Intro

Special Note: If your budget is under 8000 CYN and you're seeking multi-threading performance, you can bookmark this page and skip the rest.

Frankly speaking, this series of CPU target Apple and Qualcomm, designed as a swordsman to sever the path to Windows on ARM.

Intel is banking on a future economic recovery, anticipating that more high-income individuals will purchase high-efficiency, sleek ultrabooks in the flagship office segment. Intel is advancing up the technology tree in energy efficiency, aiming to shift Microsoft back from ARM to x86.

x86 is not only a significant part of Microsoft's storied history but also a considerable burden on energy efficiency for Windows laptops. Microsoft certainly does not want to put all its eggs in one basket, and x86 seems destined to remain in the domain of Intel and AMD's CPU hardware.

Apple has effectively achieved true energy efficiency in laptops. Although its peak multi-threading performance doesn't surpass that of high-performance Windows ultrabooks, a MacBook is immediately operational upon opening and ready to shut down when closed, boasting sufficient battery life for a full day's work.

In contrast, past models from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm have not attained the high energy efficiency and long battery life characteristic of the MacBook.

Therefore, the Intel Core Ultra 200V series represents an evolution from the first generation of Core Ultra, enhancing and optimizing energy efficiency further.

Lunar Lake Intel Core Ultra 200V, a highly integrated chip king of energy efficiency.

The all-new Intel Core Ultra 200V is not aimed at multi-threading performance scores, but is wholly designed with high energy efficiency in mind, aiming to produce, in collaboration with Microsoft, a flagship ultrabook that can rival the MacBook in energy efficiency.

Thus, this processor is destined for some flagship-level, lightweight, thin laptops, pursuing low heat, and more traditionally conservative in terms of power consumption. It aims to provide decent office performance and enough battery life for most of the day.

The main improvements in this new flagship SoC are officially in four areas:

Breakthrough x86 power efficiency
Exceptional core performance
Massive leap in graphics
Unmatched AI compute

To put it more plainly, these enhancements translate to improved single-core CPU performance, a better energy efficiency ratio, and advanced capabilities for integrated graphics and NPU.

Before we delve into these improvements, let's discuss something that might be more intriguing and appealing to the customer: memory on package.

Memory on package

This technology is quite impressive: for the first time in history, Intel has integrated the memory directly into the package, achieving on-package memory in the x86 domain.

This method builds on the philosophy of the Foveros 3D packaging technology, first introduced with the Core Ultra Gen 1. If dividing different segments on the Base tile can improve communication and energy efficiency, then incorporating the memory directly onto the package as well makes logical sense, thus creating a "Memory on Package" solution.

The memory supports up to 2 ranks of 32GB integrated memory, compatible with LPDDR5x, up to 8500MHz per chip, and utilizing 4x 16-bit channels. This setup not only reduces the physical footprint but also significantly lowers the power consumption of the memory.

Why integrate memory next to the CPU?

In fact, high-level integration offers several advantages. During normal operations, there is intense IO communication between the CPU and memory. They depend on the memory controller and the associated IO bus. Even with onboard memory, signals and data must still be routed back and forth across the motherboard.

Intel Core Ultra 200V has optimized its memory controller. This refined design simplifies communication pathways, which enhances memory bandwidth, reduces memory latency, and decreases power consumption.

However, there's a trade-off: it's unlikely that you'll be able to upgrade the memory capacity yourself.

Integrating memory substantially boosts energy efficiency, particularly in terms of power consumption. Regardless of whether it's slot-based or onboard, the energy used for memory communication is significant. Although reducing power consumption in the CPU alone can enhance the computer's overall energy efficiency and battery life, integrating the memory can lead to even greater improvements.

Is further energy efficiency possible with integrated memory?

Yes, further efficiency is achievable. By implementing a dedicated cache for the memory side on the SoC, we can further reduce communication costs, enhancing energy savings.

The CPU side features multi-level data and instruction caches, and now we're incorporating a cache on the memory side as well.

For operations that frequently necessitate waking up memory for read and write access, an 8MB dedicated physical cache has been allocated. If data hits this cache, it can bypass a memory communication event, which not only saves power but also enhances speed and reduces power consumption.

This commitment to energy efficiency signifies substantial investment, suggesting that manufacturing costs are notably high.

