The big picture: Intel’s Core Ultra 100 Meteor Lake notebook CPUs have faced supply-side inventory problems for months, and a recent report indicates that production continues to face turbulence. However, Intel’s latest financial reports indicate that the trouble hasn’t knocked the company’s upcoming products off-track.Yield problems reportedly leave Intel Meteor Lake supply constrained
You can read more Technology articles
Following a conversation with Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, analyst Patrick Moorhead reports that the company’s Core Ultra 100 Meteor Lake CPUs could be facing production stress due to lower-than-expected yields. The issue is not expected to impact Lunar Lake and Alder Lake launch plans.
Meteor Lake supplies haven’t run out yet, so consumers shouldn’t worry about rising prices in the short term, but hardware partners have begun asking Intel for processors for their laptop AI PCs. The company has had to expedite production to meet high demand.
Gelsinger admitted in April that the Intel Core Ultra 100 series had encountered wafer assembly problems severe enough to put downward pressure on the company’s bottom line. Meteor Lake represents the start of Intel’s push into AI PCs – systems incorporating NPUs for onboard generative AI processes. The arrival of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X lineup, subsequent AI PC chips from Intel and AMD, and major Windows 11 updates are expected to increase demand. Yield problems reportedly leave Intel Meteor Lake supply constrained
In a recent presentation, Chipzilla announced that it has sold over 15 million Meteor Lake PCs since the lineup debuted around the end of 2023. The company also said that, despite tightening inventory, it remains optimistic regarding its 2024 roadmaps.
Intel still expects to sell 40 million AI PCs by the end of this year.
The number would include the company’s upcoming Alder Lake and Lunar Lake lines. Lunar Lake, a.k.a. Core Ultra 200V, is a series of notebook processors set to begin shipping in September. Their production is currently ahead of schedule, and they are expected to improve battery life by 60 percent (presumably compared to Meteor Lake). Lunar Lake will compete with AMD’s new Strix Point (Ryzen AI 300) laptops.
Meanwhile, Intel’s 15th generation of Core desktop processors is expected to debut with Arrow Lake-S in October. The latest information indicates that the lineup will include unlocked K-series CPUs, comprising the company’s first socketable AI PC chips for independent builders. Yield problems reportedly leave Intel Meteor Lake supply constrained
The full Windows 11 AI PC feature set is currently only supported on Qualcomm Snapdragon X processors. A major update for Windows 11 coming later this year is expected to make local generative AI integration available to Lunar Lake, Alder Lake, and Strix Point PCs.
Follow HiTrend on X
