Intel unveils Core Ultra mobile chips, pioneering an AI-centric experience; here’s the details

Intel, the American chip giant, has revealed its latest innovation in the world of processors - the Intel Core Ultra mobile processors. Launched at the "AI Everywhere" event on 14 December 2023, these processors boast a dedicated focus on AI acceleration, marking a significant leap forward in technology.

Powerful lineup with AI acceleration

The Core Ultra processors, part of the Meteor Lake lineup, introduce a shift in nomenclature, departing from the familiar "Core i" identification. Built on the advanced Intel 4 process (7nm), the family includes the Intel Core Ultra 5, Core Ultra 7, and Core Ultra 9, each offering up to 16 cores. What sets them apart is the incorporation of dedicated AI acceleration capabilities across the entire lineup.

ICYMI: AI is Everywhere! Check out the launch of our 5th Gen Intel Xeon and Intel Core Ultra processors to accelerate into the future with us! #StartsWithIntel https://t.co/GaBlinlnZ4 https://t.co/sSz252UDkn

— Intel (@intel) December 14, 2023

Advanced architecture & graphics performance

The processors showcase a sophisticated architecture with six Performance-cores, eight Efficiency-cores, and two low-power Efficiency-cores, providing 22 threads. The innovative "Intel Thread Director" technology optimises workload scheduling for enhanced performance.

Notably, the Performance-core (P-core) architecture brings improved instructions per cycle (IPC), while the Efficiency-cores and low-power Efficiency-cores deliver scalable, multi-threaded performance, surpassing the competition by up to 11 percent.

The Intel Core Ultra processors feature a built-in Intel Arc Graphic Processing Unit (GPU) with up to eight cores, doubling graphics performance from previous generations. This GPU supports modern graphics features like hardware-accelerated ray tracing, mesh shading, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1, and more.

Dedicated AI processing for efficiency

Intel introduces the Neural Processing Unit named AI Boost, specifically designed for handling longer-running AI workloads at low power. This NPU complements AI processing on both the CPU and GPU, resulting in 2.5 times better power efficiency compared to the previous generation.

Enhanced laptop experience with Intel Evo

Intel has also unveiled that laptops powered by the latest Core Ultra processors, designated as Intel Evo, promise a superior user experience. These laptops boast improved cooling, quieter functioning, and increased power efficiency, all while maintaining top-notch performance. This marks a significant step forward for the next generation of laptops powered by Intel processors.