Intel is reportedly planning to shake up its longstanding naming conventions for consumer-focused CPUs with the upcoming launch of its Meteor Lake processors. For more than 17 years, Intel has used the ‘Core i’ name for many of its desktop and laptop CPUs.
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However, recent benchmark leaks suggest a possible rebranding of Intel’s CPUs, and the company’s director of communications, Bernard Fernandes, has all but confirmed the change in a tweet, stating: “Yes, we are making brand changes as we’re at an inflection point in our client roadmap in preparation for the upcoming launch of our Meteor Lake processors. We will provide more details regarding these exciting changes in the coming weeks.”
Yes, we are making brand changes as we’re at an inflection point in our client roadmap in preparation for the upcoming launch of our #MeteorLake processors. We will provide more details regarding these exciting changes in the coming weeks! #Intel
— Bernard Fernandes (@Bernard_P) May 1, 2023
The Meteor Lake processors are expected to be built from multiple smaller “chiplets,” a departure from Intel’s previous approach of using a single die. This move could prove to be a smart one for Intel as it transitions to newer chip technologies. However, whether a fresh moniker will be enough to convince consumers to upgrade remains to be seen. With the economic climate and the fact that machines bought during the Covid-19 pandemic are still far from obsolete, PC sales are slow, and there is no major release of Windows on the immediate horizon to drive a PC refresh cycle.
Intel plans to launch Meteor Lake in the second half of 2023, and the company may make the rebranding announcement at the annual Computex event in Taiwan at the end of May.
