Reports suggest Intel Core i9-9900KS could boast 127W TDP

Core i9-9900KS
Intel Core i9-9900KS likely to have 127W TDP (Image credit: TechRadar)

As we’re gearing up for the launch of the Intel Core i9-9900KS ­– with some motherboard manufacturers already releasing motherboard firmware ­to support the new processor – new documentations surface to suggest that the more powerful iteration of Intel Core i9-9900K could potentially hit the streets with a 127W TDP (thermal design power).

Sharp-eyed Redditor Urotho noticed that Asus has updated the processor support list for its ROG Maximus XI Code gaming motherboard, listing the Core i9-9900KS with a 127W TDP.

Of course, this specification has not been confirmed by Intel. Additionally, it looks like Asus has since taken the Core i9-9900KS off the motherboard’s CPU support list, perhaps until the chip hits the streets in October. However, Tom’s Hardware also pointed out that Russian retailer DNS Shop corroborates this information on its Core i9-9900KS landing page.

What this higher TDP means to consumers?

We already know that the forthcoming CPU will boast a 4GHz base clock and a 5.0GHz boost clock across all cores, over i9-9900K’s 3.6GHz and 5.0GHz base and boost clocks. But, other than that, there’s not much difference in their specs, as the Core i9-9900KS is reported to have the same number of cores and threads, among other things.

If the rumor mill is right, however, the Core i9-9900KS will boast the highest TDP rating on an Intel mainstream desktop processor. Its 127W TDP, which is 33.68% higher than that of the i9-9900K’s 95W, also means that the chip could potentially offer better performance.

On the downside, it will also mean that it will generate more heat and have more power consumption, so it might require a heftier thermal cooling solution. That’s without mentioning the fact that not all motherboards on the market will be able to support the Core i9-9900KS.

We will, of course, have to wait until its October release to confirm all this. The good news is, it won’t be long now until we get our hands on the Intel Core i9-9900KS to see how it performs in real world scenarios.

Still no word, however, on how much it will cost.

Michelle Rae Uy
Contributor

Michelle Rae Uy is the former Computing Reviews and Buying Guides Editor at TechRadar. She's a Los Angeles-based tech, travel and lifestyle writer covering a wide range of topics, from computing to the latest in green commutes to the best hiking trails. She's an ambivert who enjoys communing with nature and traveling for months at a time just as much as watching movies and playing sim games at home. That also means that she has a lot more avenues to explore in terms of understanding how tech can improve the different aspects of our lives.