"Twin Lake" is codename for a line of low-power x86-64 processors by Intel, which succeed the Core i3 N-series and N200 series "Alder Lake-N" processors. These non-socketed (BGA) chips power a wide range of devices from entry level notebooks and mini PCs to consumer NAS servers, and other embedded applications. The chips feature only E-cores. While "Alder Lake-N" used "Gracemont" cores, "Twin Lake" uses the swanky new "Skymont" cores, which serve as E-cores in "Lunar Lake" and "Arrow Lake" hybrid processors. "Skymont" cores feature massive IPC and clock-speed gains over "Gracemont," of nearly 50%, which pulls up their performance levels to match the "Golden Cove" and "Raptor Cove" P-cores of "Alder Lake" and "Raptor Lake," although these cores can't boost up to 5.00 GHz. We got the first name-drop of "Twin Lake" way back in May 2024. Jaykihn leaked what the processor lineup could look like.

The "Twin Lake" silicon features two "Skymont" E-core clusters sharing an L3 cache. At this point, the sizes of the shared L2 caches of the E-core clusters, and the size of the shared L3 cache are not known. On "Alder Lake-N," each "Gracemont" cluster features 2 MB of L2 cache, and the two clusters share a 6 MB L3 cache. The silicon also features an iGPU based on what is very likely the Xe-LPG graphics architecture, with four Xe cores worth 32 execution units (EU). The series is led by the Intel N355. This chip maxes out the "Twin Lake" silicon, enabling both "Skymont" clusters, for an 8-core/8-thread CPU configuration. The CPU comes with a base frequency of 3.00 GHz, and boosts up to 3.90 GHz. The chip comes with a configurable TDP of 9 W and 15 W. It comes with a maxed out iGPU, with all 32 EU being enabled, and a graphics frequency of 1.35 GHz.

According to recently discovered shipping manifests, Intel is developing a new processor series codenamed "Wildcat Lake," potentially succeeding their entry-level "Intel Processor" lineup based on Alder Lake-N. The documents, revealed by x86deadandback, suggest a 2025 launch timeline for these chips targeting lightweight laptops and mini-PCs. The shipping records from October 30 mention CPU reball equipment compatible with BGA 1516 sockets, measuring 35 x 25 mm, indicating early validation testing is underway. These processors are expected to be manufactured using Intel's advanced 18A process technology, sharing the same manufacturing node as the upcoming Panther Lake series. Early technical specifications of Wildcat Lake point to a hybrid architecture combining next-generation "Cougar Cove" performance cores with "Darkmont" low-power efficiency (LPE) cores in a 2P+4LPE configuration.

This design appears to separate the core clusters, departing from traditional shared ring bus arrangements, similar to the approach taken in Intel's Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake processors. While Wildcat Lake's exact position in Intel's product stack remains unclear, it could serve as a modernized replacement for the what were Pentium and Celeron processor families. These chips traditionally power devices like Chromebooks, embedded systems, and home servers, with the new series potentially offering significant performance improvements for these market segments. The processor is expected to operate in the sub-double-digit TDP power envelope, positioning it below the more powerful Lunar Lake series. Graphics capabilities will likely be more modest than Lunar Lake's Xe2 architecture, aligning with its entry-level market positioning.

During Barclays 22nd Annual Global Technology Conference, Intel was a guest and two of the interim company co-CEOs Michelle Johnston Holthaus and David Zinsner gave a little update on the state of affairs at Intel. One of the most interesting aspects of the talk was Intel's upcoming "Panther Lake" processor—a direct successor to Intel Core Ultra 200S "Arrow Lake-H" mobile processors. The company confirmed that Panther Lake would utilize an Intel 18A node and that a few select customers have powered on Panther Lake on the E0 engineering sample chip. "Now we are using Intel Foundry for Panther Lake, which is our 2025 product, which will land on 18A. And this is the first time that we're customer zero in a long time on an Intel process," said interim co-CEO Michelle Johnston Holthaus, adding, "But just to give some assurances, on Panther Lake, we have our ES0 samples out with customers. We have eight customers that have powered on, which gives you just kind of an idea that the health of the silicon is good and the health of the Foundry is good."

