Intel Rushes Core i9 and X299 Platform to Counter AMD Threadripper

Linus Tech Tips

Intel's hurried X299 launch to counter AMD Threadripper fractures the enthusiast market by forcing motherboard vendors to accommodate unready silicon alongside disabled memory channels and paywalled RAID features.

AI-assisted summary of I have some things to say - Core i9 & X299 — original source. Check the original for full context.

Source published: 2017-06-03

Key ideas

Intel unveiled its high-end desktop X299 platform and LGA 2066 socket at Computex 2017, but the lineup faces heavy criticism for fragmented specs spanning 4-core Kaby Lake-X chips to unfinalized 18-core Skylake-X processors. (0:00)
Kaby Lake-X processors (Core i7-7740X and i5-7640X) transplant mainstream quad-core dies onto LGA 2066, disabling half the memory channels, leaving half the DIMM slots dead on quad-channel motherboards, and cutting PCIe lanes to 16. (3:50)
Intel reportedly expanded its top-tier Skylake-X stack to 18 cores at the last minute by pulling mid-core-count Xeon dies down to consumer sockets, reacting hastily to AMD's 16-core Threadripper announcement. (8:09)
Intel's Virtual RAID on CPU (VROC) introduces enterprise monetization onto enthusiast boards, requiring a $99 hardware key for RAID 1/10, a $300 key for RAID 5, and reportedly locking bootable arrays to Intel-branded SSDs. (8:09)

Detailed notes

## Background Published on YouTube by Linus Tech Tips on June 3, 2017, this video serves as an editorial response to Intel's high-end desktop X299 chipset and Core i9 announcements at Computex 2017. The video description indicates that the controversial launch motivated Linus to share his unfiltered thoughts regarding the platform's state and partner ecosystem.

## TL;DR Linus breaks down the newly unveiled Intel X299 motherboard ecosystem from vendors like ASUS, GIGABYTE, and MSI before sharply critiquing the platform's fundamental architecture. He condemns Kaby Lake-X for causing severe platform fragmentation by disabling motherboard memory slots and PCIe lanes, and he characterizes Intel's rushed 18-core flagship announcement as a panicked, unprepared response to AMD's Threadripper. Additionally, Linus calls out Intel's Virtual RAID on CPU (VROC) implementation for gating basic RAID modes behind expensive physical hardware keys and restricting bootable arrays to proprietary SSDs.

## Atmosphere & style The presentation begins with a structured showcase of motherboard hardware but quickly abandons standard promotional polish in favor of an impassioned, unscripted rant straight from the Computex floor. Linus speaks with palpable exasperation and insider fatigue, balancing technical architectural breakdowns with biting commentary about corporate panic. The delivery feels raw, candid, and urgent, capturing a seasoned tech reviewer visibly disappointed by anti-consumer segmentation yet eager to rally community feedback.

## Bulletin - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=0s) Intel unveiled its high-end desktop X299 platform and LGA 2066 socket at Computex 2017, but the lineup faces heavy criticism for fragmented specs spanning 4-core Kaby Lake-X chips to unfinalized 18-core Skylake-X processors. - [03:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=230s) Kaby Lake-X processors (Core i7-7740X and i5-7640X) transplant mainstream quad-core dies onto LGA 2066, disabling half the memory channels, leaving half the DIMM slots dead on quad-channel motherboards, and cutting PCIe lanes to 16. - [08:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=489s) Intel reportedly expanded its top-tier Skylake-X stack to 18 cores at the last minute by pulling mid-core-count Xeon dies down to consumer sockets, reacting hastily to AMD's 16-core Threadripper announcement. - [08:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=489s) Intel's Virtual RAID on CPU (VROC) introduces enterprise monetization onto enthusiast boards, requiring a $99 hardware key for RAID 1/10, a $300 key for RAID 5, and reportedly locking bootable arrays to Intel-branded SSDs.

