Monday, January 8th 2024
Intel Fattens the U-segment with "Raptor Lake Refresh" Based Core Series 1 Processors
Intel's current generation mobile processor product stack is vast, to say the least. In Q4-2023, the company launched its Core Ultra "Meteor Lake" mobile processors spanning the U-segment (7 W to 28 W), and H-segment (35 W to 45 W). Today, the company capped the upper end of the stack with the 14th Gen Core HX-series mobile processors based on "Raptor Lake Refresh," which dial up core counts to 8P+16E. And now, the company is adding more choice to the U-segment with the Core Processor Series 1, based on a lower core-count variant of the "Raptor Lake Refresh" architecture.
The Core Processor Series 1 follows the same nomenclature as the Core Ultra, where the "Ultra" denotes the latest "Meteor Lake" architecture. Processor model numbering and case badges are similar between Core Processor Series 1 and Core Ultra, except the lack of the "Ultra" brand extension. These chips are built on the monolithic "Raptor Lake Refresh" dies on the Intel 7 foundry node, and lack innovations such as the Low-power Island cores, 3D Performance Hybrid architecture, the all important AI Boost and on-silicon NPU; as well as that 2x faster Arc Xe-LPG integrated graphics, but use existing combinations of "Raptor Cove" and "Gracemont" CPU cores, along with older Xe-LP graphics with up to 96 EU; and a mostly similar I/O.
The Intel Core Processor 1 series U-segment is based on the smallest variant of "Raptor Lake Refresh," which physically features a 2P+8E core configuration. Each of the two P-cores has 1.25 MB of L2 cache, each of the two E-core clusters has 2 MB of L2 cache; while the two P-cores and E-core clusters share a 12 MB L3 cache. The PCIe interface is truncated, too. The CPU die puts out two PCIe Gen 4 x4 connections that are meant for NVMe storage devices, while the on-package PCH die puts out just 12 PCIe Gen 3 lanes. Notebook designers can implement Thunderbolt 4 with up to four ports. The platform also gets Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 using discrete WLAN cards. The memory interface is dual-channel DDR4, dual-channel DDR5, and LPDDR5(x) at speeds of up to 5200 MT/s. All three processor models Intel is launching today feature a base power of 15 W, and a maximum turbo power of 55 W.
The three processor models are Core 7 150U, Core 5 120U, and Core 3 100U. Both the 150U and 120U get a maxed out core configuration of 2P+8E with 12 MB of L3 cache, but differ with clock speeds and iGPU configuration. The 150U ticks at up to 5.40 GHz boost for the P-cores, and up to 4.00 GHz boost for the E-cores, with a maxed out iGPU that has 96 EU (6 Xe cores) clocked at 1.30 GHz.
The Core 5 120U has the same 2P+8E CPU core configuration, but clocked lower than that of the 150U. The P-core boost is set at up to 5.00 GHz, and the E-core boost at 3.80 GHz. The iGPU is cut down to 80 EU (5 Xe cores), and clocked at 1.25 GHz. The Core 3 100U gets the same iGPU configuration as the 120U, but its CPU core count is cut down to 2P+4E, L3 cache reduced to 10 MB, and CPU core clock speeds lowered—up to 4.70 GHz for the P-cores, and up to 3.30 GHz for the E-cores.
Notebooks based on the Core U-series (100U) should begin rolling out within Q1-2024.
The Core Processor Series 1 follows the same nomenclature as the Core Ultra, where the "Ultra" denotes the latest "Meteor Lake" architecture. Processor model numbering and case badges are similar between Core Processor Series 1 and Core Ultra, except the lack of the "Ultra" brand extension. These chips are built on the monolithic "Raptor Lake Refresh" dies on the Intel 7 foundry node, and lack innovations such as the Low-power Island cores, 3D Performance Hybrid architecture, the all important AI Boost and on-silicon NPU; as well as that 2x faster Arc Xe-LPG integrated graphics, but use existing combinations of "Raptor Cove" and "Gracemont" CPU cores, along with older Xe-LP graphics with up to 96 EU; and a mostly similar I/O.
The three processor models are Core 7 150U, Core 5 120U, and Core 3 100U. Both the 150U and 120U get a maxed out core configuration of 2P+8E with 12 MB of L3 cache, but differ with clock speeds and iGPU configuration. The 150U ticks at up to 5.40 GHz boost for the P-cores, and up to 4.00 GHz boost for the E-cores, with a maxed out iGPU that has 96 EU (6 Xe cores) clocked at 1.30 GHz.
The Core 5 120U has the same 2P+8E CPU core configuration, but clocked lower than that of the 150U. The P-core boost is set at up to 5.00 GHz, and the E-core boost at 3.80 GHz. The iGPU is cut down to 80 EU (5 Xe cores), and clocked at 1.25 GHz. The Core 3 100U gets the same iGPU configuration as the 120U, but its CPU core count is cut down to 2P+4E, L3 cache reduced to 10 MB, and CPU core clock speeds lowered—up to 4.70 GHz for the P-cores, and up to 3.30 GHz for the E-cores.
Notebooks based on the Core U-series (100U) should begin rolling out within Q1-2024.
34 Comments on Intel Fattens the U-segment with "Raptor Lake Refresh" Based Core Series 1 Processors
I'll take a Core 69 Ultra Raptor Refresh Series U Type 1 with cheese please.
With the i9/i7/i5/i3/Pentium/Celeron/Atom it was always easy to know what stood where.
Now it is a big ole' clusterfuck, and even in the same gen you can't be absolutely sure what's under the hood (unless you spend even more time researching).
Intel using core 1 branding for Raptor Lake is borderline criminal and clearly designed to con people into thinking they are getting U series Medicore Lake. Nowhere will there be information available for customers to see these a low powered 14th gen mobile parts. As much as I despise AMD's naming for mobile at least they told us the 30 and 35 series were just Rembrandt rehashes.
Where is this slide from Intel????
As I said, you can't find anything better to complain about so you get picky about the naming scheme. While it is annoying, it's is not worth the level of complaining being exhibited above.Really, why do we care?
The take-away you lot have is a less than ideal naming scheme(by YOUR estimations, I don't really see much of a problem).
What I see is Intel coming back to the ultra mobile market sector with some seemingly very solid offerings that will likely give AMD's ultra mobile options good competition. And that is only a very good thing for all of us.
Kinda missed that, didn't ya?.. See, one of these schools of thought is big-picture, objective, impartial, forward thinking and the other is narrow minded, almost fanboy-like nick-picking. Which do you lot think yours is? Hmm??
They dropped Iris XE branding. It’s just Intel Graphics now.
Not sure it's the beast way to label them, but we were warned in advance.