What does Intel refresh mean?
Raptor Lake Refresh vs Raptor Lake - what's the difference?
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Raptor Lake Refresh is finally here, but what does an Intel refresh mean? The last few months have been awash with different rumors and leaks in the build up to the Intel 14th gen CPU release date (which has now passed by), with different codenames for the series being thrown about, but it we’ve finally approached some clarity.
The current desktop line of Intel CPUs, which is called the Intel 14th gen range, will be based on an updated version of the existing Raptor Lake tech, rather than a complete reworking, and will hence be a Raptor Lake refresh. Read below for more details.
If you’re looking for a proper breakdown of the new desktop CPUs, check out our Intel Core i5-14600K review and Intel Core i9-14900K review that have now gone live! These are part of the Raptor Lake Refresh and definitely look to bridge the gap until we reach the 15th gen.
What is the Raptor Lake Refresh?
Reputable sources like Videocardz and Techpowerup previously reported leaks that claimed to show off the specs for the first desktop 14th gen processors, ranging from the low-end Intel Core i5-14600K all the way up to the i9-14900K. Now that these have been officially launched by Intel, we can see that prior rumors turned out to be true.
The architecture of the new range is the same as the Intel 13th gen, though performance has been enhanced, at least in terms of clock frequency. Clock speeds have got a boost across the board on every SKU, but only the i7-14700K gets an increase to the number of cores.
In summary, we shouldn’t expect a ground-breaking leap in performance or capability over the previous gen. Read out Is the 13th gen still worth it in 2024? guide to see which one you should buy: OG Raptor Lake or the new refreshed 14th gen line.
What does Intel refresh mean? FAQs
Is the Raptor Lake Refresh coming to laptops?
We’re fairly certain that the Raptor Lake Refresh will be limited to desktop processors. This is because Intel have already pre-viewed the next generation of Intel laptop CPUs, and these are the line known as Intel Meteor Lake, which will apparently be called Intel Core Ultra upon release.
These new laptop processors will be based on a completely new architecture, but will still fall under the Intel 14th gen laptop category. Read our Meteor Lake vs Raptor Lake Refresh guide for all the info.
The latest Intel Refresh release date
The Raptor Lake refresh launch date is the 17th of October 2023. Feel free to read our Intel 14th gen release date page for more info. We saw pre orders arriving just a day prior, so the first desktop CPUs are now here to stay.
