10980xe stock? False release?

Phluffy · April 20, 2020

Hello!
Let me start by saying I'm a LONG time watcher of LTT, and I watch nearly everything they release. Thanks so much for the entertainment and everything they do! This is my first time on the forums, and therefore also my first time posting...

I'm looking for any information on the 10980xe stock/availability. It feels like the Q4 2019 launch was mainly just for reviewers, as I've yet to see any availability to the general public?

I followed forum etiquette and searched for 10980xe before making this post, and found the following relevant posts:

Unfortunately they both devolved into performance or substitution discussions and I'm not interested in those discussions so let's please keep this thread on topic...

I've had an order with an authorized Intel reseller since 1/30 and estimated date has been pushed back over and over (currently reading 5/30). This feels exceptionally sleazy from Intel, as it feels like a false product launch. I know there was already a sleazy component to the launch, with the launch date and embargo being lifted suspiciously around some AMD launches, but this seems like a whole new level of sleaze that I hope Intel gets called out on by the masses.

For me the impact is that, at the end of the year last year I saw the new Extreme launch from Intel and thought, "okay, I guess I'm ready to do a new build with this processor," and spent thousands of dollars on supporting hardware. For the general public the impact is the same; the big vendors like Newegg, B&H, Microcenter, Fry's, SiliconLottery, they all have "reviews" or "Q&A" posts just asking where stock is.

This feels like a first world problem, what with the virus and what not, but this stock issue has been since before the virus. It's not like there was stock and then there wasn't, or that it's slow to restock, there just isn't and hasn't been any stock since "release," which begs the question... what is a release?

Quadrum · April 20, 2020

I see you quoted my topic and you seem to have done your research. As someone who got hold of a 10940x not that long ago, let me tell you, it was agonizing.

I spent the good part of 3 weeks compulsively checking 10-12 sites every few hours in hopes that I could snatch a 10940x. I missed it once on Newegg in the first couple days, and after looking for how often the 10980xe goes in stock I’ve found so info.

Intel has been in a massive chip shortage for years now, especially the HEDT lineup, and specifically for the 10980xe, they are just really scarce. Intel promises chips they can’t sometimes deliver, and Covid did make it more difficult, but the truth is that they aren’t trying to ramp up production. It was a paper launch for the media and the actual profit margins are much smaller for 10th gen. You’ll be lucky to ever get the 10980xe for under 1200$.

As for me, after about three weeks and almost giving up, I managed to find Best Buy had the 10940x in stock for first and only time so far, and for MSRP! It was the fastest I’ve made a purchase, and was one of 12 people who were able to purchase that chip from bestbuy, ever.

The bottom line is that it really is a paper launch. Yes it’s a release, but Intel has had their market share diminished and has had trouble getting off 14nm. They released these chips and half price so that reviewers would be positive about the product, but truthfully Intel is barely making money on these chips, and so they are barely making any.

I wish you luck in your quest for the i9 and I’m sorry to hear about your massive shipping delays.

- Quadrum

Fasauceome · April 20, 2020

I'll be honest, if you've seen the benchmarks, you probably won't be too disappointed by a 9980XE, with its near identical performance (and once you overclock, there's just no way of telling the difference)

I know that you said you are not interested in substitutes, but in all practical terms, it's not even a substitute, it's the same CPU by a different name.

Kalm_Traveler · April 20, 2020

3 hours ago, Phluffy said:

Hello!
Let me start by saying I'm a LONG time watcher of LTT, and I watch nearly everything they release. Thanks so much for the entertainment and everything they do! This is my first time on the forums, and therefore also my first time posting...

I'm looking for any information on the 10980xe stock/availability. It feels like the Q4 2019 launch was mainly just for reviewers, as I've yet to see any availability to the general public?

I followed forum etiquette and searched for 10980xe before making this post, and found the following relevant posts:

Unfortunately they both devolved into performance or substitution discussions and I'm not interested in those discussions so let's please keep this thread on topic...

I've had an order with an authorized Intel reseller since 1/30 and estimated date has been pushed back over and over (currently reading 5/30). This feels exceptionally sleazy from Intel, as it feels like a false product launch. I know there was already a sleazy component to the launch, with the launch date and embargo being lifted suspiciously around some AMD launches, but this seems like a whole new level of sleaze that I hope Intel gets called out on by the masses.

For me the impact is that, at the end of the year last year I saw the new Extreme launch from Intel and thought, "okay, I guess I'm ready to do a new build with this processor," and spent thousands of dollars on supporting hardware. For the general public the impact is the same; the big vendors like Newegg, B&H, Microcenter, Fry's, SiliconLottery, they all have "reviews" or "Q&A" posts just asking where stock is.

This feels like a first world problem, what with the virus and what not, but this stock issue has been since before the virus. It's not like there was stock and then there wasn't, or that it's slow to restock, there just is and hasn't been any stock since "release," which begs the question... what is a release?

I'm not any sort of reviewer - bought mine from a computer shop in California in February.

My guess is that they're having poor yields with the full fat die having all cores reach the advertised speeds at advertised voltages.

Mine is doing just fine though, 4.9 all core and it I have it on the edge of not overheating during any workload I throw at it.

On the flip side - as others have mentioned it is not really much different from a 9980XE which you should be able to find. The main reason I bought this is that I already had an x299 rig and didn't want or need a new platform but had the upgrade itch from my delidded 7960x.