Two of the best CPUs for gamers, the Core i9-13900K and Core i9-13900KS, will look a little different the next time you see them in stores. Intel has notified customers that the chipmaker is changing the retail packaging of his two 13th Gen Raptor Lake processors.
The packaging change applies to both Universal and China SKUs of boxed Core i9-13900K and Core i9-13900KS. The reason for the change is that Intel wants to reduce the storage footprint of their shipped processors. Helps lower shipping costs with more units per pallet. Pallet quantities vary by region, but Intel estimates that the new packaging will increase the number of units from 324 to 1,620, a significant 4x improvement.
Intel has downgraded the Core i9-13900K and Core i9-13900KS packages from “Tier 2” boxes to “Tier 4” boxes. The company plans to replace the current packaging with standard folding cartons. Intel provided a visual guide to the new package, but the company didn’t share its dimensions in its Product Change Notice (PCN) document. Judging by the renders, the new package looks thin.
With no preview of a silicon wafer-inspired plastic case, we can only speculate that Intel will offer the Core i9-13900K and Core i9-13900KS in a regular cardboard box, similar to the other Core i7 and below SKUs. The initial hype for the Core i9-13900K and Core i9-13900KS has long since passed, so there’s no longer any need to commercialize the chip in his premium package. Depending on how quickly retailers move inventory, customers may see a mix of old and new packaging.
Logically, the changes are cosmetic, so they don’t affect the behavior of the Core i9-13900K or Core i9-13900KS. The package refresh is profitable as it saves Intel a few bucks. However, we do not expect Intel to cut the price of the Core i9-13900K or Core i9-13900KS. Intel processors generally hold their value well unless new chips come along. Still, they hold a lot of value.
Changes in promotional packaging usually signal that something new is coming. Intel has a history of simplifying packaging for its flagship Core i9 K-series following the release of its successors. This is a practice that Intel has maintained and was seen with the Core i9-10900K (Comet Lake), Core i9-11900K (Rocket Lake) and Core i9-12900K (Alder Lake). Intel will probably do the same for Raptor Lake.
Assuming there’s some credence to the recent rumors that Intel has allegedly canceled Meteor Lake desktop versions, the chipmaker could be paving the way for the rumored Raptor Lake Refresh. Historically, Intel refreshed the packaging of its Core i9 K-series processors about a month or two before new processor launches. If we follow the traditional pace, Intel may soon be talking about a Raptor Lake Refresh.