While we don't know what ES0 means for Intel internally, we can assume that it is one of the first engineering samples on the 18A. The "ES" moniker usually refers to engineering samples, and zero after it could be the first design iteration. For reference, Intel's "Panther Lake-H" will reportedly have up to 18 cores: 6 P-cores, 8 E-cores, and 4 LP cores. The design brings back low-power island E-cores in the SoC tile. The P-cores use "Cougar Cove," which should have a higher IPC than "Lion Cove," while keeping the existing "Skymont" E-cores. The SoC tile may move from Arrow Lake's 6 nm to a newer process to fit the LP cores and an updated NPU. The iGPU is said to use the Xe3 "Celestial" architecture. With Arrow Lake-H launching in early 2025, Panther Lake-H likely won't arrive until 2026.

We have already confirmed that Intel is continuing the development of Arc gaming GPUs beyond the current Xe2 "Battlemage" series, with the new Xe3 "Celestial" architecture in the works. However, thanks to PCWorld's The Full Nerd podcast, Tom Petersen of Intel confirmed that the Xe3 IP has been finished, and the hardware teams are already working on the next Xe4 "Druid" GPU IP. "Our architects are way ahead of us, and they are already working on not the next thing but the next thing after the next thing," said Petersen, adding: "The way I would like to comment is our IP that's kind of called Xe3, which is the one after Xe2, that's pretty much baked, right. And so the software teams have a lot of work to do on Xe3. The hardware teams are off on the next thing, right. That's our cadence, that we need to keep going."

The base IP of next-generation Xe3 "Celestial" GPUs is done. That means the basic media engines, Xe cores, XMX matrix engines, ray tracing engines, and other parts of the gaming GPU are already designed and most likely awaiting trial fabrication. The software to support this Xe3 is also being developed while Intel's team is working on enabling more optimizations for the Xe2 "Battlemage" architecture, which we previewed recently. We assume that Intel's Xe GPU will now follow a stricter cadence of releases, with SKUs getting updated much faster, given that a lot is prepared for the future.

SPARKLE Intel Arc B-Series Graphics Card offer offers high-resolution gaming with Intel XeSS AI upscaling, ray tracing, and 8K media support, plus accelerated AI features for enhanced creation and editing through Intel AI Playground.

SPARKLE, an Intel official AIB partner, is announcing:

SPARKLE Intel Arc B580 TITAN OC - with Limited GPU Holder
The SPARKLE Intel Arc B580 TITAN OC debuts with 12 GB GDDR6 memory and advanced TORN Cooling 2.0 featuring triple AXL fans, a 2.2-slot design, and a full-metal backplate. With a boost clock of 2740 MHz and 200 W power consumption, it delivers top-tier gaming performance.
A blue breathing light effect adds elegance, while a limited SPARKLE GPU Holder completes this powerhouse package. The TITAN Series continues its legacy of performance and style.

Acer today announced an expansion to its gaming portfolio with the new Nitro Intel Arc B-Series graphics cards, aimed at DIY gamers seeking high-performance gaming and content creation upgrades for their PC setups.

The Nitro Intel Arc B570 OC 10 GB and Nitro Intel Arc B580 OC 12 GB graphics cards, with clock speeds up to 2,740 MHz and up to 12 GB GDDR6 memory, offer gamers an immersive experience and access to the latest AI technologies via the Intel AI Playground application. These graphics cards are equipped with Acer's advanced FrostBlade cooling systems to ensure peak performance.

Today, Intel announced the new Intel Arc B-Series graphics cards (code-named Battlemage). The Intel Arc B580 and B570 GPUs offer best-in-class value for performance at price points that are accessible to most gamers, deliver modern gaming features and are engineered to accelerate AI workloads. The included Intel Xe Matrix Extensions (XMX) AI engines power the newly introduced XeSS 2, comprised of three technologies that together increase performance, visual fluidity and responsiveness.

