48 PCWorld JULY 2020REVIEWS INTEL 10TH GEN
announced April 30 (go.pcworld.com/109k).
The CPU features 10 cores and Hyper-
Threading for a total of 20 threads, with
a list price of $488.
The Core i9-10900K does bring a
few changes. Intel officials said the chip
uses a thinner die and thinner solder
thermal interface material (STIM) to
improve thermal dissipation. Intel also
had to make a thicker heat spreader (that
little metal lid to keep you from crushing
the delicate die).
Why make the die and STIM thinner,
but the heat spreader thicker? Thereason is cost. Intel said it had to keep the
height of the heat spreader on all of its CPUsA 10th-gen Core i9-10900K (right) next to an 8th-gen
Core i7-8700K (left). There are subtle differences in the
“wings” that the load plate clamps onto, and the notches
in the substrate are on opposite corners.