Intel 14th Gen Meteor Lake Mobile Processors launched

Intel has announced its next generation of laptop processors, the Meteor Lake. The 14th gen laptop processor, named Meteor Lake is a mobile-exclusive processor generation as it won’t be available for the desktop.

Meteor Lake or 14th-gen processors is a fresh new start as Intel is adopting a new branding called “Core Ultra” dropping the iconic “Core i” branding. It is also leaning into AI performance embedded in the processors. A few days ago, AMD launched Ryzen 8040 series mobile processors.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Intel 14th gen mobile processors.

Highlights

• Intel 14th gen is based on the Intel 4 process and has new LP-E (Low Power Efficiency) cores in addition to P and E-cores.
• The new lineup is divided into the Intel Core Ultra U series and Ultra H series.
• All processors come with a Neural Engine called Intel AI
• All these Core Ultra processors support either DDR5-5600MHz or LPDDR5/x-7464MHz RAM

Intel 14th Gen Meteor Lake Specifications and Variants

As already mentioned, the Meteor Lake lineup for laptops is divided into Ultra U and Ultra H processors. Core Ultra U-series are low-powered 15W processors and the H-series are higher-powered processors with a base power of 28W up to 115W.

Intel 14th Gen Core Ultra H-Series

The H-series is led by Core Ultra 9 185H which will be available a little later compared to other processors. All the H-series processors will feature Intel Arc GPU with 8/7 Xe cores depending on the SKUs.

Core Ultra 9 185H: This flagship model boasts a monstrous 16 cores (6 P-cores + 8 E-cores + 2 LP E-cores) and 22 threads. It reaches a blistering 5.1 GHz max turbo frequency for the P-cores and has an Arc GPU with 8Xe cores. It can reach a max power of 115W and has a base power of 45W.

Core Ultra 7 165H: Offering the same core configuration as the 9, this processor pushes the max turbo frequency to 5.0 GHz and also has a similar Arc GPU with 8Xe cores although at a slightly lower clock speed.

Core Ultra 7 155H: This slightly toned-down version maintains the 16-core architecture but with a slightly lower max turbo frequency (4.8 GHz) for P-cores. This translates to exceptional performance while potentially offering better battery life.

Core Ultra 5 135H and 125H: These processors offer 14 cores (4 P-cores + 8 E-cores + 2 LP E-cores) and are perfect for mainstream users who demand excellent performance for everyday tasks like video editing and heavy multitasking.

Also Read: Core Ultra 5 125H performance benchmark

Intel 14th Gen Core Ultra U-Series

While the Core Ultra H-series flexes its muscles in high-performance laptops, the U-series is for ultra-thin and light laptops. Unlike H-series processors, it won’t have Arc GPU instead will rely on Intel Graphics with 4 Xe cores. Let’s take a closer look at each SKU:

Core Ultra 7 165U: The U-series is led by 165U, packing a powerful 10-core (2 P-cores + 8 E-cores) and 14 threads. It boasts a max turbo frequency of 4.9 GHz, delivering top-notch performance even on thin laptops.

Core Ultra 7 164U: A power-efficient cousin to the 165U, 164U has slightly lower clock speeds (up to 4.8 GHz) and GPU frequencies with much lower power consumption. With 9W base power, this is made for efficient thin notebooks meant for longer battery life over raw performance.

Core Ultra 7 155U: This model prioritizes efficiency while retaining the 10-core architecture. The max turbo frequency drops to 4.8 GHz, but the lower TDP (15W base) ensures longer battery life and cooler operation. Perfect for students, professionals, and anyone who values a balance of performance and efficiency.

Core Ultra 5 135U and Ultra 5 125U: Stepping down to the 5 series, you’ll find the same 10-core configuration with a slightly lower max turbo (4.4 GHz). This translates to excellent performance for everyday tasks like browsing, office work, and even some creative applications.

Core Ultra 5 134U: This model prioritizes efficiency over raw power, with a max turbo of 4.4 GHz and a lower 9W base TDP. This makes it ideal for ultra-thin and light laptops that prioritize portability and long battery life for all-day productivity.

Also Read: Intel Client Processor Roadmap

Intel 14th gen mobile processor performance and benchmarks

Intel is boasting significant performance gains for its 14th Gen Meteor Lake processors, particularly in the multi-threaded performance. Compared to the 13th Gen Core i7-1370P, the Core Ultra 7 165H delivers an impressive 8% improvement in multi-threaded performance according to SPECrate 2017 benchmarks. This translates to smoother handling of demanding tasks that require parallel processing, like video editing or 3D rendering.

Single-threaded performance also sees a boost, with the Core Ultra 7 165H outrunning its AMD counterpart, the Ryzen 7 7840U, by 12%. Interestingly, the Intel chip falls slightly behind the i7-1370P in pure single-threaded tasks, suggesting its strength lies in multitasking and heavy workloads.

But the real headline grabber is the graphics performance: Intel claims its Meteor Lake architecture delivers up to double the graphics performance compared to the previous generation. This translates into a 41% faster content creation experience in Adobe Premiere Pro, as measured by the Puget Bench test.

Intel also showed some gaming performance relative to other processors like AMD Ryzen 7 7840U with different laptops and also shows some numbers with XeSS enabled. XeSS is the upscaling solution from Intel similar to Nvidia DLSS and AMD FSR.

Improvements in Intel 14th gen Meteor Lake Processor

AI takes center stage with Meteor Lake. The chip houses a dedicated NPU, a mini powerhouse visible even in your Windows Task Manager. This NPU isn’t just for online tasks; it enables offline AI processing, taking AI capabilities to a whole new level. In essence, Meteor Lake is designed from the ground up with AI in mind. Intel even emphasizes its “three AI engines”, highlighting the chip’s robust AI muscle.

Intel is using the Intel 4 process with EUV lithography, promising 20% better power efficiency.

Smarter Scheduling and Power Efficiency

Intel’s 14th Gen processors get a major upgrade in how tasks get assigned to the right core at the right time. Their Intel Thread Director constantly analyzes workload, providing the operating system with valuable insights for optimized scheduling. This means your laptop can handle everything smoothly while using less power.

Intel has also added a new type of core called the Low Power Island (LP E-core), located on a separate chip within the processor. These two cores are designed to efficiently handle background tasks and even things like video playback, all while barely sipping power.

Coupled with a new scheduling process where the task is assigned first to the LP E-core, then to the E-core and then to the P-cores based on how much juice the task needs. For simple tasks like browsing, or media playback, the LP E-cores will take care of it, saving power.

Intel shows this with Netflix streaming. The Core Ultra 7 165H gobbles up just 1.15W, compared to the 1.54W of the previous generation’s i7-1370P. That’s a 25% reduction in power consumption just for watching your favourite show!

Intel 14th gen Meteor Lake Availability

Intel has partnered with various retailers and OEMs to get these processors into your hands starting December 14. However, the availability of laptops with these new processors might differ based on region. Some of the processors like the Ultra 9 185H will be available later in Q1 of 2024.