"The new Intel Arc B-Series GPUs are the perfect upgrades for gamers. They deliver leading performance-per-dollar and great 1440p gaming experiences with XeSS 2, second-generation ray tracing engines and XMX AI engines. We're delighted to be joined by more partners than ever so that gamers have more choice in finding their perfect design." -Vivian Lien, Intel vice president and general manager of Client Graphics[Editor's note: Our preview of the Arc Battlemage Series is now live]

Sparkle introduced an interesting new graphics card meant for those with four high-resolution displays tied to a workstation, or a digital-signage setup. The new Arc A310 OmniView is based on an underclocked version of the Intel Arc A310 "Alchemist," with the idea being to cap the card at 50 W typical power. The card comes with a 1.00 GHz GPU clock and 15.5 Gbps memory speed, compared to the reference A310, which ticks at 1.75 GHz, but at 75 W typical board power. The card comes with 6 Xe cores, and a 64-bit wide memory interface, pulling 4 GB of GDDR6 memory. The A310 OmniView features a single-slot, full-height design, with no additional power connectors. It uses a simple fan-heatsink to keep cool. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the card is its display I/O, featuring four HDMI 2.0b ports, each of which can drive a 4K display at 60 Hz. The card is 14.5 cm long, and 10.5 cm tall. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Intel's discrete GPUs are close, and recent reports indicate Intel will reveal its next-generation Arc Battlemage graphics cards in December, moving from an earlier expected Black Friday announcement. Hardware insider Golden Pig Upgrade first mentioned this timeline shift, with data researcher Tomasz Gawroński providing supporting evidence through shipping manifest analysis. The December timing appears to position Intel's announcement before CES 2025, where AMD plans to showcase its Radeon RX 8000 series with RDNA 4 architecture, and NVIDIA will present its GeForce RTX 50 line. This will give Intel ample room to "steal" the attention of the tech press, who will be busy with NVIDIA and AMD during CES.

X account Bionic_Squash has confirmed Battlemage won't be Intel's final discrete graphics card, addressing questions about the company's long-term graphics development plans. Intel's future roadmap includes the Xe3 "Celestial" architecture, though current information only confirms its initial implementation in mobile chips at a reduced scale. The timeline for a full discrete graphics card using Celestial architecture remains unspecified. We are also left to wonder about Intel's approach to discrete GPU marketing push, as the company has yet to gain any significant footing among enthusiasts. In the coming years, Intel's expansion could prove worthwhile as it updates its GPUs with more performance from newer generations.

Intel is expanding its Core Ultra 200S lineup with seven new SKUs, a recent leak by @momomo_us shows. The leak gives details on non-K, T, and F versions across the Core Ultra 5 7, and 9 families. The top-end Core Ultra 9 285 will come in 65 W and 35 W versions. These match the 285K's 24-core setup but run at lower speeds. The 285T keeps the 4-core Xe built-in graphics.

The Core Ultra 7 series adds three models: 265 265F, and 265T. All share a 30 MB L3 cache being differentiated by different clock speeds. The T version has much lower base clocks. For the Core Ultra 5 series, the leak shows two models: 225 and 225F. Both have 10 cores running at 3.3/4.9 GHz (P-cores) and 2.7/4.4 GHz (E-cores), with 2 Xe GPU cores and a 65 W TDP. Unlike their higher-end models, this tier doesn't plan to have a T version right now.

Intel is expected to debut its next-generation Arc "Battlemage" discrete GPU in December 2024, or ahead of the 2025 CES, HotHardware reports, citing Golden Pig Upgrade, a reliable source with GPU leaks. The source says that they expect "wonderful performance" for the GPU. Intel has a lot invested in its PC graphics division, across not just its two-year-old Arc "Alchemist" discrete GPUs, but also the integrated graphics solutions it's been launching with its Core Ultra processor generations. It debuted the DirectX 12 Ultimate-capable Xe-LPG graphics architecture with Core Ultra "Meteor Lake" and Arc Graphics branding, which it carried forward to the Core Ultra Series 200 "Arrow Lake" on the desktop platform. Meanwhile, "Battlemage" got debuted as the iGPU of the Core Ultra 200V series "Lunar Lake" mobile processor, which posted gaming performance beating that of the Ryzen 8000 "Hawk Point" processor, but falling short of the Ryzen AI 300 series "Strix Point."

