Intel has announced plans to stop selling some of its 13th Core processors in retail boxes, meaning gamers will need to buy the unboxed versions instead. The move affects all of the K-series chips in the lineup, which are aimed at enthusiasts and overclockers, as they have unlocked multipliers. These Intel CPU models also have higher boost clocks than their non-K counterparts, which makes them better for gaming.
Although Intel has already released its 14th gen CPU lineup, its 13th gen chips use the same architecture and still offer great value. The high-end Core i7 13700K is listed on our best gaming CPU guide, for example, and will now no longer be available to customers in a retail box.
Thankfully, the boxes for these specific CPUs are largely cosmetic, and don’t contain much in the way of extras. None of these K-series CPUs come with a CPU cooler in the retail box, for example, as Intel only supplies stock coolers with its non-K chips, such as the Core i5 13400F, which will still be available in its boxed form.
Intel says that the last date for suppliers to order these CPUs is May 24, 2024, with final shipments being discontinued on June 28, 2024. The CPUs that will no longer be available in boxes also cover the KF series of CPUs, which don’t have integrated graphics, with the full list including the Core i9 13900KS, 13900K, and 13900KF, along with the Core i7 13700K and 13700KF, plus the Core i5 13600K and 13600KF.
If you want to buy a boxed K-series Intel gaming CPU now, you’ll have to go for a new 14th gen chip, such as the Core i9 14900K or Core i5 14600K, as 13th gen enthusiast chips are only going to be available without a fancy blue box from now on.
If you are looking to put together a new rig based on one of Intel’s latest gaming CPUs, then make sure you also check out our full guide on how to build a gaming PC, where we run you through the whole process step by step.