Intel’s next-generation Core Ultra laptop computer chips lastly have a launch date: September 3rd.
Codenamed Lunar Lake, Intel has been touting the chips for almost a 12 months now. Most not too long ago, Intel supplied the press a deep dive briefing on the chips and their underlying architectures at Computex again in June, together with a public preview throughout the firm’s Computex keynote. At the time Intel was getting ready for Q3’2024 launch, and that window has lastly been narrowed right down to a single date – September 3rd – when Intel can be internet hosting their Lunar Lake launch occasion forward of IFA.
Intel’s second stab at a excessive quantity chiplet-based processor for laptop computer customers, Lunar Lake is aimed significantly at ultrabooks and different low-power cell gadgets, with Intel trying to wrestle again the title of probably the most environment friendly PC laptop computer SoC. Lunar Lake is critical on this respect as Intel has by no means beforehand developed a complete chip structure particularly for low energy cell gadgets earlier than – it’s all the time been a scaled-down model of a wider-range structure, reminiscent of the present Meteor Lake (Core Ultra 100 sequence). Consequently, Intel has been touting that they’ve made some critical effectivity developments with their extremely focused chip, which they imagine will vault them over the competitors.
All advised, Lunar Lake is slated to deliver a major sequence of updates to Intel’s chip architectures and chip design methods. Of explicit curiosity is the change to on-package LPDDR5X reminiscence, which is a primary for a high-volume Core chip. As properly, Lunar Lake incorporates up to date variations of just about each one among Intel’s structure, from the CPU P and E cores – Lion Cove and Skymont respectively – to the Xe2 GPU and 4th era NPU (aptly named NPU 4). And, in a scandalous twist, each of the chiplets/tiles on the CPU are being made by TSMC. Intel isn’t offering any of the lively silicon for the chip – although they’re offering the Foveros packaging wanted to place it collectively.
| Intel CPU Architecture Generations | |||||
| Alder/Raptor Lake | Meteor Lake |
Lunar Lake |
Arrow Lake |
Panther Lake |
|
| P-Core Architecture | Golden Cove/ Raptor Cove |
Redwood Cove | Lion Cove | Lion Cove | Cougar Cove? |
| E-Core Architecture | Gracemont | Crestmont | Skymont | Crestmont? | Darkmont? |
| GPU Architecture | Xe-LP | Xe-LPG | Xe2 | Xe2? | ? |
| NPU Architecture | N/A | NPU 3720 | NPU 4 | ? | ? |
| Active Tiles | 1 (Monolithic) | 4 | 2 | 4? | ? |
| Manufacturing Processes | Intel 7 | Intel 4 + TSMC N6 + TSMC N5 | TSMC N3B + TSMC N6 | Intel 20A + More | Intel 18A |
| Segment | Mobile + Desktop | Mobile | LP Mobile | HP Mobile + Desktop | Mobile? |
| Release Date (OEM) | This fall’2021 | This fall’2023 | Q3’2024 | This fall’2024 | 2025 |
Suffice it to say, it doesn’t matter what occurs, Lunar Lake and the Core Ultra 200 sequence ought to show to be an fascinating launch.
It’s price noting, nonetheless, that whereas Intel’s announcement of their livestreamed occasion is being labeled a “launch event” by the corporate, the transient reveal doesn’t make any claims about on-the-shelves availability. September 3rd is a Tuesday (and the day after a US vacation), which isn’t a typical launch date for brand new laptops (for reference, the flippantly stocked Meteor Lake launch was a Thursday). So Intel’s launch occasion could show to be extra of a gentle launch for Lunar Lake; we’ll should see how issues pan out within the coming weeks.