The Pros and Cons of Hyperthreading

Today, most processors integrate hyperthreading technology, commonly featuring configurations like 4 cores 8 threads, or 8 cores 16 threads. Here, one core handles two threads, effectively operating on "double-duty."

The rationale behind this is to minimize CPU idleness and maximize utilization.

The advantages are straightforward: multiple tasks can be managed concurrently. For example, where previously one person was needed to play one instrument and 16 were required to form a section, now only 8 are needed, effectively halving the number of processing units necessary.

However, there is a downside. Handling two tasks simultaneously does not double the performance since there is still only one processing unit; it merely optimizes the use of idle time. According to Intel, employing hyperthreading (Hyper Threading) can lead to approximately a 30% improvement in IPC (Instructions Per Cycle) performance, but also raises the core's dynamic power consumption (Cdyn) by 20%.

If a single-core's performance is strong enough, it is indeed possible to create a more energy-efficient solution for light to moderate office workloads, balancing performance and power consumption effectively.

Thus, Intel decided to further refine and optimize single-thread scheduling. Originally, disabling hyperthreading would lead to a 30% loss in performance. However, by enhancing the core's microarchitecture design and communication scheduling, and by streamlining modules to reduce their size, the new P-core performance cores can achieve a 5% increase in performance at the same power consumption, a 15% reduction in total performance area, and an overall 15% improvement in energy efficiency.

Core Specifications

Straight to the point: I only recommend buying processors with the model suffix '8V'

Since the goal is high efficiency, clearly the focus isn't on high power consumption and multi-thread benchmarking.

The Lunar Lake series processors are oriented towards low power consumption, with a TDP ranging from 8-30 W and a maximum turbo power consumption of 37W. Perhaps some of the lower heat models with conservative designs could be made with a fanless design. This power consumption orientation means that it's possible to reduce the size of the heat dissipation module and fans, decrease fan noise, and increase battery design space.

In pursuit of efficiency, after significantly boosting single-core performance, Intel opted to cut back on multithreading.

The entire series uses a single-thread design, featuring 4 performance cores (P-cores) and 4 low-power efficiency cores (LPE-cores), totaling 8 cores and 8 threads.

The strongest flagship is the Ultra 9 288V, with a power consumption range of 17-37W. Given the intensely competitive laptop market in China, this processor is likely to be the first choice for flagship new products from major manufacturers.

To summarize, the main distinctions in this series of processors are: turbo frequency, L3 cache, integrated graphics, and packaged memory.

All models ending with the suffix 6V come with 16GB of packaged memory, which is why I highly recommend purchasing processors with the model suffix '8V'.

The main difference between Ultra9 and Ultra7 is that the maximum turbo frequency of the P-cores in the Ultra9 can exceed 5.1GHz at 37W.

The main difference between Ultra7 and Ultra5 is that both the P-cores and E-cores have better turbo frequencies, and the integrated graphics are somewhat stronger.

The reason for these specifications is due to the second generation P-cores and E-cores being quite different from the first generation.

Performance Code -- Lion Cove P-core

The Intel Core Ultra 200V series processors are equipped with four new Lion Cove P cores, enhancing hardware specifications in integer performance, vector computation, and cache read/write capabilities, utilizing AI-optimized power management.

Single-core performance comparisons in tests like SPEC ICX23.2.3 v1.1.8 1-copy, Cinebench 1-CPU R23. R24, Geekbench 5.4.5 SC, Geekbench 6.2.1 SC, WebXPRT4 & Speedometer show that the Intel Core Ultra 200V has a new P-core composite IPC increase of 14%, with performance improvements ranging from 10% to 18% at different power levels compared to the previous generation Core Ultra 100.

This PPT data is relatively rigorous, unlike some competitors who include LOL game performance in IPC improvement data.

In terms of performance control, modern CPUs operate under a turbo boost strategy, which means when a process requires significant computation, the frequency is increased for a rapid response, and reduced when idle to save energy.

Previously, the smallest frequency control unit was 0.1 GHz. The new Intel Core Ultra 200V series processors now support a minimal adjustment of 16.67 MHz, or 0.01667 GHz. This finer granularity in turbo frequency adjustments during light to moderate loads allows for enhanced minor output without significantly impacting performance, thus achieving the goal of improved energy efficiency.

The new P-core is designed to meet better energy efficiency per unit area and power consumption efficiency through micro-architecture transformation while ensuring that its single-core performance is strong enough.

