Intel is continuous to push out new CPU generations, and in 2023, we would see the launch of 14th-generation Meteor Lake processors. We don’t know a lot about these CPUs proper now, however a slew of leaks and rumors present a glimpse at a possible launch date, specs, and above all else, efficiency.
The battle to launch the greatest processor is extra heated than it has ever been, and Meteor Lake is an inflection level for Intel. With a brand new strategy to designing CPUs, Meteor Lake may begin a comeback for Intel because it tries to maintain up with Apple and continues making an attempt to outpace AMD.
It’s too quickly to say proper now, although. Within the meantime, right here’s all the things we find out about Intel’s 14th-gen Meteor Lake processors.
Pricing and launch date
Intel hasn’t introduced a launch date for its Meteor Lake processors, however they need to arrive in 2023, which is the time-frame Intel introduced when it first revealed Meteor Lake processors and laid out a highway map for when the chips would enter manufacturing. Nevertheless, the most recent scoop implies that Intel’s preliminary highway map might have been majorly derailed.
A brand new rumor from YouTuber Moore’s Regulation Is Lifeless implies that the Meteor Lake chips will start rolling out in October 2023, with a 14-core laptop computer CPU being the one to steer the cost. If this proves to be true, it could be fairly a shake-up in comparison with earlier generations. Intel often begins out by launching desktop processors, so to see a cellular chip being the primary to be launched is odd, to say the least.
Actually, a number of leakers declare that the Intel Meteor Lake-S (desktop) lineup could be in hassle. Frequent Twitter tipster OneRaichu shared a cryptic tweet in late 2022, and Moore’s Regulation Is Lifeless appears in settlement that the vary could be canceled for now.
If this checks out, it doesn’t need to imply that Intel gained’t launch something in 2023. As an alternative, it’d launch a refresh of Raptor Lake and push again Meteor Lake by one other 12 months, however many indicators level to it being scrapped solely. If that occurs, Intel may launch Meteor Lake for laptops alongside a Raptor Lake refresh for desktops, and it’ll skip proper to Arrow Lake for its next-gen desktop chips.
{Hardware} Instances shared what appears to be like to be an official Intel slide that appears to verify the whispers about Meteor Lake for desktops being canceled. The up to date highway map reveals that Intel may solely be planning to launch Raptor Lake-S processors in 2023; all mentions of Meteor Lake appear to have been scrapped. Nevertheless, all that is only a speculative timeline proper now, as Intel hasn’t confirmed any launch date outdoors of the 12 months, and it hasn’t commented on these cancellation rumors.
So far as pricing, it’s powerful to say. The present technology of Intel processors ranges from round $100 for the most affordable mannequin to over $650 for the most costly. We don’t anticipate massive worth adjustments for Meteor Lake, however the fee primarily comes all the way down to the place the rivalry between AMD and Intel is at when Meteor Lake CPUs are able to launch.
Specs
We haven’t seen any leaked specs for Meteor Lake processors but, and that is sensible. Whereas Intel has already launched an entire slew of Raptor Lake CPUs, preproduction Meteor Lake chips haven’t began displaying up in leaked benchmarks but. The most important information we now have comes from a Meteor Lake leak that exposed unfastened specs across the cellular processors.
The leak reveals U, P, and H variants of cellular Meteor Lake processors, which is par for the course with Intel. U-series processors are often 15 watts and underneath, P-series are 28W, and H collection are 45W, however it’s potential Intel might change the facility ranges.
Extra attention-grabbing, the leak confirmed that cellular Meteor Lake processors will high out at 14 cores break up throughout six efficiency cores and eight environment friendly cores. It additionally confirmed that the technology will help DDR5 and LPDDR5, in addition to PCIe 5.0, that are all platform options Intel at present helps. It additionally appears to be like like Intel may drop help for DDR4 altogether with Meteor Lake.
Whereas Intel has been pushing laborious for elevated core counts up to now few generations, this practicemay be coming to an finish. Rumor has it that Intel might restrict the variety of P-cores on the long run flagship, the Core i9-14900K, to 6. That may make six P-cores and 16 E-cores, for a complete of twenty-two cores.
