https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-discontinues-premium-packaging-design-for-core-i9-12900k-and-i9-10980xe-cpus
 
Starting from September 4th, Intel will be changing its packaging for two of their premium CPUs from Alder Lake and Cascade Lake series.
 
Intel published a Product Change Notification (PCN) for two of their CPUs: i9-12900K and i9-10980XE. Both products will now come in the same-sized box. This means that build packaging will be unified and easier to ship in volume cross-generations. One might have guessed that Core i9-10980XE series are no longer sold, but that’s not entirely true. However, the change to packaging appears just as rumors for next-gen Core-X/Xeon-X series amount.
 
The i9-12900K and 12900KS series come in a rectangular box with a large plastic wafer inside. This plastic wafer is actually a container for the CPU. It should be noted, however, that PCN was not issued for the KS-series, which will likely remain to be sold as is.
 
Such extraordinary design for the premium SKU packaging is nothing new to Intel, each generation gets a new design from hexagonal to rectangular designs, which differ from the mainstream series significantly. This is not the first time Intel is changing the packaging for its flagship consumer CPU series. The same thing happened with i9-10900K Comet Lake and Rocket Lake series. Interestingly, this change usually occurs 1-2 months ahead of launch, which is an indirect confirmation for Alder Lake being replaced with Raptor Lake. What is hard to understand is why is 10th Gen Core CPU being updated as well. Does this suggest Intel is releasing Sapphire Rapids Xeon Workstation series soon?
 
Shipping in smaller containers means a major cost savings in packaging and shipment volume in my opinion. 
 

 
 

Nobody purchased this CPU for the fancy packaging.  What a total waste.  Put it in a cardboard box and save me $5 of packaging bloat that goes straight into the trash.

Wait.. intel was still making “premium” boxes for the 10980xe even though it has been out for so long? I actually thought they had stopped making them and the boxes at this point.

seems Intel might be opening some shelf space / sku - for a new product

 
I kind of like them. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 
 
 

a213m
Bumping old thread, but if anyone is interested, here's what the new 10980XE box looks like.
 

Old premium one is on the left.
 
When I got the package I initially though I got wrong product. The box was small and significantly lighter. When I opened it, and saw the box with a cutout window, I thought for a second I got a different CPU until I read the IHS and realized I got the new box Intel has been planning to roll out.
 

 
Definitely doesn't feel like a premium product with this type of packaging.

I can understand wanting the package to feel a bit more premium but I personally also realize nice boxes add cost. I guess that if they added a couple dollars to make the box feel special.

The smaller packaging can/ will - make a big impact on shipping costs.  The dimensional weight (charge) will be greatly reduced for a box of processors, they are not heavy & smaller boxes do not carry the big dimensional premium that UPS like to charge.

ssj92
...
I also got the intel brand pouch with my 10980XE, assuming these are also gone now with new packaging.

Correct, pouch wasn't included with the new package.