Intel, one of the world’s leading technology companies, has announced that its 11th-gen Tiger Lake-U CPUs have reached end-of-life (EOL). The announcement comes after the company launched the Tiger Lake processors in September 2020, which were based on the new Willow Cove architecture. In this article, we will look into the features and performance of the Tiger Lake series, the reasons for its discontinuation, what this means for the future of Intel, and how this will impact consumers.
Intel’s 11th Gen Tiger Lake CPUs were based on the x86 Willow Cove architecture. The processors were built on the 10nm++ process, which offered significant gains in efficiency and performance. The new architecture saw an improvement over its predecessor, the Ice Lake, which had a performance increase of up to 20%. The Tiger Lake-U CPUs were designed for ultrabooks, 2-in-1s, and other low-power laptops. The chips were notable for their higher clock speeds, which offered a faster performance boost compared to their predecessors.
The Willow Cove architecture offers gains in performance and efficiency, thanks to some new features. Intel has integrated new core instructions called VNNI (Vector Neural Network Instructions) that allow for faster and more efficient AI workloads. The architecture has also made improvements to the cache and memory subsystems of the processor, enabling better overall performance improvements. The processors also feature Intel’s Deep Learning Boost (DL Boost), which is a suite of technology aimed at improving AI performance in many scenarios.
10nm++ Process
The chips were produced on the 10nm++ node, which is an improvement over the 10nm process used in the Ice Lake series. The 10nm++ process has better yields and can operate at higher frequencies. This, in combination with the Willow Cove architecture, leads to overall performance gains.
Tiger Lake-H and Tiger Lake-B series CPUs
Intel has created more powerful variants of the Tiger Lake-U processors called Tiger Lake-H and Tiger Lake-B. Tiger Lake-H is designed to operate at higher power levels than the Tiger Lake-U processors, making it ideal for gaming laptops and power users. Tiger Lake-B, on the other hand, offers even better performance with support for more cores and higher clock speeds.
Discontinuation of CPUs and platforms
Intel has announced that it will be discontinuing 42 CPUs and three 500-series chipsets related to its Tiger Lake-U CPUs. The last CPUs will be shipped on the 29th of December, while orders can be placed until October of 2023. While the CPUs and platforms will be discontinued, they will still be available in retail segments at attractive price points.
Impact on consumers
The discontinuation of the Tiger Lake-U CPUs may have little impact on those looking to purchase a new laptop today. Intel has already released its next-generation cores to replace the existing ones. However, those who want to upgrade their existing systems may find it difficult to get spare parts, as the discontinuation will affect the supply chain.
One other major issue with the Tiger Lake CPUs is their battery life compared to newer designs. While the Tiger Lake chips offered better performance and efficiency gains, battery timings compared to newer designs may be slightly poorer. In conclusion, Intel’s discontinuation of its Tiger Lake-U CPUs marks the end of an era for the company. While this may not significantly affect consumers, it indicates that Intel is moving on to the next generation of processors, and we can expect more advanced offerings in the future.