Intel Core Ultra laptop CPUs have eyes on AI, but it’s Arc graphics that could change the game
Intel have finally confirmed the full lineup and specs for their 14th gen Meteor Lake CPUs, which for now is comprised entirely of ultrathin laptop chips with the new Core Ultra branding. I appreciate that a PC gaming site might not be the most natural home for this information, considering both that these are not technically gaming CPUs and that that Meteor Lake’s most hyped-up feature is more of a productivity aid: a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for client-side AI work. However, as the new H-series parts also integrate Intel Arc graphics for the first time, there is some interesting potential for them to transform lightweight ultrabooks into viable gaming laptops.
Why these, and not the countless other integrated GPUs that have made similar promises? The proof will be in the real-world testing pudding, naturally. Still, unlike Intel's innovation-deprived 14th gen desktop CPUs, Raptor Lake Refresh, Meteor Lake represents such a major overhaul of Intel’s existing lappy CPU architecture – with specific changes dedicated to games performance and power efficiency – that they might just pull it off.
The Meteor Lake design is based around four "tiles," with each tile – compute, graphics, SoC, and I/O – dedicated to certain PC duties. The idea is that power can be routed more efficiently to the tiles that are in need, and away from tiles whose functions aren’t in demand at a given moment. The compute tile’s P-core and E-cores (a hybrid design first introduced on the 12th gen Alder Lake CPUs) have also been reworked to sip less juice, while the SoC tile includes two ultra-low-power E-cores that can handle basic, predictable tasks (like video playback) with even less battery drain. Intel reckon that when streaming Netflix, a
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