Intel set to unveil 14th-Gen Core ‘Raptor Lake Refresh’ CPUs: What’s new?

Intel is gearing up for a significant announcement this year regarding its 14th-generation Core processors, the ‘Raptor Lake Refresh’ series. This follows the footsteps of last year’s Raptor Lake lineup. Over the past few months, several leaks have illuminated key details about these upcoming processors.

The most recent information comes directly from MSI, a prominent Taiwanese motherboard manufacturer. Their leaked details confirm crucial aspects, including the names and core configurations of multiple chips within the forthcoming next-gen family.

The source of this leaked information is an unlisted video posted by MSI on YouTube (via @DarkmontTech). Though the video has been made private since then, it initially revealed key insights about Intel’s upcoming CPU lineup.

According to the video, the Raptor Lake Refresh series will utilise the Intel 7 (10nm) process node and offer support for higher DDR5 frequencies. Notably, these next-gen chips are projected to exhibit a mere 3 per cent increase in performance compared to their predecessors. For instance, the i7-14700K is anticipated to deliver an average performance improvement of up to 17 per cent in multi-threaded applications over the i7-13700K.

This performance enhancement in the 14700K model can be attributed to the inclusion of four additional efficient cores in the new chip’s design. Reports suggest that this chip will sport 8 performance cores and 12 efficient cores, deviating from the 8P+8E configuration seen in the 13700K.

On the other hand, the i5-14600K and the i9-14900K are expected to maintain the same core counts as their predecessors. The former is likely to continue with the 6P+8E configuration of the i5-13600K, while the latter is rumoured to retain 8 performance cores and 16 efficient cores, mirroring the i9-13900K.

Intel 14th Gen leak suggests modest generational improvements

The relevant slide in the video compares Intel's current Core i5-13600K, Core i7-13700K, and Core i9-13900K being compared to the next generation Core i5-14600K, Core i7-14700K, and Core i9-14900K. While the i3 and i9… pic.twitter.com/LIFDfXDCPY

— Sanath (@SanathNarayan) August 26, 2023

Earlier leaks have indicated that the new processors will adhere to the architectural framework of the Raptor Lake lineup. This means they will feature the same configuration of Raptor Cove P-Cores and Gracemont E-Cores as their predecessors. The manufacturing process will be based on the 10nm++ node, and at least one of the higher-tier chips is anticipated to achieve frequencies exceeding 6 GHz.

However, this enhanced performance may come at the expense of higher power consumption, with top-tier Raptor Lake Refresh chips potentially reaching a TDP exceeding 300W. Fortunately, these chips will maintain compatibility with existing LGA 1700 and 1800 motherboards, enabling users to seamlessly upgrade their processors without necessitating an entire system overhaul.