With the introduction of the new Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 and 9 processors available now inside BOXX APEXX S3 and S4 workstations, let’s take a look at the advantages these new CPUs hold over their predecessors, the Intel® Core™ 14th Gen CPUs.
CPU Architecture
Intel Core 14th Gen Processors (Raptor Lake refresh):
- This generation is a refresh of the 13th-gen Raptor Lake processors and built on the same Intel 7 process (10nm-class node).
- It offers incremental improvements in clock speeds, performance, and efficiency over its predecessor
- It uses Performance Cores (P-cores) and Efficient Cores (E-cores) in a hybrid architecture, where P-cores handle heavy workloads, and E-cores handle lighter tasks for efficiency.
- These CPUs are designed primarily for 3D content creators, in addition to gamers.
Intel Core Ultra Processors (Meteor Lake):
- Core Ultra represents Intel’s next-generation architecture and is designed as a significant leap forward in both technology and performance.
- 24 CPU PCIe lanes up from 20
- Supports up to DDR5-6400
- Up to Thunderbolt 5 and Wi-Fi 7 (which more than doubles the speed of wireless connectivity for Wi-Fi 6)
- Increased NVMe speeds to PCIe 5.0
- Built on the Intel 4 process (7nm-class node), it uses a tile-based architecture, or “chiplet design”, where different parts of the processor (compute, GPU, AI, IO) are separated into different tiles and manufactured with different technologies.
- Intel Core Ultra CPUs are designed for 3D content creation applications, with a strong focus on integrated graphics performance, power efficiency, and AI capabilities—especially AI-enhanced workloads and integrated AI for today’s software applications.
What’s also worthy of mention is Intel Core Ultra CPU’s improved technology eliminates the need for hyperthreading, resulting in a 15% better performance-to-power and performance-to-area ratios than the previous gen’s cores with hyperthreading.
Early benchmarks suggested that that the new Ultra processors were 13.33% faster in single-core application performance and 10% faster in multi-core application performance, but those percentages were estimates only since scores vary depending on the system or configuration. For more detailed benchmarking, look for BOXXlabs benchmarks to be published soon.
Key Takeaway: The Intel Core 14th Gen processors build on the existing Raptor Lake architecture with incremental improvements, while the Intel Core Ultra processors, based on a new tile-based architecture, offer significant advancements in performance, integrated AI, and power efficiency, making them ideal for demanding workloads like 3D content creation and AI-enhanced applications.
Improved Graphics Performance
Intel Core 14th Gen features integrated Intel UHD Graphics, which are adequate for general computing tasks, multimedia, and light gaming, but 3D content creators require a dedicated GPU.
Intel Core Ultra, on the other hand, offers advanced integrated graphics, using Intel Arc GPU architecture to deliver much better performance for graphics-intensive applications.
Key Takeaway: The Intel Core 14th Gen processors provide solid integrated graphics, but the Intel Core Ultra takes performance to the next level with its Intel Arc GPU architecture for demanding graphics tasks.
Better Power Efficiency
Intel Core 14th Gen offers power efficiency improvements over previous generations, but the architecture is still optimized for desk side workstations and high-performance laptops where power consumption is usually not a primary concern.
Intel Core Ultra provides greater power-efficiency thanks to an improved manufacturing process and the use of the aforementioned chiplets. An interesting side note is the Ultra chips are also perfect for low-power devices as they prioritize battery life and efficiency, i.e., ultra-thin laptops and devices where performance per watt is critical.
Key Takeaway: The Intel Core 14th Gen processors bring improved power efficiency, while the Intel Core Ultra is designed to maximize battery life and performance per watt, making it ideal for ultra-thin laptops and low-power devices.
Improved AI Support
Intel Core 14th Gen is primarily focused on traditional CPU tasks and efficiency improvements but lacks advanced AI accelerators or AI-specific optimizations as central components of the design.
Intel Core Ultra includes Intel’s AI Boost technology, using Intel's NPU (Neural Processing Unit) for handling machine learning and AI workloads. This is a key improvement, as Core Ultra is designed to support AI-driven tasks like real-time video enhancements, AI image processing, natural language processing, and others more efficiently.
Key Takeaway: While the Intel Core 14th Gen focuses on traditional CPU performance, the Intel Core Ultra introduces AI Boost technology with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to efficiently handle AI-driven tasks such as real-time video enhancements and natural language processing.
Key tech differences chart
| Feature | Intel Core 14th Gen | Intel Core Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Raptor Lake Refresh (Intel 7) | Meteor Lake (Intel 4, tile-based architecture) |
| Core Design | Hybrid (P-cores + E-cores) | Hybrid with advanced AI acceleration (NPU) |
| AI Integration | Minimal | NPU for AI tasks |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics | Intel Arc-based integrated GPU |
| Power Efficiency | Moderate improvements | Significant focus on energy efficiency |
| Target Users | Creative professionals | Professional 3D content creators including those who rely on AI-enhanced tasks |
| Manufacturing Process | Intel 7 (10nm-class) | Intel 4 (7nm-class) |
Bottom Line on Intel Core Ultra vs. 14th Gen Intel Core Processors
Intel Core 14th Gen is suited for creative professionals who need high computing power and can benefit from traditional multi-core performance and overclocking potential, but Intel Core Ultra’s improved integrated graphics, better power efficiency, and AI capabilities make it the best choice for 3D content creators, including those looking to optimize AI-enhanced applications.
To configure your Intel Core Ultra –based workstation, check out the APEXX S3, the APEXX S4, or consult with a BOXX performance specialist via chat at www.boxx.com or by calling 877.877.BOXX.