Intel’s Core i3 Successor Coming To Arrow Lake Family, Core Ultra 3 With 8 Cores

Intel's Arrow Lake-S Desktop CPUs will reportedly feature entry-level successors to the Core i3 series, the Core Ultra 3 with up to 8 cores.

The Arrow Lake S "Core Ultra 200" Desktop CPU lineup is around the corner and while Intel is expected to announce the lineup on 10th October, there are no official talks on the lower-end SKUs. Here, we are specifically talking about the Core Ultra 3 series, which seems to be missing from most reports and leaks. Surprisingly, there is one leak that does talk about the Core Ultra 3 lineup but it goes back to the second week of August. The rumor mentioned that Arrow Lake Core i3 replacements would still retain the Raptor Lake architecture but it looks like the changes will be more drastic than previously anticipated.

X user, @OneRaichu has previously posted about an entry-level processor in the Core Ultra 3 lineup on the 9th of August. Raichu also said that Intel will release an '8-core' Ultra 3 processor, which is supposedly much stronger than the 14th Gen Core i3 processors. This 8-core configuration will most likely be divided into 4 performance and 4 efficient cores. Currently, the fastest Core i3s only feature 4 cores at max and are the Core i3 14100 and its F variant without any iGPU, which belong to the Raptor Lake Refresh family.

Hence, the upcoming Core Ultra 3 processor is the first-ever octa-core (8-Core) i3/Ultra 3-series CPU, which will have so many cores. The i3 14100/F offers 4 cores and 8 threads config, but the cores are only Performance cores and there are no efficient cores available. This is contrary to the Core i5s, i7s, and i9s that provide a proper Hybrid architecture featuring both types of cores. The Arrow Lake S also carries the same hybrid architecture but with newer Golden Cove Performance cores and Skymont Efficient cores.

Therefore, every Intel Core Ultra 3, Core Ultra 5, Ultra 7, & Ultra 9 CPU possesses efficient cores but without hyperthreading. Raichu further added that the upcoming Core Ultra 3 processor might be the Core Ultra 3 205 or Core Ultra 3 215. It isn't confirmed whether there is one or more Core Ultra 3 processor in the Arrow Lake-S "Core Ultra 200" Desktop CPU lineup or more than that but it does look like there will be at least one in the lineup, which was also confirmed by the X user, @jaykin0.

Retracted based on new information.

— Jaykihn (@jaykihn0) August 9, 2024

So, the Core Ultra 3 might get more than one SKU. Nonetheless, it's still a rumor but the information about the Core Ultra 3 205/215 might be true if we go by the reports. And the processor launch should mark the end of pure quad-cores for the entry-level masses.

News Source: PCGamesN