@harukaze5719 found that a seller on the Chinese platform Goofish is currently selling Intel’s yet-to-be-released entry-level desktop CPU, the Core i3-14100, which belongs to the upcoming “Raptor Lake Refresh” lineup. The S-SPEC code for the available sample in China is SRN26. While the SKU name is visible, the seller asserts it’s not a final retail sample but a qualification sample. Nonetheless, the specifications should remain consistent, including support for the same boost frequency.
The i3-14100 stands as the entry-level processor in the 14th Gen Core lineup, featuring 4 cores and 8 threads. Allegedly, the CPU operates at a base clock of 3.5 GHz and lacks support for the boost feature, as per earlier rumors.
Rumors suggest that the 14th Gen Core non-K series is set to launch in January, aligning with Intel’s tradition of announcing 65W desktop CPUs around this period. Despite this, Intel has a scheduled event on December 14th, where they plan to reveal the Core 100 Meteor Lake and 14th Gen Core-HX Raptor Lake Refresh mobile series. Introducing the entire lineup of desktop CPUs during this event could potentially save Intel some hassle.
Priced at 850 RMB ($118), the mentioned CPU is surprisingly more budget-friendly than the i3-13100 at its initial launch ($134 in the US). Prospective buyers will be pleased to know that the CPU is already compatible with almost all current 600/700 motherboards.