Intel's next-gen Lunar Lake-MX CPUs are expected to feature Samsung's LPDDR5X on-package memory, marking a huge milestone for both firms.
Intel Lunar Lake-MX CPUs Expect to Mark The Shift Towards On-Package Memory In The Mobile CPU Segment
The news comes from DigiTimes, which cites supply chain sources hinting towards the fact that the Korean giant might score something "huge" this year. Not only is this a big development for Samsung since it could potentially make strides in the PC markets, but the shift to "on-package" memory is a trait that was previously exclusive to Apple only since the Cupertino giant has utilized this with its M-series processors. The next-gen Lunar Lake-MX CPUs will indeed mark a revolution in computing performance, and despite being far away from launch, the lineup has managed to make headlines.
This isn't the first time we have heard about Intel's Lunar Lake-MX CPUs coming with on-package memory, since back in November 2023, we witnessed a huge leak covering the series, where the change in memory "positioning" was disclosed. It was rumored that the lineup will support up to dual-channel LPDDR5X-8533 on-package memory, through which Intel plans to save power consumption and respective die sizes. The chip package will allegedly come with on-package memory configurations of 16 GB and 32 GB which is perfect for the laptop segment, at least in current times.
While the reason behind the selection of Samsung for Intel's on-package memory hasn't been confirmed yet, it would most likely be the reputation behind the firm's memory products, especially LPDDR5X. If the news becomes true, this might give Samsung a huge "gateway" to enter the mobile CPU segment, especially in terms of memory, since based on what we are seeing, on-package memory might become the future for laptops since the performance efficiency gains through this method are indeed "unavoidable".
For a quick recap on Intel's Lunar Lake-MX CPUs, they are targeted at a wider range of consumers, and it is disclosed that the SKUs will come in different power consumption categories, including the "ultra-efficient" 8W models, which can operate without any type of cooling solution. The higher-end variants are expected to operate between 17W and 30W TDPs, and the slides disclose that peak Battlemage performance could reach up to 3.8 TFLOPS, equivalent to Apple's M2 SoC. It will also mark the transition towards the Battlemage GPU architecture, known as the "Xe2-LPG" graphics as well. Moreover, expect the debut of a cutting-edge dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU 4.0) too, which will take AI performance to new heights.
In terms of the release date, we haven't seen one yet, however, one should expect the Lunar Lake-MX chips to debut in markets this year, but this hasn't been confirmed yet. However, there is a high optimism surrounding the lineup, and we expect it to open new gateways when it comes to the mobile CPU segment.
News Source: DigiTimes
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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