Intel is expected to tap into a fairly new foundry node for the Arc "Battlemage" discrete GPU series. Its chips could strike a performance/Watt and performance/price inflection point in the performance segment, that drives the most volumes for NVIDIA and AMD. It is this exact segment that AMD has withdrawn from the enthusiast segment to focus on, with its next-generation Radeon RDNA 4 generation. With "Alchemist," Intel already laid a strong foundation for hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI, and the company is only expected to advance on these fronts further. Could "Battlemage" and "Granite Rapids" go down as the most exciting products from Intel in 2024? We should find out next month.

As we await the launch of Intel's "Arrow Lake-S" Core Ultra 200S series of processors for desktops, we are getting some new leaks about Intel's mainstream mobile "Arrow Lake-H" update. A month ago, we got the specification table of the high-end mobile "Arrow Lake-HX," and now, thanks to Jaykihn X, we have the mainstream laptop chip specifications as well. The top-of-the-line includes Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, a 45 W TDP SKU with six P-cores, eight E-cores, and two LPE cores. The CPU packs integrated Xe2 graphics with eight cores and 24 MB of total L3 cache and has a maximum boost of 5.4 GHz for P-cores.

Moving down the stack, there are Core Ultra 7 265H and Core Ultra 5 255H SKUs, which feature the same P/E/LPE core configuration. However, these SKUs are rated for 28 W TDP, having lower maximum frequencies and the same iGPU configuration. This time, we also have two Core Ultra 3 SKUs, with Core Ultra 3 235H and 225H bringing four P-cores, eight E-cores, and two LPE-cores in the 28 W package. The Core Ultra 3 235H has eight Xe2 cores in its iGPU, while the lowest-end Core Ultra 3 225H has only seven Xe2 iGPU cores. For a complete set of specifications, including all clock speeds in base and boost, please check out the table below.

Intel's Arrow Lake-S launch line-up has been confirmed courtesy of serial leaker @9550pro on X/Twitter and although the leaked Intel product slide doesn't contain any real surprises by now, it does confirm that Intel will launch five different SKUs later this month. The Core 200S-series should be unveiled on Thursday by Intel, but retail availability isn't expected until the 24th of October. The Initial five CPU SKUs will be the Core Ultra 9 285K, the Core Ultra 7 265K and 265KF and finally the Core Ultra 5 245K and 245KF. As noted earlier today in the performance leak of the Core Ultra 9 285K, the entire Arrow Lake-S series will lack Hyper-Threading in favour of more E-cores. The Core Ultra 9 285K features eight Lion Cove P-cores and 16 Skymont E-cores, followed by the Core Ultra 7 265 SKUs which retain the Lion Cove core count, but ends up with only 12 Skymont cores. Finally, the Core Ultra 5 SKUs have six Lion Cove P-cores and eight Skymont E-cores. All the upcoming SKUs feature Intel's Thermal Velocity Boost, a feature that used to be exclusive to the Core i9 tier of CPUs in the past, but only the Core Ultra 9 and Ultra 7 SKUs support Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0. The Core Ultra 9 and Ultra 7 SKUs have a maximum TDP of 250 W, with the Core Ultra 5 SKUs peaking at 159 W. All five processors have a base power of 125 W.

As such, we're looking at boost speeds of up to 5.7 GHz for the Core Ultra 9, 5.5 GHz for the Core Ultra 7 and 5.2 GHz for the Core Ultra 5 processors. The Core Ultra 5 has the highest base frequency of the three SKUs with the P-cores clocking in at 4.2 GHz and the E-cores at 3.6 GHz. The Core Ultra 7 follows at 3.9 GHz for the P-Cores and 3.3 GHz for the E-cores and finally the Core Ultra 9 has a base frequency of 3.7 GHz for the P-Cores and 3.2 GHz for the E-cores. Intel has upped the JEDEC memory support to DDR5-6400, which is an 800 MHz jump in the officially supported memory speed from its 14th Gen Core i processors. Up to 192 GB of RAM is supported, which is the same as the previous generation of desktop CPUs from Intel. The IGP sports four Xe-cores across the board of the K SKU CPUs, with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of up to 2 GHz, although the Core Ultra 5 SKUs end up with an IGP that only boosts to 1.9 GHz. All SKUs also feature a third generation NPU capable of 13 TOPS, which is a lot weaker than the mobile Core Ultra 200V Lunar Lake CPUs which have an NPU capable of up to 48 TOPS, depending on the SKU. As this leak appears to be from the same original source as the performance figures that leaked earlier, we'd assume the information is correct, especially as it lines up with earlier leaks, but it should still be taken with a pinch of salt until everything has been confirmed by Intel.

