Wednesday, September 27th 2023

Intel Core "Meteor Lake" Confirmed NOT Coming to Desktops, Only AIOs and Mini PCs

Intel's next generation Core "Meteor Lake" processor was confirmed by ComputerBase.de to not release on the desktop platform. The processor will not make it to a socketed desktop package such as the upcoming LGA1851. It will see a mobile-only (notebook and tablets only) launch, with select processor models based on the mobile BGA package being made available to PC OEMs to build all-in-one desktops and mini PCs as non-socketed processors.

The desktop platform presence of "Meteor Lake" has been surrounded by some controversy, owing mainly to its maximum CPU core count of 6P+16E, which is bound to fall short of the current 8P+16E, and AMD's 16P. A slide released by Intel added to the confusion, which indicated that "Meteor Lake" has a thermal range of 5 W to 125 W, with the latter being typically associated with the processor base power values of desktop Core K-series processors.
Last week, in a statement to PC World, Intel Client Computing Group head Michelle Johnston Holthaus, implied that "Meteor Lake" will address all client form-factors, with desktop processor models arriving in 2024, a surprising disclosure, given that the company is preparing to launch its 14th Gen "Raptor Lake Refresh" processors within Q4-2023. "I want one processor family top to bottom for both segments, doesn't everybody?"

ComputerBase.de sought more explicit clarifications from Intel on whether by "desktop," Johnston Holthaus meant mainstream desktop (i.e. socketed processors). After some back and forth, Intel clarified that by "desktop," they meant prebuilt all-in-one desktops, which tend to be internally similar to notebooks and use low-TDP mobile processors; and mini PCs, such as from the NUC brand that ASUS recently acquired from Intel.

This wouldn't be the first time an Intel microarchitecture completely skipped mainstream desktop. The company's "Ice Lake" and "Tiger Lake" microarchitectures were limited to notebooks, convertibles, tablets; and a specific few SKUs made it to AIO desktops and mini PCs.

As for the mysterious 125 W reference in that slide, it could just refer to the maximum turbo power value of a certain higher-spec H- or HX-segment SKU. H- and HX-segment SKUs have been known to come with maximum turbo power values above the 100 W mark for some time now.
Source: ComputerBase.de
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54 Comments on Intel Core "Meteor Lake" Confirmed NOT Coming to Desktops, Only AIOs and Mini PCs

#26
bonehead123
Next headline:

Hello Intel, this is the CHIPS Act calling, and we wanna buy ALL that prime beachfront property you own (in central Utah) to build a new fab to make these new chips...just sign on the dotted line and it'll be a done deal ...:D...:cry:..:roll:
Posted on Reply
#27
chrcoluk
This is a good thing not a bad thing, now days is waaaaay too many hardware releases.

Absolutely no need for them to keep releasing cpu's as fast as they are.
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#28
watzupken
Meteor Lake sounds like a rehash of Ice Lake (fortunately not the failed Cannon Lake) when they first rolled out 10nm. Don't sound like an exciting product since it is probably like a "pipe cleaning" chip. And it is not looking very promising because even as a mobile only chip, the max power draw is still very high if the 125W peak power draw is true.
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#29
CrAsHnBuRnXp
Dirt ChipPulling the trigger on that 13900k of mine seems like the better choice by the day.
Big improvement over 12900k (almost choose this one..), just about as any upcoming 14900k and no real performance uplift from Intel in the near future.

