Intel's next-generation Arrow Lake-S Desktop CPUs are now rumored to launch in the first half of 2024 in 24 core flavors.
Intel Arrow Lake-S Desktop CPUs Arrive In 1H 2024 With 24 Core SKUs On The 800-Series Motherboard Platform
In the latest information published by Benchlife, the tech outlet reports that their sources have pointed out the cancellation of Intel's Meteor Lake-S Desktop CPUs for the 800-series platform. Instead, the platform will be getting the Arrow Lake-S Desktop CPUs which will be accommodated on the 800-series platform comprising the Z890, B860, W880, and Q870 chipset motherboards.
As always, the Z890 and B660 chipsets will target the mainstream consumer segment while the W880 & Q870 chipsets will target the entry-level workstation / commercial segments. There's also an entry-level H810 chipset. The Z890 platform will feature up to 60 HSIO channels (26 CPU + 34 PCH while the B860 and H810 platforms will feature 44 and 32 HSIO channels, respectively. Intel's 800-series platform will also support up to DDR5-6400 memory natively and with 48 GB memory module compatibility. All motherboards will be utilizing the latest LGA 1851 socket which supports both, the allegedly canceled Meteor Lake-S and the Arrow Lake-S desktop CPUs.
The 15th Gen Intel Arrow Lake-S Desktop CPUs will bring back the 24 cores that we get on Raptor Lake CPUs today. The Arrow Lake-S top die will utilize up to 24 cores which will be a combination of 8 Performance Cores and 16 Efficiency Cores. Following is the full list of SKUs to expect from the lineup:
- Arrow Lake-S 24 (8P + 16E) / 4 Xe Cores / 125W TDP
- Arrow Lake-S 24 (8P + 16E) / 4 Xe Cores / 65W TDP
- Arrow Lake-S 24 (8P + 16E) / 4 Xe Cores / 35W TDP
Intel Desktop CPU Core Count Progression:
| Family Name | Total Cores | Total Threads | P-Cores | E-Cores | Top SKU Frequency | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandy Bridge | 4 | 8 | N/A | N/A | 3.90 GHz | 2011 |
| Ivy Bridge | 4 | 8 | N/A | N/A | 3.90 GHz | 2012 |
| Haswell | 4 | 8 | N/A | N/A | 4.00 GHz | 2013 |
| Broadwell | 4 | 8 | N/A | N/A | 3..80 GHz | 2014 |
| Skylake | 4 | 8 | N/A | N/A | 4.20 GHz | 2015 |
| Kaby Lake | 4 | 8 | N/A | N/A | 4.50 GHz | 2017 |
| Coffee Lake | 6 | 12 | N/A | N/A | 5.00 GHz | 2017 |
| Coffee Lake Refresh | 8 | 16 | N/A | N/A | 5.00 GHz | 2018 |
| Comet Lake | 10 | 20 | N/A | N/A | 5.30 GHz | 2020 |
| Rocket Lake | 8 | 16 | N/A | N/A | 5.30 GHz | 2021 |
| Alder Lake | 16 | 24 | 8 | 8 | 5.50 GHz | 2021 |
| Raptor Lake | 24 | 32 | 8 | 16 | 6.00 GHz | 2022 |
| Raptor Lake Refresh | 24 | 32 | 8 | 16 | 6.20 GHz? | 2023 |
| Meteor Lake | - | - | - | - | - | Cancelled |
| Arrow Lake | 24 | 32 | 8 | 16 | TBD | ~2024 |
| Panther Lake | 40 | 48 | 8 | 32 | TBD | ~2025 |
| Beast Lake | 80 | 96 | 16 | 64 | TBD | ~2026 |
The difference with the Arrow Lake-S lineup is that all of the configurations feature the top 24 core die and the only difference is the TDP itself. It is likely that lower core count SKUs will be derived from these dies. Intel also seems to have retained the 4 Xe Cores from the Meteor Lake lineup but we expect these to feature a brand new Arc graphics architecture. The 14th Gen Meteor Lake chips are based on a TSMC 5nm GPU architecture while the 15th Gen Arrow Lake CPUs will utilize a TSMC 3nm graphics architecture, as we reported here.
Besides this, the new platform will also feature
We can't say for sure if Intel will retain the number of ALUs and EUs as the existing Alchemist chips on its future integrated GPUs but the Arrow Lake-P parts are expected to offer up to 2560 Xe Cores which is a 5x increase over the integrated GPUs on the desktop parts. A recent engineering profile confirmed that the Arrow Lake GPUs will be equipped with Xe-LPG GPUs based on the Alchemist architecture.
There may have been some changes in Intel’s product planning for desktop computers. The previously rumored Meteor Lake-S, which was expected to launch in the first half of 2024, may be renamed Arrow Lake-S and paired with the Intel 800 series chipset. Both Meteor Lake-S and Arrow Lake-S use the Intel LGA 1851 socket.
