Intel Drops New Core Ultra Processors and Gaudi3 AI Chip to Take on Nvidia and AMD
Intel made headlines at its AI Everywhere event in New York, introducing its new Core Ultra processors and Gaudi3 artificial intelligence (AI) chip. The Core Ultra processors, available in three configurations, feature a chiplet design and a neural processing unit, with the Core Ultra 5 and Core Ultra 7 already in new PCs. While the Core Ultra 9 set to launch in the coming months. These chiplets are designed to enhance Intel’s Core Ultra chips' power and power efficiency and are part of CEO Pat Gelsinger’s efforts to revitalize the company and regain market share from competitors like AMD, Qualcomm, and Apple.
The Core Ultra line's chiplets include compute, graphics, I/O, and SoC tiles, each with specific capabilities to improve performance and power efficiency. Additionally, the SoC tile incorporates Intel’s new Low Power Island and neural processing unit, aiming to enhance onboard AI capabilities. While the NPU can handle some AI tasks, the functionality remains limited compared to cloud-based processing.
Intel claims that its high-end Core Ultra 7165H chip surpasses competitors in multithreaded performance while consuming less power, offering superior performance in streaming, video playback, web browsing, and gaming. The company also highlights the graphics processing unit's boost in gaming performance, powered by the Ultra's onboard Arc graphics processing unit.
The new Core Ultra line is important for Intel's plan to regain its industry position. Despite revenue declines, Intel expects a sales boost as people replace aging computers. Additionally, Intel is entering the AI arena with the Gaudi3 AI chip to compete with Nvidia's H100 and AMD's upcoming MI300X.
Gaudi3 is designed for generative AI software and is expected to attract AI companies seeking alternatives to Nvidia’s GPUs. This move aligns with Intel’s broader efforts to focus on AI applications. The new Core Ultra processors and fifth-generation Xeon server chips also incorporating specialized AI components to enhance AI program execution.
The Core Ultra processors offer enhanced gaming capabilities and improved graphics performance, contributing to faster program execution. Additionally, Intel’s fifth-generation Xeon processors are tailored for large organizations and cloud companies, particularly excelling in AI model deployment inference processes.