Shame it underclock like cr*!& and do bad with my memory config, but you can`t have it all I guess...
This just further cements my purchase of a 14th gen CPU. And i was told and made fun of for not waiting for meteor lake :laugh:
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#30
kondamin
Intel needs to dump their entire naming scheme.
No more core anything
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#31
Dirt Chip
CrAsHnBuRnXpThis just further cements my purchase of a 14th gen CPU. And i was told and made fun of for not waiting for meteor lake :laugh:
imo, there were a good reason to wait a year from 12th to 13th. Extra 8 e-cores and more refined process and better MT efficiency. But the way it turned out, with MTL cancellation, 14th will not see the same uplift.
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#32
Squared
watzupkenMeteor Lake sounds like a rehash of Ice Lake (fortunately not the failed Cannon Lake) when they first rolled out 10nm. Don't sound like an exciting product since it is probably like a "pipe cleaning" chip. And it is not looking very promising because even as a mobile only chip, the max power draw is still very high if the 125W peak power draw is true.
From what I've heard, I think we can expect Meteor Lake to perform about as well as Alder Lake, but with much better graphics performance (which does sound like Ice Lake) and better power efficiency.
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#33
Hxx
AssimilatorYes, Intel gets to make people pay for its products AND then you get to beta test those products too. The company truly is an amazing triumph of capitalism.
i call that VALUE. You get two things for the price of one, and if you are lucky enough that it crashes and causes issues then you get to learn how to troubleshoot so potentially 3 things for the price of one.
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#34
Assimilator
watzupkenMeteor Lake sounds like a rehash of Ice Lake (fortunately not the failed Cannon Lake) when they first rolled out 10nm. Don't sound like an exciting product since it is probably like a "pipe cleaning" chip. And it is not looking very promising because even as a mobile only chip, the max power draw is still very high if the 125W peak power draw is true.
"Pipe cleaning" is probably a more fair term than "test".
SquaredFrom what I've heard, I think we can expect Meteor Lake to perform about as well as Alder Lake, but with much better graphics performance (which does sound like Ice Lake) and better power efficiency.
I.e. exactly what non-desktop environments care about.
Posted on Reply
#35
CrAsHnBuRnXp
Dirt Chipimo, there were a good reason to wait a year from 12th to 13th. Extra 8 e-cores and more refined process and better MT efficiency. But the way it turned out, with MTL cancellation, 14th will not see the same uplift.
im on 9th gen so it doesnt really matter. Huge improvement regardless for me.
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#36
wheresmycar
So which is it...

ML crash landing on desktop
ML not crash landing on desktop

Its a tough one. Clue: Mini PCs are not small enough for shirt pockets
Posted on Reply
#37
phanbuey
wheresmycarSo which is it...

ML crash landing on desktop
ML not crash landing on desktop

Its a tough one. Clue: Mini PCs are not small enough for shirt pockets
Challenge accepted.
Posted on Reply
#38
Dirt Chip
CrAsHnBuRnXpim on 9th gen so it doesnt really matter. Huge improvement regardless for me.
I upgraded from i5-2400. Imagine the delta ;)
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#39
Tek-Check
Pat...get those senior managers trained...
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#40
stimpy88
Hahahaha, and the fanbois cry.
Posted on Reply
#41
MaMoo
wheresmycarSo which is it...

ML crash landing on desktop
ML not crash landing on desktop

Its a tough one. Clue: Mini PCs are not small enough for shirt pockets
Don't Look Up
Posted on Reply
#42
Michaelgr
Michelle Johnston Holthaus answered some key questions:

Q: Let me ask you, is there gonna be a Meteor Lake desktop?
A: Desktop will come in 2024.

Q: So you are confirming Meteor Lake desktop?
A: Yes.

A: Yes.

A: Yes.

A: Yes.