## Key takeaways - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=0s) Linus waited days to gather industry perspective on the X299 platform at Computex 2017 rather than releasing an immediate, superficial reaction. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=0s) The LGA 2066 socket replaces LGA 2011-v3, heavily marketed with caveats like 'up to' Core i9, 'up to' quad-channel DDR4-2666, and 'up to' 44 PCIe lanes. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=0s) Motherboard vendors like ASUS, GIGABYTE, and MSI integrated advanced features such as dedicated pump headers, direct-to-CPU NVMe RAID, and slot-disabling diagnostic LEDs. - [03:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=230s) The overall X299 rollout represents a chaotic, knee-jerk reaction to AMD's 16-core, 32-thread Threadripper platform. - [03:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=230s) System integrators privately expressed refusal to support Kaby Lake-X due to severe platform confusion and architectural mismatch. - [03:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=230s) Kaby Lake-X offers only a 100 MHz clock bump and 20W TDP increase over LGA 1151 counterparts while imposing severe memory and PCIe lane penalties. - [03:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=230s) Because X299 boards lack rear video outputs, Intel fused off Kaby Lake-X's integrated GPU entirely, eliminating Quick Sync hardware acceleration. - [08:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=489s) Intel's original HEDT plan was capped at 12 cores using low-core-count Xeon dies before Threadripper forced an emergency pivot to an 18-core MCC flagship. - [08:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=489s) The rushed schedule left Intel announcing the 18-core flagship without finalized clock speeds, pricing, or power consumption metrics. - [08:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=489s) Compressed development cycles caused hardware fallout, including GIGABYTE dropping Thunderbolt 3 support due to lack of certification time. - [08:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=489s) VROC imposes an artificial paywall on motherboard capabilities, charging roughly $99 for RAID 1/10 and $300 for RAID 5. - [08:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=489s) Trade-show reports indicate bootable VROC RAID functionality is restricted strictly to Intel's proprietary NVMe SSDs. - [12:56](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=776s) While higher core counts and features are welcome, the defensive, rushed timing undermines consumer trust in Intel's enthusiast roadmap.

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=0s) Overview of the X299 Platform and Computex 2017 Motherboards

Linus begins by acknowledging that he has been intentionally quiet regarding Intel's newly announced high-end desktop (HEDT) X299 platform and its accompanying processors. Rather than rushing out a superficial reaction, he spent several days walking the floor at Computex 2017, talking to industry insiders, and trying to comprehend Intel's strategic rationale. The old LGA 2011-v3 socket has been retired in favor of LGA 2066, marketed alongside a flurry of qualifiers: support for "up to" Core i9 processors, "up to" quad-channel DDR4 memory at 2666 MHz, "up to" 44 PCIe lanes, expanded NVMe/Optane storage capabilities, and "up to" two preferred Turbo Boost Max cores.

Hardware partners arrived with extensive motherboard lineups showcasing enthusiast features. ASUS presented roughly half a dozen boards sharing core DNA, including the Rampage VI Extreme with dual water flow sensors and standard pump headers, a Deluxe model featuring multi-gigabit 802.11ad wireless alongside an integrated OLED diagnostic display, and the TUF board equipped with thermal sensors, armor, and a built-in graphics card sag holder. GIGABYTE showcased digital addressable RGB headers, Smart Fan 5 software capable of turning fans off entirely under cool loads, a heavy deployment of 10 Gbps USB 3.1 with front-panel Type-C support, and bootable 4-way PCIe NVMe SSD arrays running directly off the CPU. MSI pushed NVMe storage even further with native support for up to five M.2 drives under dedicated heat spreaders, 3D-printable accessory mounting points, and an illuminated CPU-status LED.

```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Intel X299 Motherboard Ecosystem accDescr: Key board partners and the signature features displayed on X299 at Computex 2017

subgraph ASUS["ASUS Ecosystem"] A1["Rampage VI Extreme: Flow Sensors"] A2["Deluxe: 802.11ad + OLED"] A3["TUF: Armor + Sag Holder"] end

subgraph GIGABYTE["GIGABYTE Ecosystem"] G1["Digital Addressable RGB"] G2["Smart Fan 5 0-RPM Mode"] G3["Direct-to-CPU Bootable RAID"] end

subgraph MSI["MSI Ecosystem"] M1["Up to 5x Native M.2 Slots"] M2["3D-Printable Accents"] M3["Socket Feature Diagnostic LEDs"] end ```

- ASUS showcased hardware enhancements tailored to liquid cooling and system diagnostics, standardizing dedicated pump headers across their enthusiast stack. - GIGABYTE embraced direct CPU PCIe connectivity for NVMe RAID storage, bypassing traditional chipset bottlenecks. - MSI included white and red diagnostic indicator LEDs designed to visibly warn users if their installed processor lacks the lanes to activate all integrated motherboard slots.

---

[03:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=230s) The Kaby Lake-X Problem and Platform Fragmentation

Transitioning away from scripted motherboard overviews to share his unvarnished thoughts, Linus characterizes the launch as an incoherent knee-jerk reaction to AMD's 16-core, 32-thread Threadripper platform. Enthusiasts and gamers had been relegated to quad-core chips on the mainstream socket for a decade, while previous HEDT upgrades charged exorbitant premiums, such as an extra $700 just to step up from 8 to 10 cores on Broadwell-E. The biggest structural flaw on X299 is the introduction of Kaby Lake-X, which creates massive consumer confusion. Linus notes: “I mean, I've spoken to system integrators here at the show, I'm not going to name them by name or anything, but they flat out said 'we're not going to support this. This aspect of the platform is a mess, because what is Kaby Lake-X?'”

Rather than delivering a purpose-built architecture, Intel simply transplanted mainstream Kaby Lake quad-core dies (Core i7-7740X and Core i5-7640X) onto LGA 2066 packaging. These chips offer merely 100 MHz higher base frequencies and a 20W TDP bump over their LGA 1151 counterparts in exchange for promised overclocking headroom, yet they incur substantial penalties. They are restricted to 16 PCIe lanes and dual-channel memory, meaning that putting one into an 8-slot, quad-channel X299 motherboard leaves several memory channels and physical DIMM slots completely non-functional. Furthermore, because X299 motherboards omit rear display outputs, Intel fused off the integrated GPU entirely, eliminating productivity features like Intel Quick Sync Video while still forcing buyers to purchase a costly HEDT motherboard.

