There have already been signs, now Intel is making it official: The company is changing the naming scheme of its desktop and notebook processors. 15 years ago, Intel switched to the well-known Core iX scheme – now the i is gone. In addition, Intel will no longer indicate the generation, so instead of a 14th Gen Core i9 there will be a Core 9 in the future.
The four to five-digit product number, which continues to contain the reference to the processor generation in the first place, is retained. The partly attached letters also remain with the usual meaning. However, the product numbers will be reset: the new naming scheme will be introduced with the Meteor Lake processors expected in late 2023, their product numbers will start with 1.
In a first statement in May via Twitter, company spokesman Bernard Fernandes justified the change by saying that Intel was at a turning point: At Meteor Lake, Intel used chiplets for the first time, some from its own 4 nm production and some from TSMC. Now it is said that the new naming scheme should make the most powerful processors easier to identify for customers.
In addition, the processors will be divided into two product lines in the future: In addition to the normal core processors, there will be core ultra processors. Intel has not yet announced what distinguishes an ultra processor from a model without this addition. Two options are obvious: the simple core processors could lack performance cores or the AI accelerator. The latter will be installed for the first time in Meteor Lake, all processors in this family and in the successor Arrow Lake are said to be Core Ultras.
Lots of new stickers
The new naming scheme also means new decals for the case. A device has the appropriate Core or Core Ultra sticker, if the remote maintenance extension vPro is available or a notebook is certified by Intel Evo, there are adapted variants. So far it seems as if, unlike before, the performance class is no longer specified for these. If a dedicated Arc graphics card is installed – Intel emphasized that this is possible with both Core and Core Ultra processors – there is another sticker on the case for it.
Should processors come onto the market before Meteor Lake – none have been announced so far – they would continue to use the old naming scheme, according to Intel. This explicit hint suggests that there could still be a Raptor Lake refresh.
