Intel has announced that in the third quarter of 2024, their new client processors named ‘Lunar Lake’ will power over 80 fresh laptop models from 20 different original equipment manufacturers, ushering in AI capabilities on a global scale for Copilot+ PCs.
Lunar Lake Processor for AI PCs
The Lunar Lake processor is anticipated to revolutionize AI PCs by offering over three times the AI performance compared to the previous generation.
With over 40 tera operations per second (TOPS) for neural processing units (NPU), Intel’s next-gen processors will facilitate Copilot+ experiences.
Alongside the enhanced NPU, Lunar Lake will boast over 60 graphics processing unit (GPU) TOPS, resulting in more than 100 platform TOPS.
Moreover, Intel has confirmed that Lunar Lake will receive Copilot+ features like Recall through a forthcoming update.
Intel Lunar Lake Processor Specifications
Intel has revamped all computational components of Lunar Lake, incorporating faster central processing unit (CPU) and NPU cores, a redesigned low power island (LPI), and a novel integrated GPU utilizing the Xe2 architecture.
Despite its focus on AI, Intel hasn’t overlooked gaming, as the Xe2 iGPU is expected to deliver 1.5 times the performance of current-gen Meteor Lake chips.
The Arrow Lake series, likely to share CPU architectures with Lunar Lake, will provide enhanced performance for desktops and laptops. Lunar Lake, composed of three tiles/chiplets, integrates Lion Cove and Skymont microarchitectures for performance and efficiency cores, respectively.
The NPU of Lunar Lake will deliver over 45 TOPS, catering to AI workloads and surpassing the requirements for next-gen AI PCs set by Microsoft.
The integrated GPU will support Intel Xe Matrix eXtensions (XMX), enhancing AI performance by up to 60 TOPS. Overall, Lunar Lake promises over 100 TOPS of total AI performance.
Lunar Lake Performance
Intel’s performance claims for Lunar Lake, though promising, are based on limited benchmarks and should be interpreted cautiously.
Benchmarks
- Intel’s provided benchmarks suggest Lunar Lake offers significant AI performance gains (1.4x) over competitors like Snapdragon X Elite and Ryzen 7 8840U in GIMP benchmark results.
- Synthetic benchmarks indicate 1.5 times more gaming performance compared to the current-gen iGPU on Meteor Lake Core 7 165U, although real-world gaming benchmarks remain to be seen.
Battery Life and Power Efficiency
- Battery life tests highlight Lunar Lake’s efficiency, showcasing up to 30% lower active power consumption compared to competitors like Ryzen 7 7840U and Snapdragon 8CX Gen3.
Lunar Lake AI Software Ecosystem
Intel boasts the largest AI PC install base and aims to sell 100 million AI PCs by the end of 2025. They emphasize the importance of software and drivers in maximizing performance, highlighting investments in AI software and hardware developer ecosystems.
Intel supports over 500 AI models, with plans for Day 0 support for new models and features. The NPU is integrated into various applications for tasks like deepfake detection and threat detection, enhancing performance and efficiency.
Availability
Intel plans to ship over 40 million Lunar Lake processors in 2024, extending its presence in the AI PC market. Production of Lunar Lake wafers is in progress, with a scheduled Q3 launch aimed at ensuring laptops are available for the holiday retail season.
Speaking on the announcement, Michelle Johnston Holthaus, Intel’s Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Client Computing Group, said:
With breakthrough power efficiency, the trusted compatibility of x86 architecture, and the industry’s most extensive software enablement across CPU, GPU, and NPU, we are poised to deliver the most competitive joint client hardware and software offering to date with Lunar Lake and Copilot+.