Some of the first images of a de-lidded Intel Core Ultra 9 285K "Arrow Lake-S" processor surfaced on the web, confirming a disaggregated chiplet-based processor design. Intel pivoted to chiplet based processors with its Core Ultra "Meteor Lake," allowing it to build specific IP blocks of the processor on different foundry nodes, ensuring the ones that don't need the most advanced nodes can make do with slightly older ones, thereby maximizing Intel's yields for that advanced node. The die shot reveals a similar level of disaggregation to "Meteor Lake" than that of the more recent Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" mobile processor.

With "Lunar Lake," Intel had re-aggregated a few things. "Lunar Lake" only has two tiles—SoC tile and I/O tile. The 3 nm SoC tile contains the CPU complex, a large iGPU, and a large 40 TOPS-class NPU, all sharing die-space with the memory controllers, and PCIe root complex. The smaller 6 nm I/O tile contains the PHYs of the various I/O interfaces. The "Arrow Lake" chip appears to have a similar degree of disaggregation as "Meteor Lake." We can spot at least five tiles sitting on top of the Foveros base tile. The picture has no annotation for the various tiles, but recent reports by Moore's Law is Dead and Jay Kihn shed some light on what these could be.

Intel has announced the release of an updated version of its AI Playground application, now optimized for the new Intel Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" series of processors. This latest iteration, version 1.21b, brings a host of new features and improvements designed to make AI more accessible to users of Intel's AI-enabled PCs. AI Playground, first launched earlier this year, offers a user-friendly interface for various AI functions, including image generation, enhancement, and natural language processing. The new version introduces several key enhancements. These include a fresh, exclusive theme for 200V series processor users, an expanded LLM picker now featuring Phi3, Qwen2, and Mistral models, and a conversation manager for saving and revisiting chat discussions. Additionally, users will find adjustable font sizes for improved readability and a simplified aspect ratio tool for image creation and enhancement.

One of the most significant aspects of AI Playground is its ability to run entirely locally on the user's machine. This approach ensures that all computations, prompts, and outputs remain on the device, addressing privacy concerns often associated with cloud-based AI services. The application is optimized to take advantage of the Xe Cores and XMX AI engines found in the Intel Core Ultra 200V series processors, allowing even lightweight devices to perform complex AI tasks efficiently. Intel has also improved the installation process, addressing potential conflicts and providing better error handling. The company encourages user engagement through its Intel Insiders Discord channel, helping the community around AI Playground's development and use. Although the models users can run locally are smaller in size, usually up to 7 billion parameters with 8/4-bit quants, having a centralized application to help run them locally is significant for slowly embedding AI in all aspects of personal computing.

ASUS today announced ExpertBook B1, a durable, reliable and versatile laptop that's ready for the rigors of the modern business world. ExpertBook B1's lineup of powerful features includes up to an Intel Core 7 processor with Intel Iris Xe Graphics, up to 64 GB of memory and ample storage, plus a vibrant screen with a tall 16:9 aspect ratio - all encased in a sleek 1.4 kg chassis. ExpertBook B1 is designed for seamless connectivity, featuring up to WiFi 6E and a comprehensive array of I/O ports. In addition, it offers military-grade durability and incorporates an eco-friendly design that reflects a commitment to sustainability and accountability.

Robust performance
ExpertBook B1 is engineered to enhance business capabilities, providing the fast and responsive performance essential for today's demands—enabling seamless multitasking, advanced data handling, and streamlined operations. Powered by up to an Intel Core 7 processor with Intel Iris Xe Graphics, ExpertBook B1 delivers the robust performance needed to get the job done.