According to the source, Arrow Lake-S will maintain a maximum 8P+16E core configuration, while the 6P+16E configuration for MTL-S will be canceled.
The Intel 800 series chipset includes three chipsets: Z890, B860, and H810, while H870 has been canceled. W880 and Q870 are targeted at entry-level workstations and commercial markets, respectively, and both support Intel vPro technology.
Arrow Lake-S will fully support DDR5 memory, with a maximum memory speed of DDR5-6400 MT/s and a maximum capacity of 48GB per module.
It has been confirmed that the previously reported change in PCIe channel numbers is correct. The Z890 platform can have up to 60 Total HSIO channels, including 26 from the CPU and 34 from the PCH. The B860 and H810 platforms have a maximum of 44 and 32 HSIO, respectively.
The DMI 4.0 channel numbers for Intel Z890, W880, and Q870 are 8, while B860 and H810 only have 4.
It is unclear whether these changes in desktop computer planning signify that Intel’s 20A process has completed relevant processes, as Arrow Lake-S uses this process. The expected launch date is in the first half of 2024.
During its recent investors call, Intel said that they are progressing really well on their Intel 20 node which would be utilized by the Arrow Lake CPUs. Intel also downplayed the rumors of a potential delay with the TSMC 3nm process node which will be utilized for the Arrow Lake integrated GPU.
Intel Mainstream CPU Generations Comparison:
| Intel CPU Family | Processor Process | Processor Architecture | Graphics Architecture | Processors Cores/Threads (Max) | Platform | Memory Support | PCIe Support | Launch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alder Lake (12th Gen) | Intel 7 | Golden Cove (P-Core) Gracemont (E-Core) | HD 700 Series | 16/24 | LGA 1700/1800 | DDR5 / DDR4 | PCIe Gen 5.0 | 2021 |
| Raptor Lake (13th Gen) | Intel 7 | Raptor Cove (P-Core) Gracemont (E-Core) | HD 700 Series | 24/32 | LGA 1700/1800 | DDR5 / DDR4 | PCIe Gen 5.0 | 2022 |
| Raptor Lake Refresh (14th Gen) | Intel 7 | Raptor Cove (P-Core) Gracemont (E-Core) | HD 700 Series | 24/32 | LGA 1700/1800 | DDR5 / DDR4 | PCIe Gen 5.0 | 2023 |
| Meteor Lake | Intel 4 | Redwood Cove (P-Core) Crestmont (E-Core) | Xe1 (Alchemist) | 22/28 | LGA 1851 | DDR5 | PCIe Gen 5.0 | 2024 |
| Arrow Lake | TSMC N3B | Lion Cove (P-Core) Skymont (E-Core) | Xe1 (Alchemist) | 24/24 | LGA 1851 | DDR5 | PCIe Gen 5.0 | 2024 |
| Arrow Lake Refresh | TSMC N3B | Lion Cove (P-Core) Skymont (E-Core) | Xe1 (Alchemist) | 24/24 | LGA 1851 | DDR5 | PCIe Gen 5.0 | 2026 |
| Lunar Lake | TSMC N3B | Lion Cove (P-Core) Skymont (E-Core) | Xe2 (Battlemage) | 8/8 | Mobile Only | LPDDR5X | PCIe Gen 5.0 | 2024 |
| Panther Lake | Intel 18A | Cougar Cove (P-Core) Darkmont (E-Core) | Xe3 (Battlemage) | 16/16 | Mobile Only | LPDDR5/LPDDR5X | PCIe Gen 5.0 | 2025 |
| Nova Lake | Intel 18A | Coyote Cove (P-Core) Arctic Wolf (E-Core) | Xe3 (Battlemage) Xe3P (Celestial) | 52/52 | LGA 1954 | DDR5 | PCIe Gen 5.0 | 2026 |
| Razor Lake | Intel 18A? | Griffin Cove (P-Core) Golden Eagle (E-Core) | TBA | TBA | LGA 1954 | DDR5 | PCIe Gen 5.0? | 2027 |
| Titan Lake | TBA | Copper Shark (Unified) Golden Eagle (E-Core) | TBA | TBA | Mobile Only | LPDDR6? | PCIe Gen 5.0? | 2028 |
News Source: Momomo_US
About the author: A Software Engineer by training and a PC enthusiast by passion, Hassan Mujtaba serves as Wccftech's Senior Editor for hardware section. With years of experience in the industry, he specializes in deep-dive technical analysis of next-generation CPU and GPU architectures, motherboards, and cooling solutions. His work involves not only breaking news on upcoming technologies but also extensive hands-on reviews and benchmarking.
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