Intel Processor Naming and Numbering Scheme Explained With Benchmark

Let’s be honest, Intel’s naming and numbering scheme has always been confusing just like other chipset makers including AMD and Qualcomm Snapdragon. Intel has further complicated their processor naming and numbering scheme making it even worse by completely rebranding the entire CPU lineup.

Here’s the old vs. new naming scheme of Intel:

• Old: Intel Core i9-14900HX
• New: Intel Core Ultra 9 185H

As you can see, apart from the processor’s name and tier (which is ‘9’), it’s difficult to understand what the other numbers and suffixes mean in the name. Intel has two main variants now – Core and Core Ultra.

So what’s changed in the new Intel Core processors?

• Moving forward, you won’t see ‘i’ (like i3, i5, i7, or i9) in the processor names anymore. Instead, you’ll find names like Core 3 and Core 5 or Core Ultra 7 and Core Ultra 9.
• Another big change is in the numbering scheme. For example, older models had names like 14700HX or 1334U. Now, with the new Meteor Lake (Core and Core Ultra) processors, you’ll see shorter names like 150U or 185H.
• Some of these new processors also come with an integrated NPU (Neural Processing Units) to handle AI tasks and Intel Arc GPU which is designed for high performance gaming.

Now that you have a brief overview of the changes, let’s break down Intel’s new naming and numbering scheme.

Intel Core Ultra Processors

Intel Core Ultra processors (code-named Meteor Lake) are built on the latest Intel 4 process node, designed for thin and light laptops. They come with integrated NPUs and Intel Arc GPUs. This lineup includes Core Ultra 5, Core Ultra 7, and Core Ultra 9.

Let’s take the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, for example:

• The ‘Core Ultra’ is the processor’s name.
• The ‘7’ represents the brand level, indicating the processor’s performance tier. Other tiers include 5, and 9. The higher the brand level, the more powerful and capable the CPU is.
• The ‘1’ shows the processor series. As new series are released, this number will go up, like in the Intel Core Ultra 9 288V, where the ‘2’ represents a newer series.
• The ’55’ is the SKU, which changes between models.
• The suffix ‘H’ indicates the processor type, with the H-series focused on high performance for laptops. Likewise, if you see the suffix ‘U’, it means it’s a power-efficient chipset. More on this later.

Intel Core Processors (Series 1)

While the names might sound similar, there are differences between the regular Intel Core and Intel Core Ultra CPUs. First, the regular Intel Core CPUs lack an NPU, which is essential for performing AI tasks, and they don’t come integrated Intel Arc GPUs meant for gaming. They are also built on slightly less advanced architectures.

The processors in this variant include Core 3, Intel Core 5, and Intel Core 7. Here’s a simplified explanation of the naming scheme:

For example, an Intel Core 5 processor 120U follows the same logic as the Ultra series.

• The ‘5’ is the performance level.
• The ‘1’ is the series.
• The ’20’ is the SKU.
• The ‘U’ suffix tells you it’s power-efficient processor.

There are various suffixes for Intel processors, and in the later section, you’ll find a simple table explaining the meaning of each suffix.

Intel Core 14th Gen Processors

This is the last generation of Intel processors to feature the ‘i’ moniker next to the brand level/tier. Intel may retire this in the coming years. Here’s the naming and numbering explanation of the 14th Gen Intel Core processors.

This processor comes in four variants: Intel Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9 and we will use the Intel Core i7-14650HX as an example.

• The ‘i7’ is the brand modifier or version of the processor. Unlike the newer Intel Core Ultra SoCs, this retains the iconic ‘i’ that Intel has used for previous generations.
• The ’14’ indicates the generation of the processor. So, ’14’ signifies a 14th Gen processor. Similarly, ’13’ or ’12’ would denote the 13th or 12th Gen processors, respectively.
• The ‘650’ is the SKU, which would be different on each processor.
• The ‘HX’ suffix indicates the type of processor.

Intel Processor Suffixes Explained

You might have noticed that some processor names end with extra letters. Here’s what each suffix means for Intel processors:

Desktop

Laptop

Embedded

Intel Core and Intel Core Ultra Benchmark

Alright, we’ve got the benchmark scores for the regular Intel Core and Intel Core Ultra chipsets. Just a heads-up – these numbers don’t always match up with how things perform in real life since it can change based on your Windows laptop or PC hardware.

Intel Core Ultra Benchmark Score

Intel Core Benchmark Score

Here’s the reorganized table, now starting with all Intel Core 3 series, followed by 5 and 7 series:

We hope this guide clears up the confusion around Intel’s processor names. We get it, moving from the classic naming scheme to this new one (and losing the iconic ‘i’) can be tough to wrap your head around.

If you know someone struggling to understand Intel’s new naming system, feel free to share this article. This might save them some headaches while choosing their next Windows laptop or desktop computer.