Intel today launched its most efficient family of x86 processors ever, the Intel Core Ultra 200V series processors. They deliver exceptional performance, breakthrough x86 power efficiency, a massive leap in graphics performance, no-compromise application compatibility, enhanced security and unmatched AI compute. The technology will power the industry's most complete and capable AI PCs with more than 80 consumer designs from more than 20 of the world's top manufacturing partners, including Acer, ASUS, Dell Technologies, HP, Lenovo, LG, MSI and Samsung. Pre-orders begin today with systems available globally on-shelf and online at over 30 global retailers starting Sept. 24. All designs featuring Intel Core Ultra 200V series processors and running the latest version of Windows are eligible to receive Copilot+ PC features as a free update starting in November.

"Intel's newest Core Ultra processors set the industry standard for mobile AI and graphics performance, and smash misconceptions about x86 efficiency. Only Intel has the scale through our partnerships with ISVs and OEMs, and the broader technology ecosystem, to provide consumers with a no-compromise AI PC experience."
--Michelle Johnston Holthaus, Intel executive vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group

In a conversation with Intel's CEO Pat Gelsinger, industry analyst Patrick Moorhead revealed that Intel's Meteor Lake CPU platform suffers from some production issues. More specifically, Intel has been facing some yield and/or back-end production issues with its Meteor Lake platform, resulting in a negative impact on Intel's margins when producing the chip. The market is showing great demand for these chips, and Intel has been forced to run productions of "hot lots"-- batch production of silicon with the highest priority that gets moved to the front of the production line so they can get packaged as fast as possible. While this is a good sign that the demand is there, running hot lots increases production costs overall as some other wafers have to go back so Meteor Lake can pass.

The yield issues associated with Meteor Lake could be stemming from the only tile made by Intel in the MTL package: the compute tile made on the Intel 4 process. Intel 4 process is specific to Meteor Lake. No other Intel product uses it, not even the Xeon 6, which uses Intel 3, or any of the upcoming CPUs like Arrow Lake, which uses the Intel 20A node. So, Intel is doing multiple nodes for multiple generations of processors, further driving up costs as typical high-volume production with a single node for multiple processors yields lower costs. Additionally, the company is left with lots of "wafers to burn" with Intel 4 node, so even with Meteor Lake having yield issues, the production is ultimately fine, while the operating costs and margins take a hit.

Intel has officially confirmed the upcoming Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" CPU generation is arriving on September 3rd. The official media alert states: "Ahead of the IFA 2024 conference, join Michelle Johnston Holthaus, Intel executive vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group, and Jim Johnson, senior vice president and general manager of the Client Business Group, and Intel partners as they launch the next generation of Intel Core Ultra processors, code-named Lunar Lake. During the livestreamed event, they will reveal details on the new processors' breakthrough x86 power efficiency, exceptional core performance, massive leaps in graphics performance and the unmatched AI computing power that will drive this and future generations of Intel products."

With IFA happening in Berlin from September 6th to 10th, Intel's Lunar Lake launch is also happening in Berlin just a few days before, on September 3rd at 6 p.m. CEST (9 a.m. PDT). We expect to see nine SKUs: Core Ultra 9 288V, Core Ultra 7 268V, Core Ultra 7 266V, Core Ultra 7 258V, Core Ultra 7 256V, Core Ultra 5 238V, Core Ultra 5 236V, Core Ultra 5 228V, and Core Ultra 5 226V. All of the aforementioned models feature four P-cores and four E-cores, with varying Xe2 GPU core counts and clocks. We also expect to see Intel present its design wins and upcoming Lunar Lake devices like laptops during the launch.

It appears like 2024 will go down as the second consecutive year without any new GPU generation launch from either NVIDIA or AMD. Kopite7kimi, a reliable source with NVIDIA leaks, says that the GeForce RTX 50-series "Blackwell" generation won't see a debut before the 2025 International CES (January 2025). It was earlier expected that the company would launch at least its top two SKUs—the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080—toward the end of 2024, and ramp the series up from 2025. There is no explanation behind this "delay." Like everyone else, NVIDIA could be rationing its foundry allocation of the 3 nm wafers from TSMC for its high-margin "Blackwell" AI GPUs. The company now makes over five times the revenue from selling AI GPUs than it does from gaming GPUs, so this development should come as little surprise.

