Intel Core Ultra 3: The Next Generation of Entry-Level CPUs

Introduction

Intel’s Core Ultra 3 processors are making waves in the desktop CPU market. With rumors swirling about their architecture and performance, let’s dive into what we know so far.

Core Ultra 3: Not in the Arrow Lake-S Family

Recent information shared by @Jaykihn suggests that the Intel Arrow Lake-S family won’t include an entry-level Core Ultra 3 SKU. Instead, the lineup is expected to feature Core Ultra 9, Core Ultra 7, and Core Ultra 5 SKUs under the “Core Ultra 200” banner. But what about Core i3 replacements?

Core i3 Successor: Raptor Lake-S Architecture

Fear not, Core i3 fans! While there won’t be a Core Ultra 3 using the Arrow Lake architecture, we might see a Core Ultra 3 or a standard Core 3 series based on an existing architecture. The likely candidate? Raptor Lake-S. This refresh of a refresh promises to breathe new life into the entry-level segment.

The Current Core i3 Lineup

Let’s take a quick look at the existing Intel Core i3 lineup. Over the last few years, Core i3 chips have featured 4 P-Cores with HyperThreading (HT). However, Arrow Lake is expected to remove HT support, leaving us with 4 P-Cores and no E-Cores. Clock speeds have incrementally increased, with the most recent Core i3-14100 SKU reaching 4.7 GHz.

• Core i3-12100 (Alder Lake): 4 Cores / 8 Threads / 12 MB L3 / 4.30 GHz Boost / 89W TDP
• Core i3-13100 (Raptor Lake): 4 Cores / 8 Threads / 12 MB L3 / 4.50 GHz Boost / 110W TDP
• Core i3-11100 (Raptor Lake): 4 Cores / 8 Threads / 12 MB L3 / 4.70 GHz Boost / 110W TDP

Raptor Lake on the Horizon

Intel’s first-gen Core Ultra series included both Core Ultra chips (part of the Meteor Lake family) and Non-Core Ultra chips (part of the Raptor Lake-Refresh family). We might see a similar approach for entry-level SKUs based on Raptor Lake, which could also mean Raptor Lake appearing on the LGA 1851 socket.

Codec Specifications for Arrow Lake-S & Arrow Lake-HX

Jaykihn has also shared codec details for Arrow Lake-S and Arrow Lake-HX CPUs. While there’s no dedicated transcoding API, HW acceleration for video processing is available (depending on the GPU driver). These chips can handle more than 16 simultaneous FHD decode streams.

Stay tuned for more updates on the Arrow Lake and Core Ultra 200 family. Exciting times lie ahead for Intel’s entry-level CPUs!