Intel’s 13th generation Core Series Desktop CPU lineup, otherwise known as Raptor Lake, is finally here and ready to take the helm from last year’s 12th generation Alder Lake. As with all succeeding processors, the new series boasts improved performance across the board.

Before we begin, we think that it should be made clear that Raptor Lake isn’t that big a generational leap from Alder Lake. If nothing else, this generation of Intel desktop CPUs are technically here to help the chipmaker bridge the gap to the next lineup, Meteor Lake. Of course, that isn’t to say that there aren’t some updates and improvements to benefit from the series.

Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake 2 — (Image source: Intel.)

On a related note, it is important to mention that all Raptor Lake CPUs are built around an upgraded 3rd generation Intel 7 SuperFin process, which is just another name for the chipmaker’s 10nm die lithography. The P-Cores have also been updated from Golden Cove to the new self-named “Raptor Cove” model. Lastly, the series have now been given larger L2 Cache.

For a start, all Raptor Lake SKUs are receiving up to eight additional E-Cores to their repertoire and that in turn, bumps up the number of threads each 13th gen CPU gains access to. For both the 13600K and 13700K, they get four additional cores, while the 13900K gets the mentioned eight.

Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake 4 — (Image source: Intel.)

In addition to an increased core count, all Raptor Lake CPUs are also receiving a boost in their frequencies. Specifically, the 13600K will run 200MHz faster than its Alder Lake predecessor and will boost up to 5.1GHz. The 13700K gets 400MHz more and can ramp up to 5.4GHz, while the 13900K will reach the coveted 5.8GHz max clock.

Of course, a new CPU generation also usually means a new generation of motherboards following it not too far behind, and Raptor Lake is no exception. In this case, the series receives a new 700 Series chipset, with the Z790 leading the charge for high-end motherboards. Now, if you don’t want to use a 700 Series, you can still pair your CPU with previous generation 600 Series motherboards, seeing that both chipsets are using the same socket LGA1700 platform.

Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake 3 — (Image source: Intel.)

Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake 7 — (Image source: Intel.)

Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake 6 — (Image source: Intel.)

Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake 5 — (Image source: Intel.)

Much like Alder as well, Raptor Lake CPUs are also designed to support both DDR5 and DDR4 memory formats, which again, isn’t all that surprising, given the backward compatibility.

Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake SKU list 1 — (Image source: Intel.)

The new Intel Raptor Lake Desktop CPUs will be available in six variations, three of which are the KF models, which are just models that are lacking the integrated UHD Graphics 770 cores. As for pricing, prices for the CPUs start from US$294 (~RM1355) for the Core i5 models, US$384 (~RM1770) for Core i7 models, and US$564 (~RM2600) for the Core i9 models. They will be available starting 20 October.

(Additional sources: Intel [1] [2])