```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: Platform Lane and Memory Disparity accDescr: Divergence in memory channels and PCIe lanes between Kaby Lake-X and Skylake-X

subgraph KBL["Kaby Lake-X (e.g., 7740X / 7640X)"] K1["16 PCIe Lanes"] K2["Dual-Channel Memory (Disabled Slots)"] K3["iGPU Fused Off (No QuickSync)"] end

subgraph SKL["Skylake-X / Core i9"] S1["28 to 44 PCIe Lanes"] S2["Quad-Channel Memory (All Slots Active)"] S3["Full Motherboard Feature Utilization"] end ```

- Kaby Lake-X processors feature only 16 PCIe lanes, offering no expansion advantage over the far cheaper mainstream LGA 1151 platform. - Motherboard physical DIMM configurations range from 4 to 8 slots, but dual-channel limits on Kaby Lake-X render half the physical traces dead on quad-channel boards. - Disabling the integrated graphics without providing motherboard display routing prevents users from utilizing Intel Quick Sync hardware acceleration.

---

[08:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=489s) Knee-Jerk Reactions, Threadripper Panic, and VROC Key Paywalls

Linus argues that the top-tier Skylake-X lineup demonstrates Intel's reactive panic. Originally, Intel intended to base their HEDT lineup exclusively on the low-core-count (LCC) Xeon silicon, capping out at 12 cores. When AMD unveiled Threadripper, Intel scrambled to salvage the marketing narrative by pulling mid-core-count (MCC) server dies down to the consumer socket to promise an 18-core flagship, despite lacking finalized clock speeds, pricing, or power consumption targets at Computex. Linus criticizes this reactionary posturing: “Build the best thing you can for the best price that you can deliver it, and you're not going to get blindsided by a competitor that walks in and delivers something way better for a lower price!” Motherboard vendors have been forced to engineer complex boards accommodating anything from a 4-core, 16-lane, dual-channel chip to an 18-core, 44-lane beast, causing such developmental chaos that GIGABYTE had to drop Thunderbolt 3 entirely because there was no time left for certification.

To make matters worse, Intel's Virtual RAID on CPU (VROC) feature introduces enterprise-style monetization to consumer motherboards. While CPU-direct NVMe RAID removes chipset bottlenecks, X299 only includes RAID 0 out of the box. Enabling RAID 1 or RAID 10 requires purchasing a $99 physical hardware dongle, while RAID 5 support demands a $300 key. Exacerbating this paywall, industry reports circulating the trade floor indicate that bootable VROC functionality is vendor-locked exclusively to Intel-branded SSDs, effectively locking out faster, market-leading NVMe drives from competing manufacturers.

- VROC RAID 0 is included standard, but RAID 1/10 demands a physical $99 hardware key, and RAID 5 costs roughly $300 extra. - Bootable direct-to-CPU VROC arrays are reported to be restricted strictly to Intel's proprietary NVMe SSD hardware. - The compressed launch schedule forced board partners like GIGABYTE to omit Thunderbolt 3 certification altogether.

[12:56](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=776s) Linus's Final Verdict on Intel and Closing Thoughts

Linus wraps up his thoughts by acknowledging that the video has been significantly more ramble-heavy and longer than his usual style, but he explains that this format felt necessary given the deep frustration he has felt over Intel's handling of the X299 and Core i9 announcements. He notes the strange irony of his position, pointing out that enthusiast PC users and tech commentators like himself have been demanding higher core counts and better platform features for years, and Intel is technically delivering those exact things now. However, the satisfaction is undermined by the timing and execution. As Linus puts it: “What's frustrating is not that they're doing it; what's frustrating is my perception of the reasons that they're doing it so...”

Rather than representing genuine, forward-thinking platform innovation designed to reward their loyal enthusiast base, Intel's sudden moves appear to be rushed, defensive reactions to market pressure. Linus asks the audience to weigh in down in the comments, asking whether his criticisms are completely fair or if he is simply being overly nitpicky. He emphasizes that if representatives from Intel happen to watch the video, he wants them to see authentic, unfiltered feedback directly from the community, not merely from tech reviewers alone.

He closes out the broadcast from Computex 2017 in Taiwan by thanking the coverage sponsors:

- **Corsair**: Sponsored the Computex trip, highlighting the Corsair One, their compact 12-liter gaming powerhouse configured with up to a GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card, alongside an upcoming GTX 1080 Ti variant. - **Synergy**: Offered viewers a 25% discount on their mouse-and-keyboard sharing software, with links provided in the video description.

