Intel Core Ultra for Business

Intel Core Ultra is coming

20/2/2024

New 14th Gen Intel
Processors Are Coming in 2024

During the new year break, Intel unveiled details about their upcoming 14th generation Intel Core processors for laptops. Initial consumer models are now entering the market, with business models slated to follow afterwards.

We expect to see new models for business from major vendors released from after the start of the new financial year through until Christmas.

What’s staying the same:

Processor Architecture: The 14th Gen CPUs maintain the same architecture as their 12th and 13th gen counterparts. This blend of P (Performance) cores and multiple E (Efficiency) cores ensures optimal task allocation. Windows 11’s Thread Director intelligently assigns heavy-duty tasks to P cores while E cores manage background processes. Each set of four E cores performs comparably to a single P core. More P cores mean greater multi-threaded application performance, and also higher peak energy consumption.

What's new:

1. New name

Intel has created a new brand for tablet and laptop processors - Intel Core Ultra. This replaces Intel Core i brand for non-workstation laptops. Here are the new chips versus their equivalent 12th and 13th gen chips:

12th gen	13th gen	14th gen	Type
Intel Core	Intel Core	Intel Core Ultra	Brand
i5-12##U i7-12##U	i5-13##U i5-13##U	5 1##U 7 1##U	Ultraportables
i5-12##P i7-12##P i5-12###H i7-12###H	i5-13##P i7-13##P i5-13###H i7-13###H	5 1##H 7 1##H	High performance

The U or H suffix determines which performance tier the CPU belongs to: U processors are lower wattage chips designed for Ultraportable laptops and tablets, H processors are for High performance devices including some mobile workstations.
The new Intel Core Ultra H series merges and replaces Intel Core i P and the Intel Core i H series. More details about the differences between U and H processor are below.

2. Intel AI Boost feature

Broadly speaking, there are two key facets to Artificial Intelligence - machine learning (analysing and training) and generative AI (creation of new works). Both can happen on a server, or on your user's device. Typically tasks like AI translation and webcam image enhancement are performed on the device to reduce latency.
Intel AI Boost is a dedicated on-board low power Neural Processing Unit chip for machine learning and generative AI, it is designed to do AI tasks quicker while using less power than the main CPU cores.
Useful examples of AI in the workplace include the automatic generation of written documentation, summaries and explanations based on your criteria, video and audio enhancements in meetings, and automatic generation of images based on your instructions. We are already seeing it in products like Co-Pilot Pro and Adobe Photoshop Generative Fill.
Each of the laptop images in this article has been generated by Copilot Designer.

3. New graphics:

Business laptops with Intel Core Ultra-U series processors will come with Intel Graphics, which is based on the existing Intel iRIS Xe graphics.
High performance laptops and mobile workstations with H series processors have been upgraded to Intel ARC graphics – Intel’s competitor to midrange dedicated graphics from NVIDIA and AMD. This provides up to double the graphics performance of U series devices when equipped with dual channel memory.
The Intel Core Ultra 7 H features the highest performance Intel Arc graphics option.

4. New LP-E cores

In addition to the P and E cores, and two even lower-power processor cores have been added. These can be utilised by processes that operate during idle and sleep models with less battery drain than P or E cores.
This should reduce the likelihood of devices depleting their batteries during extended sleep periods.

5. Changes to performance line-up

When cross-shopping between Intel Core Ultra U and H devices, H series processors will consistently provide higher performance than U series processors. For example, the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H will provide greater performance than the Intel Core Ultra 7 165U (it will also use more battery life when used to its maximum potential).

Ultra 5 U & 7 U

2x Performance cores
8x Efficient cores
2x AI Boost cores
2x LP-e cores
Intel Graphics
(4x iRIS Xe cores)

Ultra 5 H

4x Performance cores
8x Efficient cores
2x AI Boost cores
2x LP-e cores
Intel Arc Graphics
(7x iRIS Xe cores)

Ultra 7 H

6x Performance cores
8x Efficient cores
2x AI Boost cores
2x LP-e cores
Intel Arc Graphics
(8x iRIS Xe cores)

6. Our procurement advice

Most business users are using Intel Core i U series devices across their current fleets. Some brands currently supply Intel Core i P processors (which offer double the Performance cores) within the same form factor.

