10th Gen Intel Comet Lake : 1 Step Forward, 1 Step Back!

Intel just introduced the Comet Lake mobile processors, taking a step forward with its performance, but a step back on its features.

Confused? You should be, after what Intel just did with the 10th Gen family of Core processors…

 

10th Gen Intel Core Mobile Processor Family… Families?

At Computex 2019, Intel shared that they will be introducing eleven new 10th Gen Core mobile processors, which they formally launched just 20 days ago.

Codenamed Ice Lake, these processors are built on the 10 nm process technology, offering better performance with lower power consumption and heat output.

Now, Intel is offering a completely different slew of mobile processors, under the same 10th Gen Core family.

It’s as if they have two different mobile CPU divisions…

 

10th Gen Intel Comet Lake – One Step Forward, One Step Back

Just 20 days after they launched the 10nm Ice Lake, Intel went retro. Reaching back to 2014, they are reintroducing the 14 nm process technology with Comet Lake.

Yes, my friends, Intel Comet Lake will be built on the old, old 14 nm process technology. Ahh, the nostalgia of playing Far Cry 4 and Wasteland 2… Anyone remember them?

Intel Comet Lake – One Step Forward

Now, Intel Comet Lake is no old 2014 mobile processor. Intel made significant improvements, offering significant performance improvements and features :

  • Up to 16% better performance than the last-generation Intel Whiskey Lake processors, never mind 2014 dinosaurs
  • Intel Adaptix technologies – a set of tools that will help Intel’s OEM partners tune their laptop designs for 8% to 12% better performance
  • Support for faster memory – up to DDR4-2666
  • Support for Intel Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+) and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity

Intel Comet Lake – One Step Back

On the other hand, Intel Comet Lake processors represent a step backwards too, especially when compared to the Ice Lake processors that were just launched :

  • They are fabricated on the less-efficient 14 nm process technology from 2014
  • Their older UHD Graphics is half as fast as Ice Lake‘s new Iris Plus graphics
  • They do not support Intel Deep Learning Boost that accelerates AI workloads
  • They do not come with the Intel Gaussian & Neural Accelerator (GNA) for background workloads at ultra-low power.
  • Their LPDDR4x memory speed is limited to 2933 MHz, compared to 3733 MHz in Ice Lake.
  • Their DDR4 memory speed is limited to 2666 MHz, compared to 3200 MHz in Ice Lake.

Recommended : 10th Gen Intel Ice Lake Mobile CPU Features + Specifications!

 

A New… Old Processor Number System?

When Intel introduced Ice Lake, they announced a new processor number system.

Intel Comet Lake, confusingly, ditches the newly-announced Level of Graphics suffix, and resurrects the U and Y suffixes from the 8th Gen Core processor number system.

 

10th Gen Intel Comet Lake Models + Specifications (U Series)

Intel announced four new 10th Gen Intel Comet Lake mobile processors under the U-series.

They all have a TDP of 15 watts, and support for LPDDR4x-2933, LPDDR3-2133 or DDR4-2666 memory options.

10th Gen U-Series Cores / Threads Cache Base Freq Single Core Turbo All Core Turbo Graphics Graphics Max Freq Nominal TDP
Intel Core i7-10710U 6 / 12 12 MB 1.1 GHz 4.7 GHz 3.9 GHz Intel UHD Graphics
(24 EUs)
1.15 GHz 15W
Intel Core i7-10510U 4 / 8 8 MB 1.8 GHz 4.9 GHz 4.3 GHz Intel UHD Graphics
(24 EUs)
1.15 GHz 15W
Intel Core i5-10210U 4 / 8 8 MB 1.8 GHz 4.9 GHz 4.3 GHz Intel UHD Graphics
(24 EUs)
1.10 GHz 15W
Intel Core i3-10110U 2 / 4 4 MB 2.1 GHz 4.1 GHz 3.7 GHz Intel UHD Graphics
(23 EUs)
1.0 GHz 15W

 

10th Gen Intel Comet Lake Models + Specifications (Y Series)

They also announced four new 10th Gen Intel Comet Lake mobile processors under the Y-series.

They all have a lower TDP of 9 watts, with support for only LPDDR3 memory at up to 2133 MHz.

10th Gen Y-Series Cores / Threads Cache Base Freq Single Core Turbo All Core Turbo Graphics Graphics Max Freq Nominal TDP
Intel Core i7-10510Y 4 / 8 8 MB 1.2 GHz 4.5 GHz 3.2 GHz Intel UHD Graphics
(24 EUs)
1.15 GHz 9W
Intel Core i5-10310Y 4 / 8 6 MB 1.1 GHz 4.1 GHz 2.8 GHz Intel UHD Graphics
(24 EUs)
1.05 GHz 9W
Intel Core i5-10210Y 4 / 8 6 MB 1.0 GHz 4.0 GHz 2.7 GHz Intel UHD Graphics
(24 EUs)
1.05 GHz 9W
Intel Core i3-10110Y 2 / 4 4 MB 1.0 GHz 4.0 GHz 3.7 GHz Intel UHD Graphics
(24 EUs)
1.0 GHz 9W

 

Intel Comet Lake : The Last Hurrah For 14 nm?

The Intel Ice Lake mobile processors are definitely technologically superior, which makes Comet Lake an awkward addition to the same 10th Gen Core processor family.

Frankly, the only interesting Intel Comet Lake model is the Intel Core i7-10710U, which offers 6 cores and 12 threads, with 12 MB of L3 cache and a TDP of just 15 watts.

The other Comet Lake models are, arguably, outclassed and overshadowed by their Ice Lake brethren.

We have to say, it’s really sad to see Intel struggle getting their 10 nm process yields up, while AMD is churning out tons of 3rd Gen Ryzen desktop CPUs, Radeon RX 5700 GPUs and even 2nd Gen EPYC server CPUs in 7 nm.

After all, they were once the leaders in chip fabrication technologies, ahead of everyone else by years.

Seriously, guys… let this be the last hurrah for 14 nm on mobile already!

 

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