## Notable quotes > [08:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE&t=489s) Build the best thing you can for the best price that you can deliver it, and you're not going to get blindsided by a competitor that walks in and delivers something way better for a lower price! — Linus

## Mentioned AMD, ASUS, ASUS Rampage VI Extreme, ASUS TUF, Broadwell-E, Computex 2017, Core i5-7640X, Core i7-7740X, Core i9, Corsair, Corsair One, GIGABYTE, GeForce GTX 1080, GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, Intel, Intel Optane, Intel Quick Sync Video, Intel VROC, Kaby Lake, Kaby Lake-X, Linus, MSI, Skylake-X, Smart Fan 5, Synergy, Threadripper, X299, Xeon

## Video description Intel's X299 launch and new Core i9 processors inspired me to create this video...

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Intro Screen Music Credit: Title: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKfxmFU3lWY iTunes Download Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/supernova/id936805712 Artist Link: https://soundcloud.com/laszlomusic

Outro Screen Music Credit: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High http://www.youtube.com/approachingnirvana

Sound effects provided by http://www.freesfx.co.uk/sfx/

[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFzWRoVNnE)

中文简报

英特尔仓促推出酷睿i9与X299平台以抗衡AMD Threadripper 英特尔为应对AMD Threadripper而匆忙发布X299，迫使主板厂商迁就尚未就绪的芯片、被禁用的内存通道以及付费解锁的RAID功能，从而割裂了发烧友市场。 Linus剖析了华硕、技嘉和微星等厂商新亮相的英特尔X299主板生态系统，随后对该平台的基础架构提出了严厉批评。他斥责Kaby Lake-X因禁用主板内存插槽和PCIe通道而导致严重的平台碎片化，并将英特尔匆忙宣布18核旗舰产品的举动定性为对AMD Threadripper恐慌且仓促的应对。此外，Linus还痛批英特尔的CPU虚拟RAID（VROC）方案，指责其将基础RAID模式限制在昂贵的物理硬件密钥之后，并将可引导阵列仅限定于专有SSD。英特尔在Computex 2017上展示了其高端桌面X299平台和LGA 2066插槽，但该产品线因规格碎片化严重而饱受指责，其跨度从4核Kaby Lake-X芯片一直延伸至尚未定型的18核Skylake-X处理器。 (0:00) Kaby Lake-X处理器（酷睿i7-7740X和i5-7640X）将主流的四核芯片移植到LGA 2066上，导致一半的内存通道被禁用，使四通道主板上一半的DIMM插槽失效，并将PCIe通道削减至16条。 (3:50) 据报道，英特尔在最后一刻将中等核心数的至强（Xeon）芯片下放到消费级插槽，从而将其顶级Skylake-X产品线扩展至18核，以此仓促应对AMD发布的16核Threadripper。 (8:09) 英特尔的CPU虚拟RAID（VROC）将企业级的收费模式引入发烧级主板，RAID 1/10需要购买99美元的硬件密钥，RAID 5则需300美元密钥，据报道还限制必须使用英特尔品牌SSD才能创建可引导阵列。 (8:09)

