Intel launches its first Core Ultra processor line with a focus on AI

During the AI ​​Everywhere event, Intel officially announced the new Core Ultra product line for laptops and tablets, including 11 models with different designs and prices. The new CPU line is developed based on the Meteor Lake architecture and promises significant improvements in performance and power savings, especially better integrated graphics with a focus on artificial intelligence.

Intel previously announced that it would rebrand its CPUs with the new Core and Core Ultra branding, removing the letter "i" in the brand name, which has existed for more than 10 years on Intel Core CPU lines. This brand change will serve as a special milestone in Intel's product innovation roadmap.

'The launch of Intel Core Ultra demonstrates the unprecedented scale and speed with which Intel is advancing AI on PCs. By 2028, PC AI will account for 80% of the PC market, and with its broad ecosystem of hardware and software partners, Intel will be the brand best positioned to deliver world-class computing solutions. This next generation on the market'.

Intel Core Ultra is developed on Intel's 4 process technology (formerly known as 7nm) and Foveros 3D packaging. According to Intel, the Core Ultra line marks the biggest architectural change in the company's 40 years of chip manufacturing. The redesigned P-core architecture delivers better performance thanks to improved instructions-per-cycle (IPC), while the new E-core also enables improved power efficiency.

Intel confidently asserts that the new Core Ultra chips can provide up to 79% lower power consumption at the same 28W power level compared to AMD's Ryzen 7 7840U when operating in idle state on the computer. Windows desktop. In other aspects, users can also expect improvements, such as 48% better power efficiency when streaming Netflix, 44% when playing local 4K videos or 7% better when browsing the web.

The series offers up to 16 cores/22 threads clocked at up to 5.1 GHz and supports up to 64GB LPDDR5x RAM or 96GB DDR5 memory. Like other latest Intel processors, the Core Ultra line also supports discrete Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7, Thunderbolt 5, and Bluetooth 5.4 with LE Audio.

Intel also improved its integrated graphics, equipping new processors with up to 8 Xe cores with support for DX12 Ultimate and XeSS. The company claims customers can expect twice the graphics performance compared to previous generation processors with iGPU. Other features include hardware-accelerated Ray Tracing, AV1 encoding/decoding, and support for HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.1.

On the artificial intelligence (AI) front, Intel introduces a new Neural Processing Unit (NPU) called Intel AI Boost, promising "AI workloads that run longer" at low power combined with CPU and GPU for up to 2.5x better performance. You can expect these chips to work well with Microsoft's upcoming next-generation Windows client expected in the second half of 2024.

Intel Core Ultra H and U-Series are commercially available now. Intel Core Ultra 9 185H with 45W TDP will be available in Q1 2024 with ultra-low power 9W models. Intel said its partners have prepared more than 230 PC designs compatible with the new processor line.