Intel Core i5-7640X Processor

The Intel Core i5-7640X Processor — 4 cores and 4 threads, 4.0 GHz base rising to 4.2 GHz with Turbo Boost, 6 MB Intel Smart Cache, 112 W processor base power, LGA2066. Supplied from stock with a 1-year warranty.

The Core X quad-core for LGA2066

The i5-7640X is the odd one out: a Kaby Lake quad-core on the HEDT LGA2066 socket, launched Q2 2017 alongside the first X299 boards. Four cores at 4.00 GHz with a 4.20 GHz Turbo, an unlocked multiplier and a 112 W envelope — and, unlike the Skylake-X parts beside it, dual-channel DDR4-2666 with no integrated graphics.

The reason to pick it is the platform, not the core count: X299 brings sixteen PCIe 3.0 lanes from the CPU plus the chipset lanes, and the same board later accepts Core X parts up to 18 cores with four memory channels. Note the cooler mounting and board size are completely different from LGA1151.

Technical specifications

Instruction set extensions: Intel SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX and AVX2. AVX-512 is not present on this generation. Security and virtualisation: AES-NI, Intel VT-x with EPT and VT-d, Intel Boot Guard.

Which systems take this processor

Anything on the LGA2066 socket with an Intel X299 chipset. This is the HEDT (high-end desktop) platform: physically larger boards, more PCIe lanes than the mainstream line and an upgrade path that LGA1151 does not offer.

• Platform, not core count — Kaby Lake-X silicon keeps the mainstream two-channel memory controller, so this processor runs dual-channel DDR4-2666 rather than the four channels of the Skylake-X parts on the same socket. Sixteen PCIe 3.0 lanes come from the CPU and the rest are supplied by the X299 chipset.
• Upgrade path — an X299 board also accepts Skylake-X and Cascade Lake-X Core X processors with four memory channels and more cores, so a build started here can be scaled up later without changing the platform.

One caveat: LGA2066 boards and coolers are not interchangeable with LGA1151 — the socket, the cooler mounting and the memory layout are all different. Make sure your chassis supports an ATX or E-ATX board before ordering. Tell us the board model when you enquire and we will confirm.

How it compares across the i5 line

The i7-7740X doubles the threads and adds 4 MB of cache on the same socket and the same dual-channel memory controller. For a pure office build the mainstream i5-7600K is cheaper overall — the 7640X makes sense only when the X299 upgrade path is the point.

How each processor is tested before it ships

1. Visual inspection of the integrated heat spreader, substrate and contact pads; the sSpec laser marking (SR3FR on our i5-7640X stock) is verified against the Intel specification sheet.
2. Burn-in on a matched diagnostic board with a pair of memory modules of the correct type for this platform.
3. All populated memory channels and the primary PCIe lanes are validated, then the processor is identified in the BIOS and in the operating system.
4. A sustained multi-threaded load test at full core count, with the clock and thermal readings recorded.
5. Thermal paste cleaned off, final inspection, then packaging in an anti-static tray with foam — which is how it arrives to you.

Warranty and lead time

Every processor is covered by a 1-year warranty against defects in workmanship and function. If a part fails within the period we replace it or refund it, and we cover return shipping on a verified fault. Stock is held in our own warehouse and normally dispatches within three to seven working days; tracking is issued at dispatch.

Purchasing and volume enquiries

The minimum order quantity for this processor is 2 units. Price is quotation-based rather than listed, because CPU pricing moves with each incoming batch — send us the quantity you need and we will come back with a firm quote and the current lead time. Larger quantities ship from the same production batch so the sSpec and the stepping stay consistent across your order.