More cores, more cache, DDR5-5600 support but PCIe Gen 5 M.2 is missing

Details of Intel’s 13th Gen Raptor Lake desktop CPU platform leaked during a Presentation of the ‘NAS Workshop’ in Shenzhen, China. The slide gives us a good look at the features one should expect from upcoming processors, but it’s also missing one crucial feature.

Intel Raptor Lake Desktop CPU Platform Details Leaked: DDR5-5600 Support Confirmed, But No Info on PCIe Gen 5 M.2 Support

On paper, Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPU it appears to be an optimized version of the 12th generation Alder Lake CPUs. They will be based on the same 10nm ‘Intel 7’ ESF process node, use the same P-Core and E-Core design, and be backward compatible with existing motherboards. But there’s a lot that’s changing with Raptor Lake and we’re going to break it all down, from official details to rumored information we know about Alder Lake so far and what you could expect from Intel’s next line of desktops, which will go head-to-head with AMD’s next Ryzen. CPU line for desktop computers as well.

Expected Features of 13th Gen Intel Raptor Lake Desktop CPUs:

• Up to 24 cores and 32 threads
• New Raptor Cove CPU Cores (Higher P Core IPC)
• Based on the 10nm ‘Intel 7’ ESF process node
• Compatible with existing LGA 1700 motherboards
• Dual channel DDR5-5600 memory support
• 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes
• Enhanced overclocking features
• 125W PL1 TDP (Flagship SKU)

Intel sticks to its LGA 1700 platform for at least one more CPU lineup and that’s Raptor Lake. Chipzilla confirmed that Raptor Lake CPUs will be compatible with existing LGA 1700 motherboards based on the 600-series chipset. But like every generation, motherboard manufacturers will offer a new line of motherboards based on the 700 series chipset which will come with taller I/O lanes. On top of that, the Raptor Lake chips will support DDR5-5600 speeds, which is a nice boost over the native DDR5-5200 speeds that Alder Lake supports. CPUs will also continue to support DDR4-3200 on D4-series motherboards.

This offers a good upgrade path for users who are currently running a mainstream Core i3 or Core i5 CPU and want to upgrade to a higher-end chip. They can simply replace their existing 12th Gen CPU with a higher end Core i7 or Core i9 SKU which will increase the overall performance of their PC.

Intel Desktop Platform Chipset Comparison

The 13th generation CPU will also feature enhanced overclocking capabilities. Alder Lake currently steps up to 5.5GHz with the upcoming Core i9-12900KS SKU, which has a maximum power rating of up to 260W, the highest on the mainstream platform. In addition to these, the Raptor Lake CPUs will also offer 16 PCIe Gen 5.0 lanes, 4 PCIe 4.0 lanes, and an x8 (Gen 4) interconnect for DMI. The PCH will carry additional PCI Gen 4.0 lanes in addition to increased USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20G), PCIe 3.0, and SATA III connections.

There’s also new AI M.2 module support compatible with Raptor Lake CPUs, but the slide doesn’t mention PCIe Gen 5 support for M.2 anywhere, which is a bit strange. Recently, there was rumors that Intel has Z790 motherboards with PCIe Gen 5 but considering AMD is going Gen 5 with their 600 series platform, it’s very likely that Intel will offer Gen 5 M.2 SSD support on their newer motherboards, but those Gen 5 x16 CPU lanes will be split between dGPU and M. .2 SSD.

Intel Mainstream Desktop CPU Generation Comparison:

News source: HXL