Reading summary

Linus Sebastian argues that Intel's X299 platform and Core i9 lineup represent a rushed, reactive maneuver to counter AMD's Threadripper rather than a customer-first evolution. While motherboard makers displayed impressive hardware at Computex 2017, the platform suffers from architectural fragmentation, unfinalized flagship specifications, and enterprise-style paywalls. Motherboard Innovation Amid Platform Confusion (0:00) At Computex 2017, motherboard manufacturers unveiled elaborate designs for Intel's new LGA 2066 socket, replacing LGA 2011-v3. ASUS showcased water flow sensors, integrated OLED diagnostic displays, and GPU sag brackets across its Rampage, Deluxe, and TUF lines. GIGABYTE highlighted direct-to-CPU bootable NVMe arrays and zero-RPM fan modes, while MSI engineered boards supporting up to five M.2 drives and socket feature diagnostic LEDs. However, marketing qualifiers like 'up to' 44 PCIe lanes and 'up to' quad-channel DDR4 memory underscored that hardware functionality depended entirely on the tier of processor installed. The Incoherence of Kaby Lake-X (3:50) Linus identifies Kaby Lake-X as the most glaring structural flaw of the X299 ecosystem. Rather than offering specialized enthusiast silicon, Intel repackaged mainstream quad-core LGA 1151 dies into the LGA 2066 socket as the Core i7-7740X and Core i5-7640X. These chips provide minor 100 MHz clock and 20W TDP bumps, but they carry severe compromises: they offer only 16 PCIe lanes, restrict memory to dual-channel configurations (leaving half the DIMM slots dead on eight-slot motherboards), and disable the integrated GPU, stripping out productivity tools like Intel Quick Sync Video. Linus reports that multiple system integrators at the trade show stated they would outright refuse to support Kaby Lake-X due to customer confusion. Reactive 18-Core Escalation and Rushed Execution (8:09) According to Linus, Intel originally intended to cap its consumer high-end desktop lineup at 12 cores using low-core-count (LCC) Xeon silicon. When AMD announced its 16-core, 32-thread Threadripper platform, Intel scrambled to adapt by pulling mid-core-count (MCC) server dies down to LGA 2066 to announce an 18-core Core i9 flagship. Because this move was unplanned, Intel showcased the top-tier 14- to 18-core processors without finalized clock speeds, power limits, or pricing. This compressed development cycle created logistical chaos for board partners, forcing GIGABYTE to abandon Thunderbolt 3 certification due to a lack of remaining time. Monetizing RAID Through Hardware Key Paywalls (8:09) Intel's Virtual RAID on CPU (VROC) feature drew sharp criticism for introducing enterprise monetization schemes to consumer motherboards. While direct CPU PCIe connectivity removes chipset throughput bottlenecks, X299 motherboards only include RAID 0 functionality out of