Intel's 14th Generation Raptor Lake Refresh processors should be here anytime now — October, if you trust recent leaks. Despite only subtle changes in specifications, Raptor Lake Refresh will fight for a spot on the list of best CPUs.
As with any significant Intel processor launch, the high-end K-series models will hit the market first and the more budget-friendly SKUs will arrive a few months later. That's just how Intel operates. Therefore, the Core i9-14900K, Core i7-14700K, and Core i5-14600K will, in all likelihood, be the first Raptor Lake Refresh processors that consumers can purchase. By now, we probably have a good idea of the specifications for the trio of K-series chips. However, the non-K models don't always get enough attention.
Hardware leaker YuuKi_AnS has revealed the alleged specifications for Intel's entire Raptor Lake Refresh product stack. The processors are labeled as qualification samples (QS), pre-production chips. This means the specs could differ slightly from the retail product — so sprinkle some salt over the specs, for now.
Being a routine refresh, it shouldn't be surprising that Intel will continue using three different dies for Raptor Lake Refresh. The B0 die (8P-16E) powers the SKUs from the Core i5-14600 and up, while the C0 (8P+8E) die targets models from the Core i5-14400 to Core i5-14500T. On the contrary, the H0 (6P+0E) die, which is the lowest of the trio, will be inside the Intel 300 to Core i3-14100T chips.
Intel 14th Generation Raptor Lake Refresh Specifications*
Processor | Configuration | P-core / E-core Base Clock (GHz) | L3 Cache (MB) | PBP (W) | Stepping | Memory Support | ECC Support |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Core i9-14900KF | 8P + 16E | 3.2 / 2.4 | 36 | 125 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-5600 | No |
Core i9-14900K | 8P + 16E | 3.2 / 2.5 | 36 | 125 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-5600 | Yes |
Core i9-14900F | 8P + 16E | 2.0 / 1.5 | 36 | 65 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-5600 | No |
Core i9-14900T | 8P + 16E | 1.1 / 0.8 | 36 | 35 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-5600 | Yes |
Core i9-14900 | 8P + 16E | 2.0 / 1.5 | 36 | 65 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-5600 | Yes |
Core i7-14700KF | 8P + 12E | 3.4 / 2.5 | 33 | 125 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-5600 | No |
Core i7-14700K | 8P + 12E | 3.4 / 2.5 | 33 | 125 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-5600 | Yes |
Core i7-14700F | 8P + 12E | 2.1 / 1.5 | 33 | 65 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-5600 | No |
Core i7-14700T | 8P + 12E | 1.3 / 0.9 | 33 | 35 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-5600 | Yes |
Core i7-14700 | 8P + 12E | 2.1 / 1.5 | 33 | 65 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-5600 | Yes |
Core i5-14600KF | 6P + 8E | 3.5 / 2.6 | 24 | 125 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-5600 | No |
Core i5-14600K | 6P + 8E | 3.5 / 2.6 | 24 | 125 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-5600 | Yes |
Core i5-14600T | 6P + 8E | 1.8 / 1.3 | 24 | 35 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-5600 | Yes |
Core i5-14600 | 6P + 8E | 2.7 / 2.0 | 24 | 65 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-5600 | Yes |
Core i5-14500T | 6P + 8E | 1.7 / 1.2 | 24 | 35 | C0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 | Yes |
Core i5-14500 | 6P + 8E | 2.6 / 1.9 | 24 | 65 | C0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 | Yes |
Core i5-14400T | 6P + 4E | 1.5 / 1.1 | 20 | 35 | C0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 | No |
Core i5-14400F | 6P + 4E | 2.5 / 1.8 | 20 | 65 | C0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 | No |
Core i5-14400 | 6P + 8E | 2.5 / 1.8 | 20 | 65 | C0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 | No |
Core i5-14400F | 6P + 4E | 2.5 / 1.8 | 20 | 65 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 | No |
Core i5-14400 | 6P + 4E | 2.5 / 1.8 | 20 | 65 | B0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 | No |
Core i3-14100T | 4P + 0E | 2.7 / N/A | 12 | 35 | H0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 | No |
Core i3-14100F | 4P + 0E | 3.5 / N/A | 12 | 58 | H0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 | No |
Core i3-14100 | 4P + 0E | 3.5 / N/A | 12 | 60 | H0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 | No |
Intel 300T | 2P + 0E | 3.4 | 6 | 35 | H0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 | Yes |
Intel 300 | 2P + 0E | 3.9 | 6 | 46 | H0 | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 | Yes |
*Specifications are unconfirmed.
The only Raptor Lake Refresh processors getting a core upgrade are the Core i7 models. With regular Raptor Lake, the Core i7 SKUs had an 8P + 8E design. Intel upgraded the chips to an 8P + 12E layout with four more E-cores. The other Core i9, Core i5, and Core i3 processors only savor a slight increase in clock speeds. According to Intel's alleged internal performance projections, the refresh may only be up to 3% faster than the existing chips. In the case of the Core i7 models, they may provide up to 17% better multi-threading performance due to the additional E-cores, according to MSI's estimate.
