Intel Unveils 'Meteor Lake' Processors with AI Enhancements for December Release

Intel has unveiled its upcoming 'Meteor Lake' processors set to debut in computers by the end of the year. These new Intel Core Ultra chips are built using the company's 7nm "Intel 4" technology and come equipped with a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) for on-device AI improvements. Similar to competitors AMD and Qualcomm, Intel's chips employ chiplets for different components on the same chip, promising improved performance and energy efficiency.

The launch date for the Meteor Lake processors is December 14, following last year's announcement of Raptor Lake CPUs. Intel touts Meteor Lake as the most significant architectural shift in its processor design in four decades, with the top-tier chip dubbed the Intel Core Ultra.

Thanks to Intel's chiplet approach, these processors offer better performance while consuming less power, suggesting a focus on laptops. The "Compute Tile" integrates efficiency cores and the first integrated NPU AI engine. Dedicated tiles for Media and Graphics can be independently activated, including an "Xe LPG" GPU with ray tracing support and XeSS technology.

Connectivity options on the "I/O Tile" include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1, PCIe Gen 5, and Thunderbolt 4. Support for Thunderbolt 5 is expected to follow in a few months.

Intel highlights the Meteor Lake 'Intel Core Ultra' chips' capability to run AI tasks using the built-in NPU, enabling on-device AI performance and improved AI features expected in future Windows updates.

Pricing details are yet to be disclosed, but more information about these processors, including OEM partnerships and their availability in laptops and desktops, is anticipated as the December 14 launch date approaches.