Key Takeaways
- Intel’s upcoming 14th Gen Core series, codenamed Raptor Lake Refresh, marks the end of the iconic “i” branding for their processors.
- The Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs, such as the Core i9-14900K, build upon the Alder Lake architecture with enhancements in clock speeds, core counts, and cache sizes.
- Directly competing with AMD’s Ryzen 5000 and upcoming Ryzen 6000 series, Intel’s new CPUs are expected to be unveiled after the review embargo lifts on October 17th.
- Intel’s flagship Core i9-14900K boasts 8 Performance cores and 16 Efficiency cores, featuring a base clock of 3.2 GHz, a max boost clock of 6.0 GHz for P-cores, and 5.0 GHz for E-cores.
- The Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs will usher in a new branding era for Intel, with future desktop and mobile processors adopting the Core 3/5/7/9 Ultra nomenclature, based on Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake architectures.
Intel is preparing to launch its 14th Gen Core series of desktop processors, codenamed Raptor Lake Refresh, which will be the last generation to use the “i” branding. According to a report by VideoCardz, Intel has already sent the Core i9-14900K and Core i9-14900KF CPUs to reviewers, who are not allowed to discuss them publicly until the review embargo is lifted on October 17th.
The Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs are based on the same silicon as the previous Alder Lake CPUs, but with some improvements in clock speeds, core counts, and cache sizes. The flagship Core i9-14900K will feature 8 Performance cores and 16 Efficiency cores, with a base clock of 3.2 GHz and a max boost clock of 6.0 GHz for the P-cores and 5.0 GHz for the E-cores. The CPU will have a 36 MB L3 cache and a 125 W power budget (PBP). The Core i9-14900KF will have the same specifications, but without an integrated graphics unit.
The Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs will compete with AMD’s Ryzen 5000 and Ryzen 6000 series of desktop processors, which are based on the Zen 3 and Zen 3D architectures, respectively. AMD’s Ryzen 6000 series is expected to launch in early 2024, and will feature a new chiplet design with 3D V-cache technology, which could offer up to a 15% performance boost over the Ryzen 5000 series.
Intel did not announce the Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs at its Innovation event, which took place on September 27th and 28th. Instead, Intel only showed a demo of the Core i9-14900K running a game at 4K resolution with ray tracing enabled. Intel also revealed its plans to change its branding to Core 3/5/7/9 Ultra for the next generation of desktop and mobile processors, which will be based on the Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake architectures. These CPUs will use a hybrid design with Golden Cove and Gracemont cores, as well as Intel’s first 7 nm process node.
The Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs will be compatible with existing Intel 600- and Intel 700-series motherboards, as long as they have an appropriate BIOS update. The CPUs will also support both DDR4 and DDR5 memory modules, as well as PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0 interfaces. The Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs are expected to be available for purchase by the end of October or early November.
CEO
Aleem Iqbal serves as CEO of Red Awakening. He holds an ICS from Degree College and a BS in Computer Science from Virtual University. An avid gamer for over 15 years and technology enthusiast, Aleem brings a unique perspective shaped by his diverse background. His passion for gaming led him to become an author and tech leader. Aleem leverages his experience to create engaging stories and lead Red Awakening towards future growth.
