Intel’s Wildcat Lake Chips Set to Replace Alder Lake-N

Intel‘s next low-end mobile processor series, Wildcat Lake, is expected to replace the Alder Lake-N series, focusing on ultra-low-power devices like mini-PCs and energy-efficient laptops. Intel is trying to improve power efficiency without sacrificing too much performance for lighter compute workloads, so this series will be launching alongside Intel’s Panther Lake-H SKUs. Similarly to Alder Lake-N, which is more on the web and education side of things, Wildcat Lake will target devices where keeping power consumption and heat generation low is key, such as ultra-portable laptops or small desktops.

Intel’s Wildcat Lake Chips to Replace Alder Lake-N for Low-Power Laptops and Mini-PCs

The Wildcat Lake processors, according to shipping manifests shared by @x86deadandback, will feature a “BGA 1516” socket, which is smaller than the classical LGA socket used in Intel’s mainstream offerings. This socket is 35 x 25 mm, and the accompanying manifests mention that CPU rebelling tools will be used in production preparation for the lineup, so the CPUs likely aren’t far along in their verification process.

Although the specific dimensions of Wildcat Lake are unknown, there are reports that reveal a 2+4 design with Intel’s Cougar Cove performance cores (P-Cores) and LPE Darkmont efficiency cores (E-Cores) in these processors. This arrangement would follow Intel’s ongoing use of a hybrid architecture combining high-performance cores and energy-efficient ones. The biggest news for Wildcat Lake, however, is going to be Intel’s 18A node, when it launches, as it will be among the first processors to use that node.

The 18A node may lead to improvements in both power efficiency and performance, giving Intel’s foundry a large step forward for mainstream chip production. While Wildcat Lake may not be targeted at bonkers performance, its low TDP also makes it a very good bet in low-thermal applications. That also means longer battery life in portable devices and enough graphical oomph for light workloads. Consequently, Wildcat Lake processors will offer a great fit for entry-level laptops, mini-PCs, and other power-sensitive devices.

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