Intel Raptor Lake Next Desktop CPUs will bring value-oriented options to mainstream and budget gamers on the existing LGA 1700 sockets.
Intel Nova Lake Aims Enthusiasts, But Raptor Lake Refreshes Will Serve The Mainstream Masses To Tackle Memory Shortages
Both Intel and AMD are preparing next-gen CPU lineups in the form of Nova Lake and Zen 6. Initially, the lineups were expected to launch later this year, but due to ongoing memory shortages, rising component prices, and a sluggish PC segment, these launches have now been pushed back to early 2027, around CES.
At the same time, Intel and AMD aren't backing out of the CPU space. While their data center segments continue to perform exceptionally well due to Agentic AI demand for server chips, the desktop segments are repurposing older platforms for budget and mainstream audiences. AMD has done this with its 10th Anniversary 5800X3D 3D V-Cache CPU, and now Intel is doing it with its upcoming Raptor Lake Refresh.
Memory Shortages Push CPU Vendors To Resurrect Older Lineups
The upcoming Intel Raptor Lake Refresh or Raptor Lake "Next" lineup will be the third iteration of the RPL family. The first family launched as the 13th Gen lineup, and this was followed by the 14th Gen Refresh. In its third iteration, Intel will mostly keep everything the same, such as the utilization of the Intel 7 process node, up to 8 P-Cores, 125W TDPs, same I/O capabilities, and most importantly, compatibility with all LGA 1700 socketed platforms.
The compatibility part is important since LGA 1700 platforms support both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. The CPUs will give users the option to couple the more cost-effective DDR4 memory with their Raptors or get single/dual-channel DIMMs to pair with their chips. Intel and its partners already pushed a new HUDIMM standard, which disabled half the channels on a memory, making it a cheaper alternative to standard DDR5 UDIMMs, but the initial response hasn't been that great. Using DDR5 also ensures that users can reuse the memory on future platforms, whereas you're locked with DDR4 memory.
But coming back to the upcoming CPU lineup, Intel has already said the Raptor Lake will continue to be a major part of the client strategy, and it makes sense considering these CPUs have much higher yields, and Intel put in some extra work to fix the degrading issues encountered in the first two generations.
Raptor Lake Next Comes In Multiple Flavors, But You Won't Get 12 P-Cores
According to well-informed insider, Jaykihn, Intel is working on three segments for the Raptor Lake Next family: Core 7, Core 5, and Core 3. These will be branded under the Core 200 family, just like the mobile parts that leaked out a few days ago. The CPUs will feature the Raptor Cove P-Core & Gracemont E-Core architecture, and will retain the iGPU.
One thing that has changed with the Raptor Lake Next family is also part of Intel's future strategy. Starting with RPL-Next, Intel will roll out chips with asynchronous cache slices, which means that even for SKUs with disabled core clusters, the chips will still be able to use the disabled dies L3 cache to boost the overall capacity. There's at least one SKU in the family that does this, and we will see more of this in future lineups.
The Intel Raptor Lake Core 7 family will feature up to 8 P-Cores and 12 E-Cores with a 65W TDP. The Core 5 series will feature 8+8 and 6+4 SKUs in 125W/65W flavors. The 6+4 config will feature 24 MB L3 cache (default 6+4 config features 20 MB L3 cache) & uses the cache boost which we mentioned above. Lastly, there's the Core 3 family with just 4 P-Cores, offered in 65W configs.
As you can tell, there's no 12 P-Core configuration like Bartlett Lake, and the Raptor Lake Next family is going to come in both desktop and mobile options. It will coexist with 14th Gen CPUs when it launches early next year. Unlike 14th Gen Raptor Lake, the Raptor Lake Next family will retain all the features but won't add any new technologies to the chips or platform.
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 |
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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