Intel has announced that its upcoming 14th generation Core processors, codenamed Raptor Lake Refresh, will be the last to use the company’s long-running Core i# branding scheme. Starting with the next generation Meteor Lake chips expected in 2024, Intel will transition to a simplified Core # naming convention.
The “Core i” branding has been used by Intel since the introduction of the Core microarchitecture in 2006. For nearly two decades, each generation of Intel desktop and mobile processors has carried the familiar i3, i5, i7, and i9 designations to denote relative performance tiers.
With Raptor Lake Refresh, Intel is signaling the end of this naming era. Recent rumors had suggested unusual branding like “Core 1002H” and “Core Ultra 100H” for future Intel chips, prompting the company to confirm the Core i# scheme will be discontinued. The new naming aligns with Intel’s stated goals of simplifying product tiers and classifications for customers.
Intel had not revealed details about 14th gen desktop chips until this week’s announcement of the Core i9-14900K, i7-14700K, and i5-14600K models. These will be the last desktop processors to use the outgoing branding. Additional 14th gen mobile and desktop CPUs slated for release in 2023 and early 2024 will conclude the generation before Meteor Lake ushers in the revised nomenclature.
The shake-up in branding reflects Intel’s aim to streamline product segmentation, with potentially straightforward names like “Core Ultra 200.” The “Ultra” label may indicate next-gen silicon, while non-Ultra chips are based on prior technology. This strategy mirrors rival AMD’s differentiation of Ryzen processor tiers.
via: VideoCardZ, Intel