Things aren't any different with NVIDIA's rivals in this space, AMD and Intel. AMD's RDNA 4 graphics architecture and the Radeon RX series GPUs based on it, aren't expected to arrive before 2025. AMD is making several architectural upgrades with RDNA 4, particularly to its ray tracing hardware; and the company is expected to build these GPUs on a new foundry node. Meanwhile, Intel's Arc B-series gaming GPUs based on the Xe2 "Battlemage" graphics architecture are expected to arrive in 2025, too, although these chips are rumored to be based on a more mature 4 nm-class foundry node.

Intel is preparing to launch its next generation of mobile CPUs with Core Ultra 200 series "Lunar Lake" leading the charge. However, as these processors are about to hit the market, leakers reveal Intel's plans for the next-generation Core Ultra 300 series "Panther Lake". According to rumors, Panther Lake will double the core count of Lunar Lake, which capped out at eight cores. There are several configurations of Panther Lake in the making based on the different combinations of performance (P) "Cougar Cove," efficiency (E) "Skymont," and low power (LP) cores. First is the PTL-U with 4P+0E+4LP cores with four Xe3 "Celestial" GPU cores. This configuration is delivered within a 15 W envelope. Next, we have the PTL-H variant with 4P+8E+4LP cores for a total of 16 cores, with four Xe3 GPU cores, inside a 25 W package. Last but not least, Intel will also make PTL-P SKUs with 4P+8E+4LP cores, with 12 Xe3 cores, to create a potentially decent gaming chip with 25 W of power.

Intel's Panther Lake CPU architecture uses an innovative design approach, utilizing a multi-tile configuration. The processor incorporates five distinct tiles, with three playing active roles in its functionality. The central compute operations are handled by one "Die 4" tile with CPU and NPU, while "Die 1" is dedicated to platform control (PCD). Graphics processing is managed by "Die 5", leveraging Intel's Xe3 technology. Interestingly, two of the five tiles serve a primarily structural purpose. These passive elements are strategically placed to achieve a balanced, rectangular form factor for the chip. This design philosophy echoes a similar strategy employed in Intel's Lunar Lake processors. Panther Lake is poised to offer greater versatility compared to its Lunar Lake counterpart. It's expected to cater to a wider range of market segments and use cases. One notable advancement is the potential for increased memory capacity compared to Lunar Lake, which capped out at 32 GB of LPDDR5X memory running at 8533 MT/s. We can expect to hear more potentially at Intel's upcoming Innovation event in September, while general availability of Panther Lake is expected in late 2025 or early 2026.

ASUS has revealed its upcoming ExpertBook P5 laptop, set to debut alongside Intel's highly anticipated "Lunar Lake" processors. This ultrabook aims to boost AI-capable laptop market, featuring an unspecified Intel Lunar Lake "Core Ultra 200V" CPU at its core. The ExpertBook P5 boasts impressive AI processing capabilities, with over 45 TOPS from its Neural Processing Unit and a combined 100+ TOPS when factoring in the CPU and GPU. The NPU provides efficient processing, with additional power coming from Lunar Lake's GPU with XMX cores, featuring the Xe2 Battlemage architecture. This is more than enough for the Copilot+ certification from Microsoft, making the laptop debut as an "AI PC." The ExpertBook P5 offers up to 32 GB of LPDDR5X memory running at 8333 MT/s, up to 3 TB of PCIe 4.0 SSD storage with two drives, and Wi-Fi 7 support.

