TL;DR: Intel has now confirmed that its Lunar Lake processors will start shipping in September 2024, quashing recent rumors that they were delayed. The new CPUs are expected to power the next-generation AI PCs and compete directly with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X-series SoCs and AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 processors.
Intel’s confirmation comes just days after Taiwanese publication Digitimes reported a delay in the shipping date for the Lunar Lake lineup. In a statement refuting the claim, Intel told Chinese tech site Benchlife that its upcoming AI processors have “not been delayed” and that they will start shipping in Q3, targeting the Holiday season.
Lunar Lake-powered laptops are expected to be unveiled between the 17th and 24th of September, and they will reportedly go on sale by the 25th. Intel will host its “Innovation” event on September 24, so it remains to be seen if the company will show off its new processors on that day.
Intel is also expected to launch the first batch of Arrow Lake-S desktop CPUs in October before releasing more SKUs early next year. According to rumors, the initial launch will include the K-series unlocked chips, while the locked non-K units are likely to land next year. Arrow Lake will require new Z890 motherboards, which are also expected to arrive this October alongside the new processors. Intel’s new desktop CPUs will compete against AMD’s Zen 5-based Ryzen 9000 “Granite Ridge” platform, which is thought to launch in July.
While Arrow Lake is aimed at desktops and DIY enthusiasts, the Lunar Lake “Core Ultra 200V” CPUs are designed for thin and light notebooks that will compete against the recently-announced Copilot+ AI PCs powered by the Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus processors. AMD is also expected to throw its hat in the AI PC ring with its Ryzen AI 300 “Strix Point” APUs that are slated to hit retail shelves next month.
Microsoft has confirmed that laptops powered by Lunar Lake and Strix Point CPUs will not launch with the Copilot+ feature, but will get it in an update after release. This is in direct contrast with the new Snapdragon-powered devices that were launched with Copilot+ built-in. Devices powered by the upcoming chips from Intel and AMD will meet Microsoft’s Copilot+ standard that requires laptops to include an NPU powerful enough to process 40+ trillion operations per second (TOPS).