Nameless sources cited by Moore’s Regulation Is Lifeless appear to suggest that Intel could be shifting away from these excessive core counts and favoring a extra balanced energy draw as an alternative. It’s laborious to say how this can affect the specs and efficiency of Meteor Lake, although, if it’s even true.
Structure
Structure is the place we now have probably the most information on Meteor Lake processors. That is the technology the place Intel plans to carry its highway map collectively, unifying a number of dies from a number of distributors whereas nonetheless profiting from a hybrid structure.
The CPU itself is constructed on the Intel 4 course of, and Meteor Lake would be the first to function this node (following Intel 7 on Alder Lake and Meteor Lake). What’s extra attention-grabbing is how Intel is altering the design to compete with Apple processors. Along with the primary compute die, Meteor Lake additionally has separate GPU, IO, and system-on-a-chip (SoC) dies.
Intel hasn’t confirmed which node it’s going to use for these dies, however it ought to come from chipmaker TSMC, which is behind a lot of the nodes inside processors and GPUs at present. Intel may even look to faucet the Taiwanese producer to assist with some dies on Meteor Lake CPUs. Intel remains to be dealing with the design, however TSMC might make a part of these processors.
Competing with Apple looks as if Intel’s aim, because it desires to supply not only a CPU, however a whole pc on a chip (much like Apple’s M-series processors). That is enabled by Intel Foveros, which is a multi-die packaging know-how that Intel has been chipping away at for years.
This strategy might assist Intel push extra environment friendly CPUs with a bigger set of options. It might additionally make Meteor Lake powerful to execute, although. With so many dies, Meteor Lake appears weak to delays and manufacturing mishaps, however we’ll have to attend till later in 2023 to see the state of the 14th-gen CPUs.
For cores, Intel is alleged to be utilizing new Redwood Cove cores for efficiency and Crestmont cores for effectivity. Identical to the earlier two generations, Intel is combining two totally different core varieties within the compute die to supply massive numbers of cores with out the elevated energy draw related to them. Crestmont cores are mentioned to be an as much as 15% enchancment in directions per cycle (IPC) in comparison with last-gen Gracemont, and Redwood Cove might provide as a lot as a 25% IPC uplift in comparison with Raptor Cove.
Exterior of the compute die, we don’t know a lot. Intel is rumored to be utilizing its Arc GPU structure for the graphics tile, however it’s not clear if that tile will use current-gen Arc Alchemist or next-gen Arc Battlemage. Given Arc’s earlier points with delays and drivers bugs, Intel might keep on with the acquainted structure to keep away from any widespread points.
Efficiency
We don’t have any leaked benchmarks for Meteor Lake, a lot much less efficiency numbers from Intel itself. The most important hints proper now all relate to the Intel 4 manufacturing course of, which Intel teased delivers 21.5% larger frequencies than the earlier node on the similar energy or a 40% energy discount on the similar frequency.
Increased frequency doesn’t inherently imply a better-performing processor. Frequency looks as if a push for Intel, although, so it might assist with 14th-gen chips. Intel Raptor Lake’s final flagship, the Core i9-13900KS, can hit 6GHz with out even being overclocked. Chips decrease down the road could be tuned to succeed in that frequency too. It’s potential that the 14th-gen flagship will push these numbers larger nonetheless.
Regardless, we shouldn’t draw any efficiency conclusions now. Meteor Lake is a very totally different beast than Raptor Lake, and we’re nonetheless possible a number of months away from any sort of launch.
A brand new socket
Rumors say Intel will introduce a brand new socket with Meteor Lake. Present-gen CPUs use the LGA 1700 socket, however the rumor mill suggests Intel will use an LGA 1851 socket for Meteor Lake. Which means new motherboards and probably new platform options, however we don’t have any particulars surrounding these but.
Given how related the designs are, it’s potential that CPU coolers which might be at present suitable with Alder Lake processors will work with Meteor Lake as effectively. We don’t have any affirmation on that, however it’s potential.
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