Tuesday, July 16th 2024
Intel Planning P-core Only "Bartlett" LGA1700 Processor for 2025
In a surprising development, Intel plans to extend the longevity of its Socket LGA1700 platform even as the newer LGA1851 platform led by the Core Ultra 200 "Arrow Lake" remains on track for a late-Q3/early-Q4 2024 debut. This, according to a sensational leak by Jaykihn. It plans to do this with a brand-new silicon for LGA1700, codenamed "Bartlett." This should particularly interest gamers for what's on offer. Imagine the "Raptor Lake-S" die, but with four additional P-cores replacing the four E-core clusters, making a 12-core pure P-core processor—that's "Bartlett." At this point we're not sure which P-core is in use—whether it's the current "Raptor Cove," or whether an attempt will be made by Intel to backport a variant of "Lion Cove" to LGA1700.
This wouldn't be the first pure P-core client processor from Intel after its pivot to heterogeneous multicore—the "Alder Lake" H0 die has six "Golden Cove" P-cores, and lacks any E-core clusters. Intel is planning to give launch an entire new "generation" of processor SKUs for LGA1700 which use the newer client processor nomenclature by Intel, which is Core 200-series, but without the "Ultra" brand extension. There will be SKUs in the Core 3, Core 5, Core 7, and Core 9 brand extensions. Some of these will be Hybrid, and based on the rehashed "Raptor Lake-S" 8P+16E silicon, and some "Alder Lake-S" 8P+8E; but "Bartlett" will be distinctly branded within the series, probably using a letter next to the numerical portion of the processor model number. There will not be any Core 3 series chips based on "Bartlett," but Core 5, Core 7, and Core 9.The Core 5 "Bartlett" series will feature an 8-core configuration. That's 8 P-cores, and no E-cores. The Core 7 "Bartlett" will be 10-core, no E-core. The Core 9 "Bartlett" will draw the most attention, as being 12-core. If Intel is using "Raptor Cove" P-cores, these should be 8-core/16-thread, 10-core/20-thread, and 12-core/24-thread, respectively. Depending on the K- or non-K SKUs, these chips feature a processor base power value of 125 W, or 65 W, or even 45 W.
Intel is planning to launch these non-Ultra Core Socket LGA1700 processors in Q1-2025, but the "Bartlett" silicon won't arrive before Q3-2025.
Source:
Jaykihn (Twitter)
This wouldn't be the first pure P-core client processor from Intel after its pivot to heterogeneous multicore—the "Alder Lake" H0 die has six "Golden Cove" P-cores, and lacks any E-core clusters. Intel is planning to give launch an entire new "generation" of processor SKUs for LGA1700 which use the newer client processor nomenclature by Intel, which is Core 200-series, but without the "Ultra" brand extension. There will be SKUs in the Core 3, Core 5, Core 7, and Core 9 brand extensions. Some of these will be Hybrid, and based on the rehashed "Raptor Lake-S" 8P+16E silicon, and some "Alder Lake-S" 8P+8E; but "Bartlett" will be distinctly branded within the series, probably using a letter next to the numerical portion of the processor model number. There will not be any Core 3 series chips based on "Bartlett," but Core 5, Core 7, and Core 9.The Core 5 "Bartlett" series will feature an 8-core configuration. That's 8 P-cores, and no E-cores. The Core 7 "Bartlett" will be 10-core, no E-core. The Core 9 "Bartlett" will draw the most attention, as being 12-core. If Intel is using "Raptor Cove" P-cores, these should be 8-core/16-thread, 10-core/20-thread, and 12-core/24-thread, respectively. Depending on the K- or non-K SKUs, these chips feature a processor base power value of 125 W, or 65 W, or even 45 W.
Intel is planning to launch these non-Ultra Core Socket LGA1700 processors in Q1-2025, but the "Bartlett" silicon won't arrive before Q3-2025.
140 Comments on Intel Planning P-core Only "Bartlett" LGA1700 Processor for 2025
I really think Intel should consider doing the opposite of a low power island with a single P core in some manner where they isolate a P core or maybe all the P cores with a bit of a thermal buffer space to make it easier to boost and/or at lower voltages since heat makes it more difficult to run lower voltages.
I don't know how they would go about that 100%. I think they could have like a cache between low power and regular E cores and another cache between the standard E cores and P cores. They should probably maybe considering using as many low power E cores as they do the amount of P cores so the regular E cores are more the higher density cores and balanced in the middle, but then has access to a bit of shared cache with low power E cores and high power P cores. They could get priority access to the cache from the low density cores that shared, but wouldn't get priority access from the shared cache with P cores.
Something like that might be possible and work reasonably, but idk it would probably be a bit of a engineering challenge to figure out how to arrange of all it in the manner. It would spread the heat out a bit though by having a shared cache in between clusters of core types.
Intel plans to do the same, disrupting the 9800X3D by launching BTL in Q3 2025. If they're launching it in Q3'25, they're aiming for the 9800X3D. It's about quality. The 12400F (6C12T) performs faster than a 10900K (10C20T). Sure. They should not go lower than 48MB L3 Cache (12MB more than 36MB we got with Raptor Cove). They are done with releasing 4C8T Core i7s and 4C4T Core i5s.
