At CES 2023, Intel (INTC) will announce a new family of mobile CPUs, including what it claims to be the world’s fastest microprocessor for a laptop. Later this year, consumer laptops from a variety of manufacturers will have Intel’s 13th-generation Core CPUs, which span from the high-end HX series to the entry-level N series. The Intel Core i9-13980HX is the most powerful CPU currently available. The top-tier HX has a staggering 24 cores, with 8 performance cores optimized for intensive operations like gaming and 14 efficiency cores optimized for light chores like web surfing. Its highest speed is 5.6 GHz.
For a CPU, that’s insanely quick, yet for the vast majority of people, it’s not essential at all. Of course, this only applies to the performance cores of the processor, and even then only under extreme conditions. If not, their speed will be limited to 2.2GHz. Apple’s (AAPL) M1 Max, its most powerful CPU, achieves clock rates of 3.2GHz for comparison.
The HX is suitable for up to 128GB of RAM, an absurdly large quantity that will be appreciated by gamers and professionals that need extreme performance. However, computers featuring the HX processor are not expected to be budget-friendly. These CPUs will only be found in the most expensive laptops.
Intel released their new 13th generation Core P and Core U series CPUs with the HX series. Those processors are designed for the laptops that will be in most people’s homes. With a total of 14 cores (6 performance and 8 efficiency), the Core P and Core U CPUs are among the most powerful available. And then there are Intel’s brand-new Core N-series processors. Intel claims that its new CPUs, aimed for the education sector, provide enhanced performance and power efficiency, allowing for up to 10 hours of HD video playing on a single charge.
