Farewell to the Intel i series: Introducing Intel Ultra

Intel, the leader in gaming CPUs, has announced a major CPU rebrand. According to Steam’s latest Hardware & Software Survey, two-thirds of gamers use Intel processors, making any changes from the company significant. One notable change is that Intel is dropping the ‘i’ from its processors, a naming convention that has been in place since 2008. Additionally, Intel will no longer indicate the processor generation at the beginning of the CPU names.

Another change is the split of the upcoming Meteor Lake processors into two variants: mainstream and premium. The premium variant, denoted as ‘Ultra’, will highlight its superior performance. For instance, the upcoming Meteor Lake processor that would have been named “14th Gen Intel Core i9 14900H” will now be called “Intel Core Ultra 9 1900H”, following the new naming convention introduced by Intel.

While the upcoming Meteor Lake processors are expected to enhance performance, rumors suggest that they may have fewer cores compared to the previous 13th Gen CPUs.

The rebranding move by Intel is both intriguing and raises questions about the company’s motives. It is uncertain whether Intel is attempting to conceal a lackluster generational upgrade or simply aiming to simplify the branding for non-enthusiast consumers. Ultimately, adding ‘Ultra’ to a processor name does not guarantee increased speed or performance.

Only time will tell if the Meteor Lake processors will earn a place in our guide to the best gaming CPUs. Currently, Intel dominates the list, with the Intel Core i5 13600K being recognized as the best gaming processor and the Intel Core i3 13100 named the best budget chip for gamers. However, a few AMD processors also receive acknowledgment.