It looks like the Raptor Lake Refresh isn’t the only refresh Intel has in mind.Reputable hardware leaker ECSM While leaking potential launch dates for Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake processors, Sapphire Rapids Refresh has also been revealed to be in the works.
Starting on the consumer side, the Raptor Lake Refresh is a hot topic right now. Intel recently downgraded the premium packages for Core i9-13900K and Core i9-13900KS. It may not sound like a big move, but Intel usually does this right before the launch of a new processor series. According to ECSM, Intel will release the Raptor Lake Refresh in his two waves. As usual, the K-series SKUs will arrive first, and leaker claims he’ll hit stores in October. Non-K series products, on the other hand, are likely to be released between November and December to coincide with the holiday season.
The Raptor Lake Refresh doesn’t provide a significant performance boost like other refreshes. Of course, there are rumors that the clock speeds could be even higher and the refreshed chip could feature an improved Integrated Memory Controller (IMC). However, the leaker believes Intel seems to be introducing his new SKU with an 8P + 12E configuration, effectively positioned between the Core i7 (8P + 8E) and Core i9 (8P + 16E). I’m here. The Raptor Lake Refresh doesn’t offer any new chipsets or sockets. The chip fits nicely into the LGA1700 motherboard whether it’s on a 600-series or 700-series chipset.
ECSM is adamant that the cancellation of Meteor Lake for desktop remains unchanged. 7nm processors remain mobile-only. With Meteor Lake-powered laptops already starting to show up at CES 2023, the new processors sporting Intel’s revamped branding are expected to arrive in the fourth quarter of this year.
Intel CPU Roadmap 2023-2025*
| processor | release date |
|---|---|
| Raptor Lake Refresh K Series | October 2023 |
| Raptor Lake Refresh Non-K Series | November-December 2023 |
| Sapphire Rapids Refresh | Early 2024 |
| meteor lake | Q4 2024 |
| Arrow Lake | Q4 2024 – Q1 2025 |
*Date not confirmed by Intel.
Assuming Meteor Lake on desktop remains dead, the successor to Raptor Lake on desktop will be Arrow Lake. Arrow Lake will continue to feature a multi-tile design and this time the CPU tile will be part of Intel’s 20A process node. According to ECSM, Lake Arrow may land between his fourth quarter of 2024 and first quarter of 2025.
Intel’s 4th generation Sapphire Rapids Xeon processors have been on the market for less than a year. However, there are already rumors of a renewal. If the leaked information is accurate, the Sapphire Rapids Refresh could arrive in early 2024 in the form of the W-2500 and W-3500 series. New workstation processors continue to support the W790 motherboard.
