Intel, the world’s leading chipmaker, has announced a major change in its branding strategy for its upcoming generation of processors, codenamed Meteor Lake. The company is dropping the ‘i’ prefix from its Core i3, i5, i7 and i9 series, and introducing a new category called Core Ultra for its high-end products.
What’s new with Intel’s branding?
According to Intel, the new branding scheme is designed to “better align to customer requests” and simplify its processor names. The company says that customers often find the ‘i’ prefix confusing and unnecessary, and that the new naming scheme will make it easier to compare and choose between different models.
The new branding scheme will look like this:
- Intel Core 3, 5, 7 and 9: aimed at mainstream laptops and desktops for everyday use
- Intel Core Ultra 5, 7 and 9: aimed at high-performance computers for gaming or heavy-duty tasks
- Intel Core X: aimed at extreme enthusiasts and professionals who need the most powerful processors available
The company will also continue to use generational information at the end of the processor name, such as Intel Core 9 processor 1300AB, to indicate the specific model and features of the chip.
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What’s new with Intel’s processors?
Intel’s Meteor Lake processors are expected to launch sometime in the second half of 2023, and will be based on a new multi-tile design that combines different types of cores on a single chip. The processors will also feature Intel’s first 7nm process technology, which promises to deliver higher performance and lower power consumption than the current 10nm process.
One of the most interesting aspects of Meteor Lake is the integration of a powerful graphics unit, which will support Intel’s new Arc brand for discrete and integrated graphics. The graphics unit will reportedly have up to 128 execution units (EUs), which translates to 1024 stream processors. This would make it the most powerful integrated GPU ever, capable of running modern games at decent settings.
What does this mean for consumers?
The new branding scheme from Intel could make it easier for consumers to understand the differences between various processor models and choose the one that best suits their needs and budget. The new Core Ultra category could also appeal to gamers and power users who want the best performance possible from their computers.
However, Intel will also face stiff competition from its rivals, such as AMD and NVIDIA, who have been offering strong alternatives in both CPU and GPU markets. AMD’s Ryzen processors have been gaining popularity among consumers and enthusiasts for their high core counts and efficiency, while NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX graphics cards have been dominating the gaming scene with their ray tracing and DLSS features.
Therefore, Intel will have to prove that its Meteor Lake processors can deliver not only a better branding experience, but also a better performance experience for its customers.
