PC Building Guide: What to Expect from Intel 14th Generation CPU?

Recently, Apple's 15-inch models haven't been the only ones grabbing attention in the tech world. Many eyes are turning towards Intel and their 14th generation CPUs.

The 14th generation CPUs from Intel are capturing the spotlight. This article by Mytour shares insights into what you need to know about these chips, set to arrive in users' hands next month.

When Will Intel's 14th Generation CPU Be Released?

According to available information, Intel will officially announce the 14th generation chips at the Intel Innovation 2023 event in San Jose, USA, on September 19-20. Some information suggests they will be part of the Raptor Late-S Refresh lineup instead of the expected Meteor Lake generation.

According to a leaked roadmap from Intel in late 2022 (image above), we can see that the 14th generation Intel chips will be released in 2023. Over the years, Intel has consistently introduced new CPU generations with K-series chips, and this year might be no different.

We can expect i9, i7, i5 overclocked (K) CPUs, and versions without integrated graphics (KF) to be released first. Non-K models will debut later – possibly at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2024.

Are Intel's 14th Generation CPUs Powerful?

Although not yet released, there's already some buzz about the power of these CPUs, and it's quite promising as Intel typically discloses specifications to partner companies beforehand.

The most powerful CPU of the 14th generation (tentatively called Core i9 14900K) will feature 8 P cores and 16 E cores, capable of reaching speeds up to 6GHz thanks to Intel's Thermal Velocity Boost (TVB) technology. The i7 14700K (8 P cores, 12 E cores) and i5 14600K (6 P cores, 8 E cores) don't have this technology but can still reach speeds of 5.5GHz and 5.3GHz respectively. All of them have a TDP of 125W.

According to some benchmark results leaked from China, Intel's new CPUs show a significant increase in performance. The image below is said to compare benchmark results between the '13700KS' (or 14700K) and the current 13700K. It shows that the 14th generation is about 4% stronger in single-threaded tasks and over 21% stronger in multi-threaded tasks.

Some benchmark results with games have also been posted, but they don't show a significant difference in frame rates. Below, you can see the frame rate results in games like PUBG and CSGO.

Can Intel's 14th Generation CPUs be used on older motherboards?

Available information indicates that Intel's new CPU generation will still use the 1700 socket, similar to the current 12th and 13th generations. However, users have reasons to worry that the new CPUs won't be compatible with older sockets, as Intel has a history of frequently changing sockets. Just in the mainstream CPU segment, they've introduced LGA 1150, LGA 2011, LGA 1151, LGA 1200, LGA 1700 sockets over the past 10 years – averaging one socket change every two years.

However, this time is different, and Mytour has good news for readers: according to multiple hardware manufacturers, LGA 1700 motherboards running chipsets like Z790, Z690, B660, and older ones have been, are being, and will be updated with BIOS support for Intel's 14th generation CPUs. This will help those who only want to upgrade their CPU save money as they won't need to buy a new motherboard.

It's worth mentioning a new generation of motherboards that Intel is preparing, based on the brand new Z890 chipset. Leaked information suggests that this motherboard will come with Wi-Fi 7 and PCIe Gen 5 slots, allowing for 20 data lanes instead of just 16 like Gen 4. This enables storage device manufacturers to create even faster NVMe SSDs.

New Names for Intel CPUs

Right above, Mytour has mentioned the i5, i7, i9 names several times, but in reality, those are just for your convenience. In fact, the letter 'i' will no longer exist starting from the 14th generation, after being used for over a decade. Instead, Intel will name its CPUs using a new method.

• Entry-level CPUs will be called 'Intel + model number'
• Mid-range CPUs will be 'Intel Core + model number'
• High-end CPUs will be 'Intel Core Ultra + model number'.

Examples of the new CPU names that Intel provides include Intel Core Ultra 9 1090H, Intel Core Ultra 7 1070K, Intel Core 5 1050U. Note that these are just examples and not confirmed by Intel.

Explaining the new naming approach, Intel's Product Brand Director Christopher Hirsch explained, 'When we look at how the tech media, retailers, OEMs, and our partners refer to Intel CPUs, it's fascinating to realize we're being reduced to just a letter and a number.'

So, when the Intel 14th generation CPUs are officially released, we'll undoubtedly have to refer to them by different names instead of using Core i5, Core i7, Core i9,... as we do now. Let's await Intel's official announcement of this CPU lineup alongside Mytour.