the box. Unlocking RAID 1 or RAID 10 requires purchasing a $99 physical hardware dongle, while RAID 5 support demands an estimated $300 key. Compounding the paywall, reports circulating at Computex indicated that bootable direct-to-CPU VROC arrays are vendor-locked to work exclusively with Intel-branded NVMe solid-state drives, shutting out competing high-performance SSD manufacturers. Linus acknowledges the irony that enthusiasts are technically receiving the higher core counts they long requested, but concludes that the delivery feels hollow. Rather than driving platform innovation proactively, Intel appeared blindsided by competition, rushing incomplete products and fragmented platform standards to market in an effort to maintain narrative control.

精炼阅读摘要

Linus Sebastian 指出，英特尔在 Computex 2017 上公布的 X299 发烧级平台及 Core i9 处理器并非出于前瞻性的技术创新，而是针对 AMD Threadripper 威胁所做出的仓促且混乱的防御性反击。尽管平台在纸面上实现了核心数量的跃升，但其产品线严重割裂、关键功能阉割以及引入企业级付费门槛的做法，引发了硬件生态伙伴与发烧友的强烈不满。主板生态创新与“至多”营销限制 (0:00) 在 Computex 2017 上，各主板合作厂商围绕取代 LGA 2011-v3 的全新 LGA 2066 插槽展示了多样化的发烧级设计。ASUS 展出了配备双水流传感器与标准水泵接口的 Rampage VI Extreme、集成 802.11ad 无线网卡及 OLED 诊断屏的 Deluxe，以及搭载散热装甲和显卡防下垂支架的 TUF 板卡；GIGABYTE 推出了支持零转速停转的 Smart Fan 5 技术、直连 CPU 的 4 路 NVMe RAID 和前置 Type-C 接口；MSI 则通过原生支持最多 5 个带散热装甲的 M.2 插槽和 3D 打印配件安装位来拓展存储性能。然而，Linus 强调英特尔官方宣传中充斥着大量的“至多（up to）”限制前缀——例如“至多”支持 Core i9、“至多”支持 2666 MHz 四通道 DDR4 内存、“至多”提供 44 条 PCIe 通道及双核睿频加速 Max 技术。这表明整个平台的功能可用性严重取决于所搭载的具体处理器，主板厂商甚至不得不在板载硬件上加入诊断指示灯，以向用户警示部分插槽因 CPU 规格不足而无法激活。 Kaby Lake-X 带来的平台割裂与倒退 (3:50) Linus 认为该平台最严重的结构性缺陷在于引入了 Kaby Lake-X（包括 Core i7-7740X 与 Core i5-7640X）。英特尔并未为此开发专用架构，仅仅是将主流 LGA 1151 的四核芯片封装移植到 LGA 2066 接口上，仅带来基础频率 100 MHz 的微弱提升和 20W TDP 的增加。然而，这种移植带来了严重的规格惩罚：Kaby Lake-X 仅提供 16 条 PCIe 通道和双通道内存，导致插入拥有 8 根内存插槽的高端 X299 主板时，半数内存通道与物理插槽直接瘫痪。与此同时，因 X299 主板普遍取消了后置显示输出接口，英特尔彻底切断了处理器内置的集成核显，使创作者失去了实用的 Quick Sync 视频转码加速功能。Linus 援引展会期间系统集成商的原话表示，业界普遍认为该产品线是一场灾难并明确拒绝为其提供支持，因为消费者在承担昂贵主板成本的同时，不仅没有获得扩展性优势，反而在功能上出现倒退。应对竞品的仓促调整与研发动荡 (8:09) Linus 指出，英特尔在主流市场维持四核心架构近十年，并在上一代 Broadwell-E 上对核心升级收取极高溢价（例如从 8 核升级至 10 核需多付 700 美元）。面对 AMD 具备 16 核 32 线程的 Threadripper 平台带来的冲击，英特尔陷入了被动防御。其高端产品最初计划仅采用低核心数（LCC）Xeon 芯片且上限为 12 核；为了抢占宣传主导权，英特尔临时决定将中核心数（MCC）服务器芯片下放至消费级平台，仓促承诺推出高达 18 核的旗舰型号。然而在 Computex 期间，这些顶级处理器的具体主频、功耗指标和最终定价均未确定。这种临时应变的慌乱给主板合作厂商带来了极大的工程压力：主板不仅需要同时兼顾 4 核 16 通道至 18 核 44 通道的极端硬件跨度，研发周期的严重压缩甚至迫使 GIGABYTE 因来不及完成认证而直接放弃了雷电 3（Thunderbolt 3）接口的搭载。 VROC 硬件付费门槛与生态封闭 (8:09) 除了硬件规格的混乱，英特尔还在消费级平台上引入了类似企业级市场的变现手段——CPU 虚拟 RAID 技术（VROC）。尽管直连 CPU 的 NVMe RAID 技术能够消除南桥芯片组的带宽瓶颈，但 X299 平台开箱仅免费提供基本的 RAID 0 阵列支持。如果用户希望开启具备数据冗余的 RAID 1 或 RAID 10，必须额外购买一个售价 99 美元的物理硬件密钥；若需要 RAID 5，硬件密钥售价更是高达约 300 美元。更令发烧友群体反感的是，展会现场流传的行业消息显示，可引导启动的 VROC 阵列仅支持英特尔自家的 NVMe 固态硬盘，从而在底层排斥了市场上性能更强、份额更大的竞品 SSD。这种在消费级发烧硬件上设置付费墙和品牌排他性绑定的策略，进一步加深了用户的抵触情绪。 Linus 总结指出，发烧友和评测者多年来一直在呼吁更高的核心数与更强的平台规格，英特尔如今虽然提供了这些规格，但其出发点完全是被市场竞争所迫的仓促防御，而非真诚回馈高端用户的技术革新。他呼吁硬件社区向英特尔传达真实、未过滤的反馈，以推动厂商正视产品规划与商业模式中的根本问题。