For teams buying before the end of this financial year, we recommend opting for 12th and 13th generation processors in order to secure supply. The fundamental application performance of these is broadly equivalent, and both generations offer a substantial performance boost over devices that are now approaching 3 years of age in the field. Current devices with P series processors can provide similar performance to upcoming models now.

For most teams, the upcoming Intel Core Ultra U series will suit the majority of users. Power users in data analytics, software engineering, content creation and engineering will benefit from Intel Core Ultra H. The Intel Arc graphics on this processor can negate the need for entry-level NVIDIA or AMD graphics for some of these users.

Ultra U series:
Mainstream business laptops & tablets.

Intel Core Ultra U chips for tablets and ultraportable laptops:
2x Performance cores + 8x Efficient cores, 4x iRIS Xe graphics cores, 2x AI Boost and 2x LP-e cores.

New Core Ultra versus equivalent 12th & 13th gen:

12th & 13th gen Intel Core	Intel Core Ultra	Description
i5-1235U i5-1335U	Ultra 5 125U vPro Essentials	2 P + 8 E cores Intel Graphics 4 core
i5-1245U i5-1345U	Ultra 5 135U vPro Enterprise	2 P + 8 E cores Intel Graphics 4 core
i7-1255U i7-1355U	Ultra 7 155U vPro Essentials	2 P + 8 E cores Intel Graphics 4 core
i7-1265U i7-1365U	Ultra 7 165U vPro Enterprise	2 P + 8 E cores Intel Graphics 4 core

Intel U series processors have a typical peak usage of 15 watts (average power consumption is lower).
Depending on device, the U series has a maximum turbo boost power consumption of up to 57 watts.

H series:
Higher performance laptops & mobile workstations.

Intel Core Ultra H chips for high performance laptops. These replace the 12th and 13th gen P and H series.
Ultra 5-H 4x Performance cores + 8x Efficient cores, 7x Intel iRIS Xe cores, 2x AI Boost, and 2x LP-e cores.
Ultra 7-H 6x Performance cores + 8x Efficient cores, 8x Intel iRIS Xe cores, 2x AI Boost, and 2x LP-e cores.

New Core Ultra versus closest equivalent 13th gen processors:

13th gen	Core Ultra	Ultra features
i5-1340P i5-13500H i7-1360P	Ultra 5 125H vPro Essentials	4 P + 8 E cores Intel Arc 7 cores
i5-1350P i5-13600H i7-1370P	Ultra 5 135H vPro Enterprise	4 P + 8 E cores Intel Arc 7 cores
Intel i7-13700H	Ultra 7 155H vPro Essentials	6 P + 8 E cores Intel Arc 8 cores
i7-13800H	Ultra 7 165H vPro Enterprise	6 P + 8 E cores Intel Arc 8 cores

Ultra H processors have a typical peak usage of 28 watts during sustained use (average is lower).
In business laptops the H series has a maximum turbo boost power consumption of up to 64 watts.
In selected high performance workstation laptops, this may be further boosted to 115 watts on demand.
Higher maximum turbo boost means reduced application lag for power users of specialist software.

What about extra-heavy duty users?

Very heavy duty power users can step up beyond the Ultra series to the 14th gen Intel Core i-HX series. VR, motion picture and 3D workers should pair HX processors with a suitable workstation-class NVIDIA or AMD graphics controller.

Intel vPro Essentials or Enterprise?

Intel vPro enables remote management and control of devices within an enterprise, competing with software and cloud based device management. All current Intel Core chips support vPro Essentials, while a premium is charged for vPro Enterprise. If you do not use vPro features or Intel Active Management, then vPro Essentials versions of each processor provide equivalent performance at a slightly lower cost per device.

Click for more about vPro Essentials >
Click for more about vPro Enterprise >

Full line-up

Find out more

Product briefings and roadmaps are available for your team now.
Use the Get in touch form below, call 0800 527 867, or speak to your account manager at The Laptop Company to find out more about upcoming devices, and pricing and stock for current models.