Intel Lunar Lake processors are presented: they received new x86 cores, integrated graphics and an NPU unit

Intel Corporation introduced the first processors of the Core Ultra 200 series, known under the code name Lunar Lake. These processors, designed for laptops, will appear on the market during the next quarter. They were designed with an emphasis on maximum energy efficiency and received new architectures of x86 cores and integrated graphics, as well as an improved NPU unit to accelerate AI operations.

Intel Lunar Lake processors use a multi-chip layout consisting of two crystals. The computing chip is manufactured using N3B technology at TSMC facilities, and the crystal with system logic is manufactured using N6 technology. Processor packaging is carried out by Intel itself using Foveros technology. It is also worth noting the MoP (Memory on Package) design with LPDDR5X memory chips, which are on the same textolite as the processor crystals.

Lunar Lake processors combine P-cores (Lion Cove) and E-cores (Skymont). P-cores provide a 14% increase in IPC (number of instructions executed per cycle) against Redwood Cove cores in Meteor Lake processors. Skymont’s E-cores provide more than a 1.5-fold increase in performance compared to the Crestmont architecture. An important feature is the lack of Hyper-Threading in both types of cores, which is why the top Lunar Lake processors have an 8-core/8-thread configuration (4P+4E).

The graphics module in the new processors has been updated to the Xe2-LPG architecture and provides one and a half times more performance compared to the iGPU in the Meteor Lake processors. The NPU unit for accelerating AI programs increased the computing power to 48 TOPS. The RAM controller supports LPDDR5X-8533 chips and allows you to use 16 or 32 GB of RAM.