Coffee Lake Thread

[SteelCrysis]

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/intel-...38434.html

We previously weren't aware of the pricing on these new models, but Intel's new official price list reveals that the company has set their RCP (Recommended Customer Pricing) the same as their iGPU-equipped counterparts.
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We've confirmed that Intel's new processors have the same die as the "normal" versions, so the disabled graphics units are still physically present. We also learned the disabled graphics unit doesn't impart any performance advantages, such as longer boost duration or higher overclocking capability. Simply put, you can expect the same amount of compute performance from these chips as their normal iGPU-equipped equivalents, meaning the only advantage would be that you might actually be able to buy the processors if the normal chips are out of stock.
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Intel's production shortfall, which comes largely as a byproduct of record demand, has caused periodic shortages and ongoing price hikes. But it remains to be seen if the new F-series processors will land at a lower price at retail outlets. Retailers weigh a complex set of factors, with availability being a key consideration, when setting the final retail price. That means the F-Series processors could theoretically retail at lower prices if their equivalents are harder to source, but by setting the recommended pricing at the same level as the full-featured models, Intel has (perhaps inadvertently) given retailers license to mark the lesser models up to the same pricing we see with the processors impacted by the shortage.

We've found that pricing and availability for many of Intel's flagship 9th-generation processors have stabilized recently, although they largely still aren't available at the recommended price points. Provided the F-series processors land on shelves in enough volume to help offset the shortage, they could help alleviate pricing pressure on Intel's standard models. That's obviously Intel's intention here, but in either case, if all things are equivalent availability-wise, Intel has set the pricing for the defeatured processors at the same level as their better-equipped counterparts.

That means the F-series processors likely won't save you any money, but they could be the only option at checkout.