What appears to be an Intel Raptor Lake Core i3 has turned up on an online marketplace in China. Goofish user Dragon***U’s Intel Core i3 14100 QS listing was spotted by Harukaze5719 on X / Twitter earlier today. Intel launched the 14th Gen Core Raptor Lake ‘K’ desktop processors in mid-October, and you can see our extensive review of the opening salvo. However, the multiplier-locked desktop parts like this Core i3 might not officially become available until CES 2024.
In the image you can clearly see that this purported next-gen CPU is marked as an Intel Core i3 14100. The seller explains that the chip they are hoping to sell for 850 Chinese Yuan (~$120) is actually a qualification sample (QS). This later-stage test chip is claimed by the seller to have official retail specs, which are relayed as “4 cores, 3.5G.” These specifications were expected from what we know of the meager differences between 13th and 14th gen Core processor families, and the Gigabyte leak of multiplier-locked chip specs which we linked in the intro.
Intel’s Core i3-14100 chips will be at the bottom of the pile among the Core family. The Core i3-14100 / F is expected to arrive in a 4C / 8T configuration with a clock frequency of 3.5 GHz as per the Goofish listing. We think it will have 12 MB of L3 cache and a TDP of about 60W like its Raptor Lake and Alder Lake predecessors. Meanwhile, we expect a Core i3-14100T with a 2.7 GHz clock and a TDP of 35W to bookend the entire family.
If you have any interest in the Intel Core i3 14100, you would be advised to have a look at our in-depth Intel Core i3-13100F review. There seem to be very few differences between these two parts, though we hope there is a little bit more performance to elevate the generation digit increase to something better than a rebrand of the 13th gen, or even the 12th gen, predecessor. Expect a launch retail price of just under $150 for the Intel Core i3 14100, and maybe $25 less for the ‘F’ suffixed part. Its arrival could mean better deals for bargain hunters eyeing the Core i3-13100 or 12100. Though these are admittedly low-end chips, the price / performance on offer can mean that they earn a slot in our best CPUs for gaming rankings.
