Intel Core i7-9800X socket: LGA 2066

What the Core i7-9800X is

The Core i7-9800X is an eight core, sixteen thread HEDT processor with a 3.8 GHz base, up to 4.4 GHz turbo and up to 4.5 GHz on favored cores. It carries 16.5 MB of shared L3 cache and a 165 W TDP on the 14 nm process. Intel announced it on October 8, 2018 with the 9th Gen Core X refresh for X299.

It opens the 9th Gen X lineup as the entry point with the highest base clock of the range. Eight cores with Hyper-Threading cover streaming beside play and threaded creation without the cost of the larger dies. The multiplier is unlocked for tuning on X299 boards.

There is no integrated graphics, so a separate card is required. The launch price was $589.00 Intel RCP. Boards need an X299 BIOS with 9th Gen X support, which most makers shipped in late 2018.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The 9800X fits LGA 2066 on X299 motherboards with quad channel DDR4. Boards sold before the 9th Gen launch need a BIOS update with the new IDs before the chip will start. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide explains chipset support by generation.

X299 is the only chipset for this socket, with up to 68 platform PCIe lanes combining CPU and chipset links. A board with solid voltage regulation suits the 165 W load under all core renders. Check the maker CPU list for the minimum BIOS per board.

Installation uses the large LGA 2066 socket with its retention bracket and torque driver sequence. The chip ships without any cooler. The Intel Core i9-10900X is the later 10 core successor on the same boards with higher memory speed.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory support is DDR4-2666 in four channels up to 128 GB, with up to 85 GB per sec of bandwidth. ECC is not supported. Four matched sticks give quad channel speed, which helps rendering and simulation beside gaming.

PCI Express arrives as version 3.0 with 44 lanes from the CPU for graphics and NVMe arrays. Two graphics cards and two fast SSDs fit the lane budget of a creator tower. Cooling needs a large tower or liquid loop at 165 W, mounted on the LGA 2066 pattern with the board bracket.

Upgrade paths

On the same socket the step up is a ten or twelve core chip such as the Intel Core i9-9920X where thread count matters, keeping the board and DDR4. The 9800X keeps its place where high clocks beat core count for mixed play and creation.

Moving past LGA 2066 means a new board and usually DDR5 on current platforms. Owners usually add memory or a faster GPU before replacing the processor.