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Haswell-E (E for enthusiast if you hadn't guessed) debuts on a fresh platform, based on the new Intel X99 chipset. This brings a range of modern features to the enthusiast line, including full support for PCI Express-based SSDs and the debut of next-gen DDR4 RAM. This new memory standard effectively picks up where the top-end DDR3 modules left off - speeds start at 2133MHz, with the spec ramping up to 4000MHz (taking us into low-end GDDR5 bandwidth territory). DDR4 does everything its predecessor does at significantly lower voltages, and while its advantages won't impact gaming so much, it's a different story should you use your PC for demanding media creation or productivity tasks. There's no backwards compatibility though - DDR3 modules won't fit into DDR4 slots - so those looking to upgrade won't be able to carry over the existing RAM, meaning additional expense.
The most noteworthy aspect about Haswell-E is that it marks out its own patch, separate and distinct from the mainstream platform. The standard Haswell tops out with the Devil's Canyon Core i7 4790K - a highly-clocked quad-core part with hyper-threading. The entry-level Haswell E processor - the Core i7 5820K - features six full Intel cores (with HT) and is fully unlocked, costing just $50 more than the 4790K. Indeed, Intel's top-end enthusiast line no longer supports quad-core processors at all - and even the 'bargain basement' offering is a substantial leap over the mainstream platform. The 5820K is joined by the marginally faster - and substantially more expensive - 5930K, distinguished by its support for 40 PCI Express lanes rather than 28 in the cheaper part (this effectively limits the 5820K to dual GPU support).
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