Lunar Lake leak hints revolutionary integrated graphics for thin and light laptops
While Intel Core Ultra chips just arrived last December, the next-gen Intel Core Ultra chips are already doing the rumor rounds and thanks to leaker @miktdt on X, we may have a glimpse at the improved integrated graphics performance. This leak, centered on a pre-release HP Spectre x360 laptop featuring the Intel Lunar Lake CPU (codenamed Intel Core Ultra 200V), is significant for a few reasons.
Intel's Arc GPUs in the latest Intel Core Ultra laptops delivered a major jump in performance compared to the previous Iris Xe offerings. However, the leaked information suggests that Intel's next-generation integrated graphics could offer yet another exponential leap in performance.
Benchmark breakdown
The leaked benchmark showcases what could be a big jump in integrated graphics, achieving a noteworthy 2,108 Mpix/s (millions of pixels per second). That's outperforming options like the Ryzen Z1 Extreme found in the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go, but critically doing so with a chip drawing just 17W of power compared to up to 30W for those AMD options.
Benchmarked on the SiSoftware platform showcase the integrated Intel Arc graphics solution within the Lunar Lake chip. With 56 Execution Units (EUs) clocked at 1.75GHz. This seemingly backs up Intel's claims of doubling graphics performance compared to their previous generation, Meteor Lake, marking a significant leap for integrated graphics.
It's important to remember this is a pre-release sample with a potentially cut-down GPU. Rumors suggest the final Lunar Lake chip might boast 8 Xe Cores, potentially leading to even better performance.
The competition is heating up
While Intel's Xe2 Battlemage looks promising, the laptop CPU market promises to be a battleground this year. Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite (and Plus) processors, which could arrive in laptops as early as June 2024, offer a compelling alternative.
While these ARM-based CPUs used to rely on emulation for x86 software, Microsoft and many developers have worked diligently to create native versions of their applications to run on the ARM-based Qualcomm chipsets. I recently got a hands-on with a Snapdragon X Elite laptop running Davinici Resolve and it worked beautifully.
AMD isn't sitting idly either. Its Strix Point CPUs, expected later this year, are poised to challenge Intel's dominance in the laptop CPU market. Strix Point Halo, rumored to be an even more powerful iteration, is expected to arrive in 2025.
These advancements in integrated graphics paint a picture where thin-and-light laptops can comfortably handle demanding applications and even modern games. While dedicated graphics cards will remain the domain of hardcore gamers, and workstations.
Final Thoughts
The leaked Lunar Lake benchmarks suggest a bright future for integrated graphics. While dedicated graphics cards won't disappear completely for hardcore gamers, the options for casual gamers and everyday users seeking portability are about to expand significantly.
With Intel's Xe2 Battlemage, Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite, and AMD's Strix Point all vying for dominance, 2024 could be a landmark year for powerful and versatile thin-and-light laptops and the emerging handheld gaming PC market.