A: Yes.
Posted on Reply
#43
CrAsHnBuRnXp
So then why is there an article saying otherwise?
Posted on Reply
#44
Squared
CrAsHnBuRnXpSo then why is there an article saying otherwise?
Well it is coming to desktops, in NUC-like devices and all-in-ones. The person either didn't realize that those were not the desktops being asked about or didn't know. I think there's also a 3rd possibility. Broadwell was released on desktop but in very limited form. It would make sense for Intel to release the 6p+8e Meteor Lake module to desktop on the same socket as Arrow Lake. It wouldn't replace Raptor Lake Refresh but it could be a reasonably-good lower power CPU with strong integrated graphics for HTPC, small form factor, and higher-end all-in-one computers and could help bring Arrow Lake-compatible motherboards to market. Given this would use the same chips going into laptops, Intel wouldn't release such a thing until laptop orders have been fulfilled. And Intel could probably wait a while longer before even deciding whether to make it at all. But Intel was in a similar position with Tiger Lake going into Alder Lake and Tiger Lake never came to desktops.
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#45
AusWolf
SquaredWell it is coming to desktops, in NUC-like devices and all-in-ones. The person either didn't realize that those were not the desktops being asked about or didn't know.
Those are desktops, so the answer is technically not wrong. I guess we should also re-evaluate the question and ask about DIY desktop and boxed CPUs, not just desktop in general. Typical case of journalists asking the wrong questions, and the tech company getting the blame for answering it wrong.
Posted on Reply
#46
Squared
AusWolfThose are desktops, so the answer is technically not wrong. I guess we should also re-evaluate the question and ask about DIY desktop and boxed CPUs, not just desktop in general. Typical case of journalists asking the wrong questions, and the tech company getting the blame for answering it wrong.
Meteor Lake is probably coming in two flavors, low power laptop and high power laptop. The fact that some of these laptop CPUs will happen to be sold in devices which are technically desktops is a given and doesn't need to be asked.
Posted on Reply
#47
stimpy88
Sorry, but a NUC is not a desktop. Just because it can sit on a desktop, does not make it so.

My laptop is sitting on my desktop right now and it's having an identity crisis caused by a copeium overdose....
Posted on Reply
#48
Assimilator
AusWolfTypical case of journalists asking the wrong questions, and the tech company getting the blame for answering it wrong.
No.

What happened here is that when the journalist asked about "desktop processors" they meant the common definition of "desktop processors", i.e. socketable CPUs available to consumers that can be swapped in and out of motherboards available to consumers. And the Intel executive understood this perfectly well, as would pretty much anyone who was asked this question.

But she chose to respond as if she'd been asked about _any_ sort of possibility of MTL _ever_ coming to desktop _in any form_ e.g. NUCs, because answering the intended question honestly - i.e. "no" - would be a bad look. In other words, she chose to act like a lawyer or politician and be "economical with the truth", as they say.

Except, that's lying. Sure, she's got an excuse that she can use to claim that she wasn't, i.e. "I interpreted the question differently" - but everyone knows that she chose to interpret the question in the way that she did, just like people know when a lawyer or politician does the same thing.
Posted on Reply
#49
AusWolf
AssimilatorNo.

What happened here is that when the journalist asked about "desktop processors" they meant the common definition of "desktop processors", i.e. socketable CPUs available to consumers that can be swapped in and out of motherboards available to consumers. And the Intel executive understood this perfectly well, as would pretty much anyone who was asked this question.

But she chose to respond as if she'd been asked about _any_ sort of possibility of MTL _ever_ coming to desktop _in any form_ e.g. NUCs, because answering the intended question honestly - i.e. "no" - would be a bad look. In other words, she chose to act like a lawyer or politician and be "economical with the truth", as they say.

Except, that's lying. Sure, she's got an excuse that she can use to claim that she wasn't, i.e. "I interpreted the question differently" - but everyone knows that she chose to interpret the question in the way that she did, just like people know when a lawyer or politician does the same thing.
That's why you never ask a lawyer or a politician (or a PR-person, as a matter of fact) any question that you assume has an obvious meaning without specifying said obvious meaning.
Posted on Reply
#50
Wirko
stimpy88Sorry, but a NUC is not a desktop. Just because it can sit on a desktop, does not make it so.

My laptop is sitting on my desktop right now and it's having an identity crisis caused by a copeium overdose....
Identity crisis? Old notebooks with socketed CPUs are the ones that could complain, not these thin new ones.
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