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News hardware & software 11 May 2021, 18:56

Intel Alder Lake-S Said to Offer Twice the Performance and Launch This Year

The new generation of Intel Alder Lake-S CPUs is expected to arrive before the end of 2021. This could be quite an event, because the new CPUs not only offer much better performance, but also support DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 and departure from the 14 nm process.

ALDER LAKE-S IS:
  • Support for DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0 data bus;
  • 10nm lithography (desktop) and up to twice the multi-threading performance;
  • Hybrid architecture based on Golden Cove and Gracemont cores;
  • Intel is planning a November 2021 release, according to a leak.

Citing a news item on WCCFtech, we can most likely mark November 2021 on the calendar as the time of introduction of Intel's new 12th generation of processors, called Alder Lake-S. Although we should remember to treat this information as a leak for now. The new microchips are to focus on 10nm process for desktops, which means moving away from 14nm lithography. It also means, very importantly, introduction of DDR5 (and LPDDR5) memory support and PCIe 5.0 bus.

Enthusiasts of faster memory will initially have only Intel chips to choose from, as AMD will probably introduce DDR5 support later. However, it should be honestly admitted that only the better motherboard models will suport such memory, the cheaper and more popular ones will remain with DDR4 (Alder Lake-S is backward compatible).

Intel Alder Lake-S Said to Offer Twice the Performance and Launch This Year - picture #1
Alder Lake-S generation CPU size compared to 10th-gen model. Source: VideoCardz

The 12th generation processors will have a hybrid architecture, combining high-power cores (Golden Cove - x86) with smaller, performance-oriented cores (Gracemont - Atom). The most powerful models are expected to have 16 cores and up to 24 threads (likely 8+8 core configuration). Performance is estimated to be 20% higher for single core and up to double for multi-threaded operations.

Intel Alder Lake-S Said to Offer Twice the Performance and Launch This Year - picture #2
Comparison of Intel's current and upcoming CPU generations. Source: VideoCardz

Intel likes to introduce new sockets, so with such a big change it couldn't be any different. Alder Lake-S processors will use the LGA 1700 socket, developed for the next generation. It will measure 37.5mm x 45mm, which means it's rectangular in shape and cooling kits will have to be designed specifically for the new Intel processors.

Arkadiusz Strzala

Arkadiusz Strzala

His adventure in writing began with his own blog and contributing to one of the early forums (in the olden days of Wireless Application Protocol). An electrical engineer by profession, he has a passion for technology, constructing and, of course, playing computer games. He has been a newsman and writer for Gamepressure since April 2020. He specializes in energy and space tech. However, he does not shy away from more relaxed matters every now and then. He loves watching science-fiction movies and car channels on YouTube. He mainly plays on the PC, although he has modest console experience too. He prefers real-time strategies, FPS and all sorts of simulators.

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