The 14-inch anti-glare display features a 2.5K resolution and a smooth 144 Hz refresh rate, ensuring a premium visual experience. Despite its powerful internals, the ExpertBook P5 maintains a solid profile weighing just 1.3 kg. The laptop is housed in an all-metal military-grade aluminium body with a 180-degree lay-flat hinge, making it both portable and versatile. ASUS has also prioritized cooling efficiency with innovative technology that optimizes thermal management, whether the laptop is open or closed. Security hasn't been overlooked either, with the ExpertBook P5 featuring a robust security ecosystem, including Windows 11 secured-core PC framework, NIST-155-ready Commercial-Grade BIOS protection, and biometric login options. While an exact release date hasn't been confirmed, ASUS is preparing ExpertBook P5 and other Lunar Lake-powered laptops to hit the market in the second half of 2024.

Intel has reportedly chosen the TSMC 4 nm EUV foundry node for its next generation Arc Xe2 discrete GPUs based on the "Battlemage" graphics architecture. This would mark a generational upgrade from the Arc "Alchemist" family, which Intel built on the TSMC 6 nm DUV process. The TSMC N4 node offers significant increases in transistor densities, performance, and power efficiency over the N6, which is allowing Intel to nearly double the Xe cores on its largest "Battlemage" variant in numerical terms. This, coupled with increased IPC, clock speeds, and other features, should make the "Battlemage" contemporary against today's AMD RDNA 3 and NVIDIA Ada gaming GPUs. Interestingly, TSMC N4 isn't the most advanced foundry node that the Xe2 "Battlemage" is being built on. The iGPU powering Intel's Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" processor is part of its Compute tile, which Intel is building on the more advanced TSMC N3 (3 nm) node.

As Intel gears for the launch of Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake processors, the company appears to be preparing a new line of high-performance processors for gaming laptops. Recent developments suggest that the company is adapting its desktop-grade Arrow Lake-S chips for use in ultra-high-performance notebooks. The buzz began when X user @InstLatX64 spotted Intel testing a peculiar motherboard labeled "Arrow Lake Client Platform/ARL-S BGA SODIMM 2DPC." This discovery hints at the possibility of Intel packing up to 24 cores into laptop processors, eight more cores compared to the 16 cores expected in standard Arrow Lake-H mobile chips. By utilizing the full potential of Arrow Lake-S silicon in a mobile form factor, Intel aims to deliver desktop-class performance to high-end notebooks in a BGA laptop CPU.

The leaked chip would likely feature eight high-performance Lion Cove P-cores and 16 energy-efficient Skymont E-cores, along with an integrated Xe2 GPU. This configuration could provide the raw power needed for demanding games and professional applications in a portable package. However, implementing such powerful hardware in laptops presents challenges. The processors are expected to have a TDP of 45 W or 55 W, with actual power consumption potentially exceeding these figures to maintain high clock speeds. Success will depend not only on Intel's chip design but also on the cooling solutions and power delivery systems developed by laptop manufacturers. As of now, specific details about clock speeds and performance metrics remain under wraps. The test chip that surfaced showed a base frequency of 3.0 GHz, notably without AVX-512 support.

According to the report from Phoronix, the upcoming Linux 6.11 kernel will introduce initial display support for the highly anticipated Intel Battlemage graphics processors. Battlemage, built on Intel's Xe2 architecture, represents the company's latest effort to challenge established players in the graphics arena. This new line of GPUs is designed to succeed the current DG2/Alchemist hardware, promising enhanced performance and improved power efficiency. The Linux 6.11 kernel will provide the fundamental capability to drive displays connected to Battlemage GPUs. While this initial support is a crucial first step, it lays the groundwork for more comprehensive functionality in future updates. Linux users and developers can look forward to testing and providing feedback on these new graphics solutions.

Intel's focus on power efficiency is evident in the features accompanying Battlemage support. The kernel will introduce Panel Replay functionality, a technology aimed at reducing display power consumption. This aligns with the growing demand for energy-efficient computing solutions, particularly in mobile and laptop segments. However, the work is far from complete. Intel's Linux graphics driver team continues to refine and optimize Battlemage support, with the goal of delivering a seamless experience by the time these GPUs hit the market later this year. The introduction of Battlemage support not only expands options for Linux users but also intensifies competition in the GPU market, potentially driving innovation across the industry. With promises of up to 1.5x over the previous generation Arc GPUs, we are in for a decent upgrade this year.