What's the difference between unlocked and k?

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LIQMAN007

LIQMAN007

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Apr 4, 2013
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On intel processors I see some have a K and others say unlocked.
Does the K mean the cpu and turbo can be overclocked or just the cpu?
Does Unlocked with no K mean only the turbo can be overclocked or both the cpu and turbo can be overclocked?
 
Solution
k1114
Got to love marketing and the confusion they cause. To sum it up: K and unlocked are the same but there are just other cpus that are also unlocked without the k.

Unlocked cpus have an unlocked multiplier. There is no difference from "cpu" or "turbo". You are still doing the same thing: raising multi above stock because it's unlocked.
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k1114

k1114

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May 2, 2010
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Got to love marketing and the confusion they cause. To sum it up: K and unlocked are the same but there are just other cpus that are also unlocked without the k.

Unlocked cpus have an unlocked multiplier. There is no difference from "cpu" or "turbo". You are still doing the same thing: raising multi above stock because it's unlocked.
 
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Solution
10tacle

10tacle

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Dec 6, 2008
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Also, generally K-series chips are default clocked several hundred MHz faster than their non-K siblings of the same line. For example, the i7 7700 is 3.6GHz/4.2GHz turbo to the 7700K's 4.2GHz/4.5GHz. And the i5 7600 vs. 7600K is 3.5/4.1 and 3.8/4.2 respectively.

Even if you are not planning on overclocking and building around a non-Z series motherboard, that 600MHz clock difference with the i7 7700K over the non-K is going to be noticed in performance. That's effectively a 16.7% overclock boost which is nothing to sneeze at.
 
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