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Intel to launch unlocked Skylake-K processors for laptops

by Mark Tyson on 20 August 2015, 12:16

Tags: Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), MSI, ASUSTeK (TPE:2357), EVGA

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There are certain distinct advantages of desktop computers over laptop computers and vice-versa. Earlier today we saw another desktop advantage potentially eroded away with Intel Thunderbolt 3 external graphics cards on demonstration at its Computing Innovation Zone booth at IDF 2015. We have also heard that Intel wants, for the first time, to bring its unlocked, overclockable 'K' CPUs to laptops. This development follows hot on the heels of the first Skylake Xeon laptops being announced.

HEXUS reviewed the unlocked Intel Core i7-6700K (14nm Skylake) and Intel Core i5-6600K (14nm Skylake) desktop chips earlier this month. Intel has since confirmed that it will be rolling out some mobile equivalents to hardware partners to be equipped in enthusiast laptops available later this year.

A few hours ago at IDF, Kirk Skaugen, Senior Vice President & General Manager of the Intel PC Client Group, held aloft some early examples of Skylake-K equipped laptops, manufactured by MSI and EVGA. We also heard that ASUS will be producing Skylake-K processor equipped laptops.

Skylake has architecture efficiency benefits over previous generations but within a laptop any overclocking abilities are expected to be rather limited compared to what desktop users can achieve. It will be very interesting to see what cooling systems are employed in the upcoming hardware partner laptop designs.

If you are interested in getting a new laptop in the coming months we should get further Skylake mobile processor announcements and information from the IFA show early next month.

HEXUS Forums :: 7 Comments

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Posted by NitrousX - Thu 20 Aug 2015 15:24
It's a interesting concept i think there would be diminishing returns. I think overall for skylake SKU's your better off with using the turbo boost as and when needed. Overclocking is best left for Desktop CPU's just my opinion. But it be interesting to see what they come out with later this year
Posted by PuremasterZ - Thu 20 Aug 2015 18:28
NitrousX
It's a interesting concept i think there would be diminishing returns. I think overall for skylake SKU's your better off with using the turbo boost as and when needed. Overclocking is best left for Desktop CPU's just my opinion. But it be interesting to see what they come out with later this year
That said some 900M series gpus on laptops are capable of overclocking much but that's going to make your laptop into a time bomb
Posted by Cenarl - Thu 20 Aug 2015 18:30
NitrousX
It's a interesting concept i think there would be diminishing returns. I think overall for skylake SKU's your better off with using the turbo boost as and when needed. Overclocking is best left for Desktop CPU's just my opinion. But it be interesting to see what they come out with later this year

while you might not want to push 5Ghz, you could give yourself a couple hundred and probably even lower voltage at the same time, as long as they aren't priced at a ridiculous premium it should be fun to play with. I just wish someone would figure out a better cooling solution.
Posted by Ksyruz - Fri 21 Aug 2015 08:49
Aren't the Unlocked mobile variants of Intels i7 CPU's just the MX versions? because I have seen vendors provide options for overclocking the i7-4930MX CPU in laptops
Posted by ik9000 - Fri 21 Aug 2015 09:38
Could they rig up a standard cooler with some kind of integrated peltier cooler attached to a heat pipe leading onto a transfer plate on the chassis? That plate could be cooled externally using a suitable docking station. That could perhaps permit greater heat transfer (and therefore OC) for a docked state, throttling back when undocked and on the move.

Maybe not though, lots of heat transfer interfaces in there - might not be responsive enough. And IIRC Peltier gobbles energy too, so definitely not one to try on batteries.

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