Efficiency Core -- Skymont E-core

Intel Core Ultra 200V series processors have 4 new Skymont energy-efficient cores that have been further enhanced. CPU instruction branch prediction has been enhanced, L2 cache bandwidth has been doubled, 4 MB of shared L2 memory, and 4×128bit FP & SIMD verctors.

The LPE-Core architecture of the previous generation Core Ultra 100 is the same as the E-Core architecture, both based on the Crestmont architecture. Compared with the current Core Ultra 200V series Skymont architecture, the new E core has a good improvement.

Single-core performance comparison, compared with the previous generation of LPE-Core, there is a 68% performance improvement.

After crossing the power consumption sweet spot, the entire cluster is compared, taking a complete group of 2 LPE-Core and a complete group of 4 new E-Core.

Comparing multi-threaded performance under the same power consumption, the new 4 energy-efficient cores only need about 1/3 of the original power consumption compared with the previous generation of 2 LPE-Core. In the performance comparison under the same power consumption of this node, the overall improvement is 2.9 times, and the single-threaded performance is improved by 1.7 times. **

According to this curve, in the low power consumption range within 20W, the E core is relatively good in performance and very power-saving, after all, it is a small core that focuses on energy efficiency.

Improvements in GPU Graphics & NPU AI

This time, the hardware specifications of the core graphics and NPU have also been enhanced. Due to the limited space, I will not elaborate on them in detail, but it is certain that this core graphics is still capable of playing online games. Whether it can challenge low-quality 3A, we will have to wait for later tests.

In addition to gaming, the stronger core graphics performance can also bring more benefits to daily light PS editing and video editing, and local AI-related operations can also be improved.

According to Intel's official announcement, Ultra7 can achieve lower power consumption at the same frame rate compared with AMD, while Ultra9 can achieve higher frame rates at the same power consumption.

Flagship energy efficiency laptops, lower sales but more profits

Everything gives way to energy efficiency, and everything is streamlined and optimized. This is the original intention of heterogeneous design ideas. Returning to energy efficiency, achieving more efficient performance computing under limited chip area, and finally falling on notebook products mainly for mobile scenarios, that is to save the disadvantages of intel notebooks in the past few years, which have only performance but insufficient battery life.

In the battery life comparison of the new Intel Core Ultra 200V series processors from Intel, for the same type is compared horizontally, using UL Procyon Office office productivity test, the battery life results obtained that Intel Core Ultra 200V are more advantageous than those of competitors.

More actual tests will soon be available to consumers in October, and you can wait and see the feedback from the first batch of users.

Intel's new Intel Core Ultra 200V is based on the positioning of high-end flagship long-life thin and light notebooks, especially 1kg ultra-light, 1-1.3kg thin and light notebooks, lightweight two-in-one notebooks, and Windows gaming handheld.

Stronger single-core performance, more conservative tuning, lower power consumption, better energy efficiency, and smaller package area.

This means that OEMs can have more space in product internal design. A SoC contains 8 cores and 8 threads, and the performances can be the same as others, but the energy consumption is lower. So quieter fans can be designed for it, more space can be placed for larger batteries, or ordinary small batteries can be made lighter.

To put it more simply, the goal is to aim at a high-end flagship WinBook similar to the MacBook, and a flagship Surface two-in-one similar to the iPad but more productive.

These products may not have a large sales volume, nor may they be the choice of most users who pursue cost-effectiveness. However, in the market, since there are cost-effective products that implement the strategy of low profit and high sales, there will also be flagship notebook products that adopt the strategy of high profit and low sales.

Apple's ARM has opened up a new path for energy efficiency. In addition to pursuing high performance, Intel also has a "high energy efficiency" skill route planning, pulling Microsoft back from the ARM camp to x86, and also betting on flagship products, betting that the global economy will recover in the future, and more high-income people will consume this type of high-efficiency textured thin and light notebooks on flagship office thin and light notebooks.

Users currently on 10th and 11th generation processors, with budgets sufficient for flagship models, should consider the upcoming Intel Core Ultra 200V series. These high-efficiency, quality ultrabooks are ideal for business elites with consistent office needs, travelers seeking ultra-light solutions, and anyone interested in running programs like Energy Star to enhance energy efficiency.

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Intel Core Ultra 200V Review: Must Sacrifice One Arm to Master This Skill? Paving the Way for Energy Efficiency

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