It hasn’t been too long since we saw the launch of the Intel Core i9-14900KS, the world’s fastest processor to date. That caps off the Intel 14th gen, which means that Intel is now starting to discontinue some 13th gen SKUs. No need to rush into buying one up though, as only boxed CPUs are being discontinued.
Looking at the performance of the Intel 14th gen, there hasn’t been as massive uplift compared to the previous generation (as you’ll find from our i9-14900K review. It also remains on the same LGA 1700 socket as the 12th and 13th gen, so there’s plenty to choose from if you have a compatible motherboard.
Boxed Intel 13th Gen CPUs are now being discontinued
As revealed in this Intel announcement, ‘select’ boxed 13th gen Intel Core processors are reaching their end of life phase. The attached document is dated March 21st, 2024 and refers to the following CPUs:
- Intel Core i9-13900KS
- Intel Core i9-13900KF
- Intel Core i7-13700K
- Intel Core i7-13700KF
- Intel Core i5-13600K
- Intel Core i5-13600KF
In case you aren’t aware what exactly a ‘boxed’ CPU is, this refers to a processor that comes with a CPU cooler (if applicable) and three years limited warranty from Intel. That being said, Intel stock coolers aren’t used much at all, with aftermarket options being preferred. Additionally, the SKUs listed above are not sold with stock coolers anyway due to their higher 125W TDP, making cheaper alternatives from alternative retailers the go-to for many looking for these K-series CPUs.
Will I still be able to buy Intel 13th Gen?
If you’re looking for where to buy Intel 13th gen CPUs, then you don’t need to worry too much. There’s no doubt that this popular generation will stick around on top retailers for some time, especially when you consider you can still find the likes of 10th gen hardware readily available on places like Amazon. These are the OEM or tray variants, with warranty provided from the place of purchase.
The key difference is that boxed CPUs are being discontinued, which as we said generally refers to models that come with a stock cooler. Since there are plenty of aftermarket CPU coolers available to you, there’s no need to rush an upgrade if you’re thinking about upgrading to the 13th gen.
