When you start browsing the waters of eBay and AliExpress, it doesn't take long to find “engineering samples”, strange Intel processors that were not validated for one reason or another, yet still leak into online sales channels. However, there are also models that don't qualify as samples, but that a good part of the public is completely unaware of. One of those models is the Intel CC150, with 8 cores, 16 threads, and a price that catches the eye…
Opinions on gaming processors have reached a certain uniformity lately: Ryzen silicon with X3D technology is in a very strong position, and all purchase recommendations point in its direction. Now, that doesn't mean they are the only option. Users constantly seek to optimize their price-performance equation, and it's never a bad idea to explore slightly older processors. So we come to the Intel CC150, which has appeared sporadically in some benchmarks, but today it can be purchased on AliExpress for less than $65.
Intel CC150: A Disguised Core i9?
Thanks to the latest video published by RandomGaminginHD, we can see that the Intel CC150 has a total of 8 cores and 16 threads, at a fixed frequency of 3.5 GHz. That means the chip does not have Turbo mode, and suffers a slight impact in single-thread tasks, but its 16 MB of L3 cache are the same as we find in the Core i9-9900 (with a base frequency of 3.1 GHz, and a Turbo of 5 GHz). This processor also uses the LGA1151 socket, and probably has a lot of Coffee Lake inside, but there is one more detail: it includes support for ECC memory.
So... where did it come from? Basically, it's a processor made for Nvidia's GeForce Now service. Some benchmarks on GeForce Now exposed the Intel CC150, and its numbers place it on par with a Core i7-9700K under certain tasks. Another interesting aspect is that it doesn't need any strange hack: just an LGA1151 motherboard and an updated BIOS. Finally, its cost: At the time of writing, the Intel CC150 costs $60 on AliExpress. If it was good enough for Nvidia's servers, I imagine that will extend to any user interested in building a rig without burning their budget.
