The specifications for Intel’s highly anticipated Raptor Lake refresh 14th Gen processors have been posted by well-known leaker chi11eddog on Twitter via (Videocardz), raising further questions over the accuracy of previous leaks that claimed extensive core count increases.
This time, the core counts seem to revert back to previous reports of just the Core i7-14700 and Core i7-14700K gaining four E-cores, with 12 in total plus eight powerful P-cores giving a total of 20 cores – an increase of four over the Core i7-13700K. The Core i9 parts remain the same in terms of core counts.
In a blow to hopes of boosts to mid-range core count increases, the post suggests the Core i5-14400 14500 and 14600 models will retain their core counts from the 13th Gen models and this would likely include the Core i5-14600K too. Previous rumors pointed at the Core i5-14600K potentially seeing its P-core count increase from six to eight, which would have posed real problems for AMD’s mid-range CPUs.
However, this would have required Intel to use similar dies/have enough high-end dies to higher end models – something that there was little evidence for, at least not this far down the range. So it seems the only models at Core i5 or above that is still potentially getting a core count increase are the Core i7-14700 and 14700K, which could see four E-cores added to their specification, boosting multi-threaded performance.
There are still questions over Intel’s Core i3 models, however, which have been rumored to be getting six P-cores for the first time. However, with no core count boost apparently coming to the Core i5 series, it’s maybe less likely given this would give CPUs such as the Core i3-14100 the same number of P-cores as a much more expensive Core i5-14500. We’ll have to wait for Intel’s expected October launch for 14th Gen Raptor Lake Refresh processors to know for sure.
What we do know is that Intel’s 14th Gen CPUs will be compatible with older motherboard models – in short, if you own a 12th Gen or 13th Gen Intel CPU, you should be able to drop a 14th Gen CPU into your motherboard with nothing more needed than a BIOS update. That means that unlike AMD, you can own a cutting-edge Intel processor, but not be required to buy expensive DDR5 memory.
It’s an unexpected additional generation of CPUs for Intel’s LGA1700 socket, so owners of 12th Gen CPUs have really lucked out here, as they’ve been handed an generous amount of future proofing for a platform that should have ended with last year’s 13th Gen CPUs.
There will likely be lots more information revealed in the meantime so be sure to follow me here on Forbes using the blue follow button for more news regarding Intel’s new processors, follow me on Twitter or Facebook.
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