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Intel Ark vs. Meteor Lake: A Detailed Comparison

• TechEnthusiast101 Posted: 2023-10-27 10:30 AM

  Hey everyone,

  I've been digging into the new Meteor Lake architecture and wanted to see how it stacks up against the established lineup found on Intel Ark. While Ark provides detailed specs for each processor, it doesn't always give a clear picture of the architectural advancements. I'm particularly interested in:

  • Core Architecture: P-cores vs. E-cores vs. new LP E-cores. How do they differ in performance and efficiency?
  • Integrated Graphics: Intel Arc graphics in Meteor Lake compared to Iris Xe.
  • Process Node: The impact of the Intel 4 process on performance and power consumption.
  • Tile-based Design: How does this modular approach affect manufacturing and potential upgrades?

  I've found Intel Ark to be a great resource for raw data, but I'm looking for more in-depth analysis. Has anyone done a direct comparison or have insights into these areas? Let's discuss!

  Likes: 45 Reply
• CPUGeek88 Posted: 2023-10-27 11:15 AM

  Great topic, TechEnthusiast101!

  You hit on the key points. Meteor Lake's biggest departure is the chiplet (or "tile") design, a first for Intel mainstream CPUs. This allows them to mix and match process nodes for different functions (compute tile, I/O tile, GPU tile, SoC tile). The compute tile itself is on the Intel 4 process, which is a significant leap in density and efficiency over the 10nm Enhanced SuperFin used in many Ark-listed processors (like 13th gen Raptor Lake).

  The performance cores (P-cores) are likely based on the Redwood Cove microarchitecture, and the efficiency cores (E-cores) are Crestmont. The new low-power E-cores (LP E-cores) are designed for ultra-low power tasks and will probably reside on the SoC tile, contributing significantly to battery life.

  Regarding graphics, the integrated Arc graphics on Meteor Lake are a substantial upgrade from the older Iris Xe. Expect much better performance in gaming and creative workloads, though it's still not a replacement for a dedicated GPU.

  Likes: 30 Reply
• PerformanceTuning Posted: 2023-10-27 1:45 PM

  To add to CPUGeek88's points, the "Ark vs. Meteor Lake" comparison isn't straightforward because Ark is a database, not an architecture. Meteor Lake *is* the architecture that will eventually have its specs listed on Ark.

  The key takeaway is that Intel is shifting strategy. The tile-based approach allows for specialization. We're seeing dedicated tiles for:

  • Compute Tile: Housing the P-cores and E-cores.
  • Graphics Tile: Featuring the new Arc iGPU.
  • SoC Tile: Includes the LP E-cores, media engine, display engine, and other I/O.
  • I/O Tile: Handles Thunderbolt, PCIe, etc.

  This is a departure from monolithic designs where all components are on a single piece of silicon. The efficiency gains from Intel 4 and the dedicated LP E-cores on the SoC tile are expected to be substantial for mobile computing. For desktop, it will be interesting to see how the performance scales.

  Likes: 25 Reply