Skylake for desktops: New socketed processors from Core i7 to Pentium

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It's been over two years since Intel's entire lineup of socketed desktop processors got a true refresh. We got a smattering of high-end Broadwell chips this year and a small speed bump to the Haswell lineup last year, but it's been a while since system builders and desktop buyers had much to be excited about.

We've already looked at a couple of these CPUs, particularly the high-end unlocked i7-6700K. But today Intel is announcing (alongside many mobile CPUs) a more comprehensive desktop refresh that also encompasses mainstream dual- and quad-core CPUs, a few low-power options for smaller systems, and wallet-friendly chips from the Pentium line if you're trying to build a modern system on a budget. Intel tells us that all of these should be available for purchase before the end of the year.

Before we get into it, you should familiarize yourself with the features of the new 100-series chipsets, since we won't be covering that ground again in this article. You should also know that ultra-low-end Skylake Celeron chips are coming, but won't be released until early 2016.