Is Intel discontinuing the i7?

No, Intel is not discontinuing the i7 processor. The Intel Core i7 remains an integral part of Intel's processor lineup, especially in the mid-to-high-end category for both gaming and content creation.

In fact, Intel has continued to release newer generations of the i7 processors, and they are still widely used in gaming PCs, laptops, and workstations. The i7 series typically offers a great balance of price and performance, making it suitable for users who need strong multi-core performance without going all the way up to an i9.

Recent Intel i7 Generations:

• 12th Gen (Alder Lake): The Intel Core i7-12700K and i7-12700 are part of Intel's 12th Gen lineup and feature 12 cores (8 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores), making them very powerful for both gaming and productivity tasks.
• 13th Gen (Raptor Lake): The Intel Core i7-13700K and i7-13700 are part of the latest 13th Gen processors, offering even better performance with more cores, higher clock speeds, and improved multi-threading performance.

Intel also introduced the i7 models with a mix of performance and efficiency cores in recent generations to improve power efficiency and multi-threaded performance, particularly useful in tasks like gaming, video editing, and streaming.

Why Intel i7 is Still Relevant:

• High Performance: The i7 is perfect for high-performance gaming, multitasking, and content creation. With 8 to 12 cores (depending on the generation), it can handle almost any task with ease.
• Affordable for Enthusiasts: While the i9 processors offer more performance, the i7 offers an excellent price-to-performance ratio, making it ideal for gamers or professionals who want top-tier performance without paying for the premium price of the i9.
• Strong for Gaming: The i7 is still highly relevant for gaming at 1080p and 1440p, where the GPU is the primary bottleneck. It can also handle high frame rates and heavy gaming loads.

Intel's Processor Strategy:

Intel is focusing on pushing forward with newer architectures (like Alder Lake, Raptor Lake, and future Meteor Lake), rather than discontinuing their i7 line. They are also transitioning to DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0, and they are working on increasing the core counts and multithreading abilities of the i7 to keep up with more demanding workloads, such as gaming, streaming, and professional applications.

Conclusion:

There are no indications that Intel will be discontinuing the i7 processor in the near future. On the contrary, the i7 remains a central part of Intel's product offerings, and new generations of the Intel Core i7 are expected to continue to be released as Intel evolves its processor technology. If you're looking for a powerful processor that offers a great balance between price and performance, the i7 remains a solid choice.