Intel Core i7-6800K socket: LGA 2011-v3

What the Core i7-6800K is

The Core i7-6800K brings Broadwell-E to LGA 2011-v3 for editing rigs with DDR4. It launched in May 2016 with a 3.4 GHz base and up to 3.6 GHz boost at 140 W. Intel targets creators who need six cores with lanes for NVMe and graphics.

Fifteen megabytes of Smart Cache carry timelines and renders. The steady clocks suit mixed work. Twelve threads cover renders plus foreground edits.

There is no integrated GPU, so a discrete card is required. The process is 14 nm. The multiplier is unlocked for tuning where boards allow it. DDR4-2400 and 2133 in four channels feed cores with up to 128 GB on HEDT boards.

Buyers add cooling at purchase because no cooler ships in the box. The 140 W rating needs a tower or liquid unit with case airflow. Turbo Boost Max 3.0 lifts single threads where apps need it.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The Core i7-6800K fits LGA 2011-v3 on X99 boards with DDR4 slots. Makers list Broadwell-E with 2016 BIOS builds that add microcode. Early X99 stock may need an update before posting.

Haswell-E boards share the same socket but need the new BIOS for Broadwell-E. LGA 2011 and LGA 2066 boards cannot take this chip. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide covers matching.

Single socket HEDT towers are the deployment. Growth means another LGA 2011-v3 chip on the same board where listed. Power supplies need solid 12 V rails for 140 W plus graphics.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

DDR4-2400 in four channels up to 128 GB covers editing rigs with large projects. Quad channel operation lifts bandwidth for renders. Start with 32 GB for video work.

PCIe 3.0 with 28 lanes from the CPU allows two graphics cards plus NVMe per X99 layout. Full 40 lane parts add a third card where rigs need it. Chipset lanes cover extra SATA and USB.

Cooling follows the 80 by 80 mm LGA 2011 pattern in the CPU cooler compatibility by socket guide. A 140 W tower or 240 mm liquid unit holds boost during exports. No cooler ships in the box. ECC is not supported on Core i7 HEDT.

Upgrade paths

On the same socket, the Intel Core i7-6850K lifts clocks to 3.6 GHz base with 40 lanes for rigs that need full I/O. The Intel Core i7-6900K moves to eight cores for faster renders. Both share X99 boards and DDR4.

Mainstream LGA 1151 i7-6700K gives fewer cores with graphics for gaming towers. It requires a different board.

Past HEDT moves to Skylake-X on LGA 2066. The i7-6800K covers 2016 editing rigs where six cores with lanes must deploy on X99.