Source quotes

[8:09] Linus: Build the best thing you can for the best price that you can deliver it, and you're not going to get blindsided by a competitor that walks in and delivers something way better for a lower price!

Original transcript

[0:00] Our coverage of Computex 2017 is brought to you by the Corsair One and Synergy. [0:05] You can check them out at the link in the video description. [0:09] I have been conspicuously silent about Intel's new high-end desktop X299 platform [0:16] and the CPU's that they just announced to go with it. [0:20] And, this was on purpose, but probably not for the reasons that you think. [0:25] I've spent the last few days walking the show floor, chatting with industry folks, [0:30] and generally trying to wrap my head around [0:33] what the actual hell it is that Intel's trying to do with this launch. [0:38] Before we get into that though, a primer on X299. [0:43] So, socket 2011-v3 is old news, [0:46] socket 2066 is the hot new girl in class. [0:51] With the new chipset comes support for "up to" 7-series Skylake-based Intel Core i9 processors, [0:59] we get "up to" quad channel DDR4 memory running at "up to" DDR4 2666MHz, [1:07] we get "up to" 44 PCI express lanes for massive expansion, [1:13] "up to" greatly expanded NVMe and Optane storage capabilities [1:17] and "up to" two preferred Turbo [Boost] Max cores that run at higher boost frequencies. [1:26] Well, what's with all this "up to"? [1:30] I'll get to that, first let's take a look at the boards. [1:33] So Intel's partners have been out in full force with support for this new tech. [1:38] ASUS was showing about half a dozen boards based on the same basic DNA, [1:44] each with some same stand out features. [1:46] The Rampage VII Extreme includes dual water flow sensors [1:50] to go with the pump headers that are standard on this generation, [1:53] their deluxe board includes 802.11ad multi-gigabit wireless [1:58] and an OLED POST-in system monitoring display, [2:01] and the 'TOUGHMARK 1' comes with the usual extra thermal sensors, [2:06] tough armour, and a freaking graphics card sag holder! [2:11] GIGABYTE's Digital RGB header allows lighting effects with individual addressable LED strips, [2:17] their 'SmartFan 5' software now allows fans to be turned off outright [2:22] if system temperatures allow it, a huge boom to 'silence-freaks' like me. [2:27] They've gone ham on USB 3.1 10-gigabit ports including, [2:32] like the others, support for the new type-C front panel spec, [2:36] and they were showing off 4 PCIe NVMe SSDs running in RAID, [2:41] which in of itself, isn't exactly groundbreaking, [2:43] but that fact that they were running off of the CPU, and they were bootable, is. [2:50] MSI (on the subject of NVMe) has boards with native support for up to 5 M.2 SSDs, [2:57] and is putting a really strong emphasis on cooling for them. [3:01] Like everyone else, they've given a lot of thought to the aesthetics of their boards. [3:06] You can even 3D print accessories from templates and swap cooler covers in some cases, [3:11] and, unlike everybody else this is interesting, they've got a white or red LED [3:18] that tells you what kind of CPU you've you've got installed, [3:21] and in turn then, how many of the features that you're looking at on the board [3:26] are actually going to be enabled! [3:29] Which I guess brings us to a fairly natural conclusion to the nicely scripted part of this video, [3:35] because I've got some rough notes with some other stuff that I've gotta get off of my back, [3:40] but to do that I think, it's probably better if we go for a little walk. [3:50] Going back to my earlier question... [3:53] What is this platform? [3:56] Quite honestly what it looks like to me is that Intel themselves can't really decide. [4:02] It's like they've changed their mind multiple times, [4:05] and the whole thing just seems like this kneejerk reaction to [4:11] AMDs announcement of their up to 16-core 32-thread 'Threadripper' platform. [4:18] And then I mean, some of the things they're doing look just kind of like a [4:23] half-desperate attempt to appease enthusiasts, and gamers who... if they feel anything like me where... [4:31] you know, the mainstream's been stuck with quad-core processors for the last 10 years. [4:36] And even on the enthusiast level, we're lucky to get another 2 cores, and last time around, [4:42] we even had to pay another $700 just for the privilege [4:46] of going from 8 to 10 cores with the new 'Broadwell-E' generation. [4:51] I mean to be clear for me personally, a lot of this stuff can only be good. [4:56] I mean high core count, overclockable water-cooled servers, [5:00] that's right in my wheelhouse; that's perfect! [5:03] And when you're someone who doesn't pay for hardware then... it's expensive? No problem! [5:10] I mean not to mention that as a hardware enthusiast, I'm not gonna be struggling [5:15] to pair the correct board, and the correct memory, and the correct CPU together [5:21] to make sure that I'm getting the most out of the entire platform, [5:24] 'cause honestly that's one of the biggest problems with the platform right now, [5:28] it's really confusing; Kaby Lake-X muddies the water [5:34] in a way that just makes absolutely no sense for Intel to do! [5:39] I mean, I've spoken to system integrators here at the show, I'm not going to name them by name or anything, [5:45] but they flat out said "we're not going to support this. This aspect of the platform is a mess, because what is Kaby Lake-X?" [5:53] Like on the surface, it sounds like they've gone ahead and they've added the latest architecture [6:01] to this platform in some, you know, amazing... "wow, we engineered a new generation overnight" kind of way, [6:08] but what actually happened was they took the existing Kaby Lake processors on the mainstream platform, [6:15] and just, like, stapled them on to socket 2066. [6:20] the only difference between the 7740 and the 7640 compared to the socket 1151 versions [6:28] is that they're rated at 20 watt higher TDPs, [6:33] they're clocked 100 MHz (0.1 GHz) higher and Intel is promising better overclocking on them. [6:39] but at the end of the day, am I going to spend another hundred dollars on a board just for that... [6:46] and why on earth would Intel neuter all the features on the motherboard [6:51] just for the sake of me being able to run a chip at like a little bit higher frequency? [6:57] They don't have more PCI express lanes! [7:00] They've still only got sixteen and, making matters even more confusing, they only run dual channel memory still. [7:08] So when you go and you buy an X299 motherboard, it can have [7:12] anywhere from four to eight memory slots on it which might support two sets of dual-channel memory, [7:20] a