Intel’s new Coffee Lake processors are in short supply

Intel’s latest 8th generation processors hit shelves yesterday and as expected, those same shelves were promptly empty as retailers are experiencing a shortage of the flagship i7-8700K. Some places have begun listing fulfilment dates as sometime in November, however it is likely that retail propagation will not return to normal until next year.

This scarceness has resulted in third party retailers hiking up the price on what short supply they have. Overclockers UK dipped into its binned processors to satisfy demand, with its 5GHz, 5.1GHz and 5.2GHz models selling for £500, £600 and £800 respectively, over the standard SKU out of stock at a price of £360.

The Core i5-8600K is also seemingly experiencing a shortage with many retailers following the trend of “out of stock” or listing the CPU as a pre-order. Those not bothered about the K-variant can get a hold of the Core i7-8700 for roughly £30 less than its counterpart at £330. The lower end Core i5-8400 is also unaffected by the shortage, and while it’s lower 2.8GHz and lack of hyperthreading might turn some away, it can be boosted to 4GHz relatively smoothly, making its £180 price tag a bargain.

As per usual, many still flock to the K variants of processors, and it’s no wonder when the line up scored a whopping 9/10 and our Must Have badge. Unfortunately, those after the i5-8600K and i7-8700K will be having to plea with their local retailers and perhaps break their F5 key to get a hold of one if any are to appear in November.

KitGuru Says: While this is unfortunate, this seems to be a trend in new tech in recent years. It’s disheartening for the early adopters and those ahead of the curve, and could prompt people to wait a bit longer for Cannon Lake to make an appearance, although that might still be a way off yet. Are you after a Coffee Lake processor?

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