Intel’s next-generation processors have fewer cores, but cost more, according to retailers

Highly anticipated: Several European retailers have listed 11th generation Intel processors, code-named Rocket Lake. It is a narrow series, with only two significantly different designs. It is also a little problematic, with fewer cores than the previous generation and higher prices.

Rocket Lake has one thing going for it – good symmetry. It consists of 6 hexa-core models and 8 octa-core models. Good job, Intel.

Hexa-cores include the i5-11400, 11400F, 11500, 11600, 11600K and 11600KF. The octa-cores include the i7-11700, 11700F, 11700K and 11700KF, and the i9-11900, 11900F, 11900K and 11900KF. All models have Hyper-threading.

While a price discussion is about to take place, this is a good time to point out that, for the humble overclocker, the 11700KF (the cheapest overclocked octa-core model) performs similarly to the 11900K. Therefore, for some, these prices are excellent; this cannot be denied.

As has happened before, Belgian retailer 2Compute started a price disclosure cascade by listing the entire Rocket Lake series. From there, getting the identification codes for all processors allows them to be searched and other listings to be found. On average, we found four to five listings for each processor. You can find more if you search tomorrow.

Prices vary significantly between retailers, partly due to different pricing schemes and partly due to different locations. In some cases, prices for the same model differed by up to 30% between retailers.

However, the figures can be grouped and compared with the MSRP and the active prices of products of the current generation. We create reasonable price estimates for all processors based on approximately the average price, with exceptions and other anomalies (such as those that appear to include excessive taxes) excluded.

In general, Rocket Lake processors are being listed 10% to 20% more than their current generation equivalents, with the margin increasing with price. In some cases, the margin between the current generation’s listings and MSRPs is larger, but the margin only reaches 20% when the listings are compared to active prices on Amazon.

Taxes excluded.

Some retailer data suggests that Rocket Lake will be cheaper than the current generation. For example, 2Compute is listing some of the lowest prices for Rocket Lake and some of the highest prices for the current generation. If only their numbers are used for comparison, Lake Rocket appears to be 10% cheaper than the current generation.

However, as a commentator points, this is only true for 2Compute. Overall, Rocket Lake provisionally appears to be slightly more expensive than previous generations. But, does more expensive mean worse? Not at all.

Throughout the series, there are little hidden gems. A 11400F could reach a price similar to the 3600X and easily overcome it. A 11600KF could damage the 5600X and, at the same time, overcome it. A 11700KF could offer stiff competition for the 5800X at a similar price. And, of course, the 11900K could become the fastest game processor again, which would give Intel some leeway in price.

Intel has not shied away from discussing Rocket Lake, and each motherboard manufacturer has unveiled several new Z590 models that will accompany the launch. The countdown will start soon, certainly. One of the retailers who listed Rocket Lake even wrote that they will receive inventory before the end of the month.