At CES 2024, Intel announced the full Intel Core 14th Gen processor lineup for mobile and desktop, along with the Intel Core Series 1 for thin–and–light mobile systems. As seems to be the trend at the show, Intel’s focus was on offering a wide range of processors with moderate performance improvements and at competitive prices. And for those with short memories, Intel also showcased its recent launches, including the 5th Gen Intel Xeon and Intel Core Ultra processors, at an interactive technology lounge.
What do we think? In what seems to be a trend at CES 2024, Intel has released a host (we lost count) of new processors that offer moderate performance increases and notable price decreases. There’s something for everyone: 35W or 65W, with integrated GPU or without, cheaper than a night out in Vegas, or not. Nothing in the new range is as expensive as the last Raptor Lake drop, and most of them are in a very comfortable “couple of hundred bucks” ballpark.
Despite a revisit to the AI Everywhere messaging, these are not AI-heavy new chips. Rather, this is a last hurrah for the 14th-generation Raptor Lake Refresh series. For mobile users, there is a new enthusiast-grade HX series of processors for laptops and an Intel Core mobile processor Series 1 family, led by the Intel Core 7 processor 150U, targeting ultra-thin laptops—still Raptor Lake-based, Intel says.
It’s not a thrilling set of announcements, but it is wide-ranging, well priced, and in keeping with the general theme of CES 2024: Let’s get things back to pre-pandemic prices and shift some volume.
Despite the focus on a Raptor Lake refresh, at CES 2024, Intel doesn’t want you to forget the excitement of the recent 5th Gen Intel Xeon and Intel Core Ultra processor launches. An interactive technology lounge at CES showcases live demonstrations of Intel solutions including the AI PC, Intel Automotive software-defined vehicle, Intel Core Ultra and Intel Arc gaming, and Intel Gaudi2.
Intel executives say they will be cornering folks in that lounge at CES to discuss the AI Everywhere concept with key industry customers and partners, exploring the AI PC and how they can conspire to bring AI to everyone, everywhere—whether or not they asked for it.
Intel announces Intel Core 14th Gen mobile and desktop processor lineup
At CES, Intel announced its full Intel Core 14th Gen mobile and desktop processor lineup, including new HX-series mobile processors and mainstream 65W and 35W desktop processors. Additionally, Intel introduced its new Intel Core mobile processor Series 1 family, led by the Intel Core 7 processor 150U, for performant mainstream thin-and-light mobile systems.
Intel Core 14th Gen HX-series mobile processors are general-purpose laptop workhorses. The flagship processor, the Intel Core i9-14900HX, features eight Performance-cores (P-cores) and 16 Efficient-cores (E-cores). The HX series focuses on improvements in creator performance, with 50% more E-cores in the Intel Core i7-14700HX processors.
Key features of the new processor family include:
- Up to 5.8 GHz turbo frequency claimed to deliver up to 17% better gaming performance and up to 51% faster multitasking performance gen-over-gen.
- Up to 24 cores (eight P-cores, 16 E-cores) and 32 threads in its i9-14900HX processors.
- 50% more E-cores in its i7-14700HX processors, bringing those to 20 cores (eight P-cores, 12 E-cores) and 28 threads.
- Support for up to 192GB of total DDR5-5600 megatransfers/second (MT/S) memory.
- Overclocking capabilities on HX series processors, including Intel Extreme Utility (XTU) and Intel Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) support.
- Intel Application Optimization (APO) support on HX series, with six new gaming titles (eight total) supported since the initial Intel Core 14th Gen desktop launch in October 2023.
- Thunderbolt 5, delivering 80 Gbps of bi-directional bandwidth, and bandwidth boost providing up to 120 Gbps, 3× the capability of today’s fastest solutions, for optimal display and data experiences—in addition to Thunderbolt 4 delivering bandwidth of 40 Gbps for PC connectivity to multiple 4K monitors and accessories.
- Comprehensive wireless features, including integrated Intel Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+) and available new discrete Intel Wi-Fi 7 (5 Gig) for multi-gigabit speeds in more locations, wired-like responsiveness, and extreme reliability.
- Support for both Bluetooth 5.4 and Bluetooth 5.3, enabling multiple simultaneous Bluetooth-enabled device connections.
Over 60 partner systems powered by Intel Core 14th Gen HX processors are expected to be available in 2024.
Can you play games on it? Yes, you can, according to performance data provided by Intel, which shows it holding its own against similarly priced AMD devices with up to 17% better performance. No comparison was made with last-gen Intel offerings, and we suspect that there isn’t going to be any reason to upgrade, with marginal difference.
18! Yes, 18! New Intel Core 14th Gen mainstream desktop processors
The Intel Core 14th Gen desktop stack has 18 new processors for gamer, creator, and workers—so, everybody. There’s also edge variants for industry/embedded.
At the edge, these processors enable AI and compute-intensive workloads, with more cores in LGA-socketed packaging, and enabling applications from interactive whiteboards in school classrooms to medical imaging displays and controlled automation and robotics on the factory floor.
Intel Core U processor Series 1 brings efficient performance, robust features to mainstream thin-and-light systems
The Intel Core U mobile processor family prioritizes efficiency over performance to enable thin-and-light devices, with all the platform features still there.
The new Intel Core U processor Series 1 includes:
- Up to 5.4 GHz turbo frequency along with up to 10 cores (two P-cores, eight E-cores) and 12 threads in its Intel Core 7 processor 150U.
- Up to 96GB of total DDR5-5200/DDR4-3200 MT/S memory.
- Thunderbolt 4 universal connectivity for work and play, enabling 40 Gbps bandwidth for connection to multiple 4K monitors and accessories.
- Support for eight PCIe Gen 4.0 and 12 PCIe Gen 3.0 lanes for the latest solid-state drive (SSD) storage.
- The latest in Bluetooth connectivity with support for both Bluetooth 5.4 and Bluetooth 5.3, including Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) audio enabling low-power, immersive, high-fidelity PC sonic experiences and support for new Bluetooth Auracast capabilities for broadcast audio tuning, personal audio sharing, and enhanced accessibility for hearing aids and new assisted listening services.
- Next-generation wireless connectivity with support for both Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 (5 Gig) and Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+).
Mobile systems powered by the Intel Core U processor Series 1 will come to market in the first quarter of 2024.