single set of quad-channel memory, or two sets of quad-channel memory. [7:26] So you might actually have DIMM slots that don't work if you install a Kaby Lake-X CPU! [7:32] Oh and I mean... right, this is crazy too; I even forgot the part how [7:37] X299 boards aren't going to have all the connectors for onboard graphics, [7:41] so the onboard graphics are fused off, which wouldn't inherently be a huge problem; [7:45] I expect someone spending, you know, $300 to $600 on a motherboard [7:50] to buy a dedicated graphics card but the issue is that then you can't even use features [7:55] that you would be able to on the mainstream platform like QuickSync, for example, [8:00] that rely on the integrated GPU in order to function. [8:04] Kaby Lake [X] just makes no sense. At. All. [8:09] Okay, so now let's talk about those reactionary high core count CPUs. [8:13] Again, I'm not complaining, an 18-core Extreme Edition that's overclockable sounds great to me. [8:18] But everyone and their dog knows that Intel was only planning to use the low core count version [8:24] of their Xeon processors to create their high-end desktop platform. [8:29] So that was going to be up to 12 cores, and surprise surprise here at the show, [8:35] the only chips they're showing are based on that one. [8:38] So what Intel did is they saw, "oh no, AMD has Threadripper;" [8:42] "They're making us look bad by announcing this stuff that people really want!" [8:47] "Uh, uh, uh, quick! Announce something! Even though..." [8:50] "...you know, we don't know how much power it's going to consume, we don't know what clock speeds it's going to run at;" [8:54] "We don't know how much we're going to charge for it; we need to make sure we're announcing something," [8:59] "so that when AMD launches Threadripper, we're not caught completely with our pants down, and no way to react to it." [9:07] But here's the problem; they're taking this 'wait-and-see' approach for a reason that I personally don't really like. [9:15] They want to see what Threadripper turns into before they commit to what they're gonna deliver to the consumer, [9:21] and that's exactly the problem that they're running up against in the first place here. [9:25] Here's some corporate strategy advice, free of charge Intel. [9:29] Build the best thing you can for the best price that you can deliver it, [9:35] and you're not going to get blindsided by a competitor [9:38] that walks in and delivers something way better for a lower price! [9:43] So we've got this really confusing platform; [9:46] we've got these mid-core count harvested Xeon's on the high-end desktop platform [9:53] that are going to be differentiated by having lots of PCI express lanes [9:58] which I think is what gives them the Core i9 designation, [10:02] we're gonna have the normal chips, some of which still have lots of PCI express lanes and go up to 12 cores-- [10:11] all of the ones I've mentioned so far support quad-channel memory and anywhere from 28 to 44 PCI express lanes. [10:19] Then we're going to have Kaby Lake-X, which only supports 16 PCI express lanes, and get this; [10:26] the motherboard manufacturers have to support any chip that you could put in the socket on every single board. [10:35] How do you build a board around 16 to 44 PCI express lanes, [10:41] dual to quad-channel memory, and anywhere from 4 to 18 cores!? [10:49] The whole launch is so rushed that Gigabyte flat-out isn't supporting Thunderbolt 3 on any of their X299 boards, [10:58] because they didn't have time to go through the certification process, [11:03] and the whole thing is confusing as hell to not just the general consumer, but even enthusiasts. [11:13] And I mean, there's other stuff here that just makes no sense to me as well. [11:18] VROC, okay? [11:19] So I talked about how you can have, you know, "up to", you know, better support for NVMe storage than ever before... [11:27] So this is a really cool feature; you can actually run bootable RAID through the CPU [11:34] rather than letting it get bottlenecked by the chipset now with NVMe devices. [11:39] But out of the box, Intel is only supporting RAID 0, and if you wanna run RAID 1 or RAID 10, [11:49] you need to buy a $99 physical key and plug it into the board, [11:53] and if you wanna support RAID 5 on top of all that other stuff, [11:57] you're gonna pay another $300! Like I get that they're worried about cannibalizing [12:04] their Xeon sales, and their server and high-end workstation sales with this platform [12:10] but this seems like such a step backwards [12:14] on a consumer product going back to buying like RAID keys, [12:19] and sticking them onto a motherboard. And as if that wasn't anti-consumer enough, [12:24] the word on the street now (and I really hope they reverse this decision if it is one) [12:29] is that this bootable RAID-- this VROC feature, [12:32] is only going to work with Intel branded NVMe SSDs. [12:37] They don't make the best NVMe SSDs, at least not till Optane lands, [12:42] so they're basically going, "ah, here's the highest end, you know, enthusiast thing. Oh, by the way," [12:47] "Put some, you know, SSDs in here for your wicked RAID array that aren't even the best on the market." [12:54] So... [12:56] I'm sorry if this video was a little more ramble-y than what I usually do and, uh... [13:03] maybe a little longer than what I do these days, [13:05] but I guess it just felt appropriate given the the frustration that I've had, I mean... [13:11] you know, I've been asking for higher core count, and I've been... [13:16] you know, asking for really a lot of the things that they're doing right now, [13:20] which... [13:21] like it's funny, because here I am complaining about it, [13:24] but... [13:26] what's frustrating is not that they're doing it; what's frustrating is [13:30] my perception of the reasons that they're doing it so... [13:36] I guess that's pretty much it, like, leave a comment letting me know your guys' thoughts. Am I... [13:41] am I being nitpicky or are the criticisms fair? [13:45] Leave a comment below and let's... [13:47] let's at least talk about it! [13:49] If Intel's going to come across this video, I'd love for them to get [13:52] some real feedback not just from me, but also from you guys. [13:56] So thanks for watching this video here from Computex 2017, and beautiful Taiwan... [14:02] a huge shout out to Corsair for allowing us to be here; [14:06] the Corsair One is their 12 liter powerhouse of a gaming machine that's available [14:10] with up to a GTX 1080 graphics card with a 1080 Ti version coming soon, [14:16] and a huge shout out to Synergy for offering 25% off their mouse and keyboard sharing software [14:23] to all of our viewers and you can find links to both of those in the video description.