The Core i5-14400's specifications are a bit iffy. It could have a 6P + 8E configuration or a slower 6P + 4E design. This is an essential SKU for budget gamers. The current Core i5-13400, which features a 6P + 4E arrangement, is the overall best processor for gaming. It would be huge if the Core i5-14400 received the same E-core upgrade as the Core i7 SKUs.
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The Intel 300 and Intel 300T are two of the more exciting SKUs. The dual-core processors appear to replace Intel's Pentium Gold and Celeron processors. The chipmaker hasn't released a desktop Pentium Gold or Celeron chip since Alder Lake. (Remember that Raptor Lake stopped with the quad-core Core i3-13100.) Intel hasn't neglected the entry-level SKUs with Raptor Lake Refresh on this occasion.
TeamGroup's recently announced JEDEC-compliant DDR5-6400 memory had many (us included) thinking that Raptor Lake Refresh had the potential to support DDR5-6400 natively. However, YuuKi_AnS' leaked specifications say the opposite — memory support on Raptor Lake Refresh is left unchanged. All processors support DDR4-3200; however, DDR5 support varies from one chip to another. Only the Core i5-14600 and above supports DDR5-5600, while the remaining models are stuck with DDR5-4800.
EEC memory support is a mess, though. For example, the Core i9-14900K is OK with ECC memory, but its F-series and KF-series counterparts lack support. The Core i3-14100 and Core i5-14400 don't support EEC memory, but the plebeian Intel 300 and Intel 300T do. If you plan to build a server out of Raptor Lake Refresh or use ECC memory, it would be wise to visit the processor's product page before deciding which chip you want. Remember that only the W680 chipset has ECC support, and Intel didn't release a 700-series equivalent. It's not an issue since Raptor Lake Refresh is drop-in compatible with the LGA1700 with a small motherboard firmware.
Raptor Lake Refresh is rumored to present a 15% premium over regular Raptor Lake. We're just a month away from finding out whether the performance that the former brings is worth spending 15% extra on.
Zhiye Liu is a news editor and memory reviewer at Tom’s Hardware. Although he loves everything that’s hardware, he has a soft spot for CPUs, GPUs, and RAM.
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eye4bear The beginning of this articles second paragraph starts as follows: "As with any significant Intel processor launch, the high-end K-series models..." can someone please explain to me how this qualifies as significant?Reply -
Order 66 IfReply
if it was 15th gen maybe but a refresh of 13th gen which is rumored to only give a 5% performance increase doesn't seem significant.eye4bear said:The beginning of this articles second paragraph starts as follows: "As with any significant Intel processor launch, the high-end K-series models..." can someone please explain to me how this qualifies as significant? -
TerryLaze
They misslabeled them as i5...jaydenmiller1 said:no i3-14100? when will intel give the i3 6 cores?
I3 with 6cores will not happen soon.
Maybe they'll add some e-cores in a few gens.
Core i5-14100T4P + 0E2.7 / N/A1235H0DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800NoCore i5-14100F4P + 0E3.5 / N/A1258H0DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800NoCore i5-141004P + 0E3.5 / N/A1260H0DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800No
The one who wrote it was tired off using the term mayor and looked up alternatives on the web...or they just used google translate to make the article.eye4bear said:The beginning of this articles second paragraph starts as follows: "As with any significant Intel processor launch, the high-end K-series models..." can someone please explain to me how this qualifies as significant? -
Order 66
the first quad core i3 was the i3 8300. Maybe by 16th gen, it will have 6 cores.TerryLaze said:I3 with 6cores will not happen soon. -
cyrusfox
use to only be i3/i5/i7 until 9th gen released i9 desktop (7th gen for the prosumer), so with that shift up in the product stack that puts i3 closer to old pentium and celeron territory. Agree with others, will get e-cores before it gets more P cores.jaydenmiller1 said:the first quad core i3 was the i3 8300. Maybe by 16th gen, it will have 6 cores.
Clean product strategy to keep i3 as the quad cores of old, i5 6 cores, i7 8 cores, little room for i9 differentiation (more e-cores). I9 containing the same P core count as an i7, but they are bought for the better binning and turbo, the extra e-cores may be useful but outside of rendering on my 13900, I wish I would have saved a bit of cash and just went with a 13700.
If low power performance is improved on 14th gen, I will sideways upgrade to either a 14700/14900 early next year. Otherwise I'll keep rocking my 13900 till arrow/lunar lake. Too bad meteorlake larger dies are absent and we have to do yet another refresh, which much prefer the boost of performance per watt that should bring. -
thestryker It'll be interesting to see if the 300/300T really do support ECC as those could make high performance NAS at a lower cost.Reply -
bit_user The Alder Lake desktop product line was based on two different dies: an 8+8 "big" die and a 6+0 "small" die. It seems to me that Raptor Lake and now this Refresh are only updating the "big" die. The non- E-core models still seem to be based on that original Alder Lake 6+0 die. At least, looking at the cache & memory specifications, that's sure what it seems like.Reply
Prove me wrong, @TerryLaze .