Intel’s 14th Gen CPUs are quietly but quickly approaching their launch date. We know they’re refreshes, so we have a very good idea of what to expect. Still, there will be plenty of interest in Intel’s latest wares.

That launch is not quite imminent, but it’s close. According to Videocardz, the 14th Gen Raptor Lake Refresh range will kick off on October 17, with reviews to come a day earlier, on October 16.

Over the past few years, Intel has kicked things off with the launch of K models, and it looks like this launch will be no different. We can expect the i9 14900K, i7 14700K and i5 14600K and their iGPU-less KF counterparts to come first, with 65W non-K models to follow later. CES in early January would be a safe bet as it was with the 13th Gen models earlier this year.

The i9 14900K will be the enthusiasts choice, featuring the highest clocks and highest core count. Assuming Intel isn’t keeping architectural changes under wraps, its performance should slot in just above where the i9 13900KS sits.

The i7 14700K is set to receive an e core count increase, from 8 to 16. That alone will make it a smart choice for users looking for high performance, but without the all-out power and heat concerns of the 14900K.

The i5 14600K is shaping up to be yet another killer chip. Though it won’t be receiving a core count increase, it is getting a frequency bump. Assuming it’s more or less an improved i5 13600K, then it’s all but certain to dethrone the 13600K as our favorite gaming CPU. As long as its power consumption doesn’t take a dramatic increase for what’s expected to be a relatively small performance improvement.

Intel’s Innovation event is scheduled to begin in San Jose on September 19. Presenters will spend a lot of time on topics like AI, enterprise solutions and Meteor Lake, but it’s a safe bet we’ll learn a bit more about its desktop plans too. A hard launch date is likely.

Motherboard manufacturers are preparing to launch new models too. Boards with WiFi 7, More USB ports or USB 4 are on their way. They’re set to feature improved memory overclocking and better high density module support. Don’t stress though. It’s very good to know that existing LGA 1700 boards will happily accept the new chips after a BIOS update.

PC Gamer will have our reviews ready to go as soon as we’re allowed to post them.