That's exactly WHY we need competition, to drive innovation and of course for better prices.
Now, if Intel does not rise again, AMD will become the new Intel (stagnation all over again) so we need both of them strong in order to have a thriving CPU market. Oh, the good old days™ ;) This^ Sure.
That said once you start alleviating some of that added pressure the ring bus is likely very durable overall in terms degradation concerns. Like there might be a general cutoff point in terms of what's over stressing it in the first place between core count and frequency with binning. I'm concerned it might snowball and then it's question of how much does it do so!? Like if it does snowball will even go as far back as some Alder Lake chips that aren't viewed as a problem right now in like 5 or 6 months or something!?
I despise E cores, or ZENc ones for that matter. I mean, we're not on a mobile platform, we're ON desktop.
Performance (or rather, PROPER) cores are all we need, TBH.
High time to set things straight regarding LGA1700 by launching 12C24T Core 9, 10C20T Core 7 and 8C16T Core 5 BTL (PROPER-cores only) processors. To the mad moon!
Even the existence of the Bartlett chip (or plans) is unlikely. A year and a half after the glorious peak, which is also the end, of the LGA1700 story, there comes another glorious peak? Why? And why not on LGA1851? Did Intel paint themself full green overnight, and decided that the platform should live for four years instead of two, to reduce e-waste? Will they have enough free Intel 7 fab capacity in Q3 2025, but not earlier, to afford making this chip? See, there's room for my speculation: are they predicting that they will have a big enough pile of SPR dies with 10-11-12-13 working cores around that time?
Technically a single SPR die (around 20 x 20 mm) can fit (barely) on the LGA1700 package. Yes I know it might just be impossible, the power delivery may not be compatible, SPR dies exist in two mirrored variants so they'd need two different substrates, etc.
I don't think Bartlett Lake is meant for another "glorious peak". It's just something for those of us who don't want the E-cores. A side track, or stop gap, kind of, not a whole new generation on its own.
Edit: I used the Alder Lake die in the above example, but if you substitute that with Raptor Lake that has 4 e-core clusters instead of 2, and cut and paste the 4 extra p-cores there, the die size will remain identical.
Now if they release BTL with at least 48MB L3 Cache, they're aiming at the upcoming 9800X3D.
They might wanna increase that amount to 64MB if they'd rather be safe than sorry, although they've always acted skimpy when it comes to the Cache capacity. They needed AMD for the push!
I'll take BTL as a decent farewell to the LGA1700 platform.
I can do the same drawing using an actual Raptor Lake die shot to demonstrate if you'd like.
The advantage of this chip is to appease those who just want one type of core only and to maximise whatever performance is possible with non hybrid.
Maybe I am wrong but thats my take.
It could still be possible to get the scheduling benefits of e-cores, but just much harder than hybrid chips, relying on affinity overrides only to force everything that isnt the foreground application of 8 of the p-cores.
That means AM6 will provide at least 32 cores with their Ryzen 9 series (16 cores on a single CCD).
Would pass all stress tests including OCCT, Prime95 Y Cruncher, Cinebench. Max temp like 85C and power like 220 watts no WHEAs nor errors nor crashes
Passed shader compilation in TLOU1 multiple times.
Then a week or 2 layer WHEA logged in HWINFO doing shader compilation.
Meaning stability random and not consistent or it degraded easily or who knows what??
Even had random CInebench app error even vcore auto and intel limits to PL1 and PL2 253 and current at 307A or something max. That was with a brand nerw 14700K and 14900K HT disabled all e-cores on then I threw in towel on 13th and 14th Gen.
There is something fundamentally wrong with these chips and the failures are coming to light and spreading all over the news.
Its very sad and shameful but its unfortunately true and reality. Actually 13700K and rest of K variant RPL chips will be a 2.75 year old or even 3 year old chip if the Q3 2025 release is true. Remember RPL came out October 2022. I so badly wanted more than 8 cores on a single rinbus/CCX-CCD/tile for a while on a homogenous design with modern arch and IPC.
That way best set and forget it CPU for gaming no hybrid scheduling quirks no process Lasso nor APO. No cross CCX-CCD severe latency hit.
Last CPU to have that was Comet Lake with the 10850K and 10900K 10 all P core die. Though that us outdated arch in IPC being 40 to 50% behind Golden Cove and stuck on PCIe Gen 3 and DDR4.
So I am so excited for a 12 + 0 die Bartlett Lake and I was going to be a buyer.
However given stability and degradation issues Raptor Lake has, I am skeptical. My thought and hope is that they will fix it, however according to this not so sure:
So really hard pass for me despite me wanting such a chip and it being only option to come soon. Even Zen 6 sadly is gonna be 8 cores max per CCX-CCD as it is most cost effective for AMD on chiplets. Intel has more flexibility with monolithic design, but does not meet crap when their CPUs are unstable and degrading on current arch on 10nm wafer.
Unless intel makes Bartlett Lake 12 + 0 die Alder Lake based, hard pass.
I will just stick with AMD 8 core X3D chips. 8 cores is enough for gaming. Yes some games are starting to see benefits from more, but only marginally in almost all cases, and I really do not want a hybrid nor dual CCX-CCD chip.
So in such case I will hope Intel released a 12 P core Arrow Lake die or just deal with no such option for along while if ever.