Just a few days ahead of IFA 2024, Intel unveiled its latest range of AI processors for laptops. Codenamed Lunar Lake, Intel is referring to the Core Ultra 200V processors as the most efficient family of x86 processors ever, which will power a "new class of AI PCs." Compared to the first generation of AI PC chips from Intel, the latest leadership product––Intel Core Ultra 200V––packs significant innovations across CPU, GPU, and NPU. According to Jim Johnson, senior vice president and general manager, client business group at Intel, the Intel Core Ultra 200V processors are "the most efficient processors we have ever built without compromise." Compared to the earlier generation of laptop chips from Intel, the latest Intel Core Ultra 200V processors are based on a completely new architecture, design, and construction. These are also the first set of laptop chips from Intel with a memory-on-chip design, similar to Apple's M series of processors. Intel Core Ultra 200V CPU architecture Lunar Lake chips are available in a total of nine stock-keeping units (SKUs) with Intel Core Ultra 9 288V being the flagship offering, consisting an octa-core CPU design with four high-performance Lion Cove P-cores, offering 15 per cent more performance per watt, 10 per cent more performance per mm2 die area, and delivering total instructions per cycle (IPC) improvement of 14 per cent over its predecessor with a peak clock speed of up to 5.1 GHz. The other four cores are called Skymont E-cores with 2x AI throughout and a 68 per cent IPC increase. Compared to the previous generation of chips, Lunar Lake has a 50 per cent lower package power. This enables it to deliver up to 20 hours of active battery life (productivity), which outperforms Snapdragon X Elite. Intel also says the Core Ultra 9 288V is faster than the Apple M3, powering the latest generation of MacBook Air in multi-threaded performance. Intel Core Ultra 200V GPU architecture Lunar Lake chips also have brand-new integrated Xe2 featuring eight graphics cores with up to 30 per cent improvement in performance (Intel Arc 140V/Intel Intel Arc 130V) with support for features like ray-tracing and AI upscaling, which according to Intel is the fastest built-in GPU in the industry. The new Xe2 140V graphics on the Intel Core Ultra 9 288V is 15 per cent faster than the Radeon 800M featured on the Ryzen HX 370 processor on most popular games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Far Cry 6, Diablo IV, and more. Some titles like GTA: V, Minecraft, and Dota 2 perform better on the Radeon 800M. Intel also said it was difficult to measure the performance of the Xe2 140V against Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite chip with Andreno graphics, as over 23 games did not even run. On the titles that worked, the Xe2 graphics offered 68 per cent better performance. This will enable 1080p gaming on thin-and-light laptops with a higher frame rate and frame time. The new Xe2 graphics can offer the same frame rate as the other mobile graphics while running at 30 per cent lower power than AMD HX 370 and 50 per cent lower power than Snapdragon X Elite with a 25 per cent more frame rate. Overall, Lunar Lake chips, while gaming at 1080p can offer an average FPS of around 75 while consuming around 31W of power. Intel Core Ultra 200V NPU architecture Lunar Lake processors can offer up to 120 Tera Operations per Second (TOPs) of combined AI performance (CPU + GPU + NPU), which now includes a neural processing unit (NPU) that's four times bigger and can deliver up to 48 TOPs, GPU with added AI extensions (67 TOPs), and even the new CPU cores can deliver double the AI throughput. The new NPU on the Lunar Lake is said to be 20 per cent more powerful than the Hexagon NPU on the Snapdragon X Elite chip. For a PC to be branded as Copilot+, it should have a dedicated AI processor that can offer at least 40 TOPs of performance. Intel has confirmed that laptops powered by the Lunar Lake processor will receive Copilot+ PC features in November via a Windows 11 software update, which are currently exclusive to Snapdragon X series-powered devices. Intel says, "There is nothing more frustrating than when an app doesn't run, and you don't need a website to check if your favourite app will run, and Lunar Lake does not break the trust of generational app compatibility," taking a direct dig at ARM-based Snapdragon X Elite/Plus powered Copilot+ PCs and their compatibility issues with legacy apps and games. The Intel Core Ultra 200V series of processors also comes with an integrated networking modem with support for Wi-Fi 7. Launching on September 24, there will be over 80 different laptops from 20 different brands with the Intel Core Ultra 200V series of processors, and pre-orders for select laptops start today, which will be announced in India on September 12.
