
Support for up to 192GB of DDR5 5600 megatransfers per second (MT/s) or DDR4 3200 MT/s memory.
Compatibility with Z790 and Z690 motherboards, with the latest BIOS recommended for the best gaming and content creation experience.

An updated look at Intel’s unlocked desktop processor lineup

As to pricing and availability, the Core i9-14900KS will be available starting today (March 14) at component retailers worldwide, with our cost here on the U.S.A. based on Intel’s recommended $699 USD list price (but don’t be surprised if the rumored $749 is closer to reality – depending on demand, of course). There are also some launch reviews, such as this one from Tom’s Hardware, for you to peruse.