In October 2019 Intel launched the Core i9-9900K Special Edition, a 5GHz all-core variant of their already strong mainstream enthusiast flagship Coffee Lake CPU. As befits a CPU of its stature the processor was housed within fancy 'Speciality Dodecahedron' packaging for that premium unboxing experience. Time flies however; the i9-9900KS no longer occupies the position it once did, and so Intel have seen fit to retire the dodecahedron in favour of the more discrete folding carton.

The news was delivered in the discreet form of a Product Change Notification issued to their customers (i.e. distributors and retailers) which you can find on their QMS database. It clarifies that the product with this packaging will be EOL come June 26th, but the i9-9900K Special Edition will still be sold in Intel's standard folding carton packaging.



The dodecahedron might have been attractive as a background piece, but it really served no purpose beyond the marketing. It was frustrating to store, manufactured from difficult to recycle materials, and didn't contain any additional paraphernalia (even an OEM CPU cooler) to justify the internal volume. Sadly, Intel were apeing the high-end packaging of AMD's Ryzen Threadripper CPUs, and leaning into the more ostentatious leanings of enthusiast consumerism.

It's unlikely that this will be the last Special Edition with fancy exterior, but with any luck the market at large will be spared another for the foreseeable future. And hopefully Intel can figure out a way to make it a little less 'extra' next time.

SOURCE: Intel PCN filing