A few Canadian online retailers have once again provided early information on the upcoming "Raptor Lake Refresh" in 2023. This trend continues into the new year, as DirectDial has now published the specifications for the Intel Core i9-14900KS CPU. The leak was first brought to light by momomo_us, a popular PC hardware investigator, who had previously discovered two Core i9-14900KS packages in France. The highly anticipated flagship Raptor Lake Refresh SKU is expected to be released in the middle of next month. DirectDial's product page indicates that the item is a "New Arrival" and is currently "backordered." The part code BX8071514900KS has also been spotted on PC21 France's online store, confirming that both retailers will be offering Intel's retail packaged version. Canadian customers may have to shell out around CA$1005 (~$740 USD) on launch day, as the French leak suggests an initial price of €768.34 (~$828 USD).
According to the DirectDial listing, Intel's 14th Gen Core i9-14900KS is a "Tetracosa-core (24-Core) 3.20 GHz Processor." The basic specifications were already available online earlier in the month, revealing 36 MB L3 Cache, 32 MB L2 Cache, 64-bit Processing, 6.2 GHz Overclocking Speed, Socket LGA-1700, and an Intel UHD 770 integrated graphics solution. The i9-14900KS has a Thermal Design Power (TDP) max. spec of 150 W, with a Thermal Specification set at a maximum of 212°F (100°C). A report from HKEPC in mid-February highlighted leaked OCCT results, showing a maximum package power draw of 409 W at stock speeds, with the processor's PL2 power limit being unlocked through BIOS adjustments. High-end PC enthusiasts were expecting Intel to unveil the selectively-binned special edition SKU at CES 2024, based on past traditions, but the Core i9-14900KS remained a mystery. Hopefully, an official unveiling will take place in March.
