Intel Core Ultra (Meteor Lake): On-Device AI & Efficiency for Thin Laptops

Intel Core Ultra (Meteor Lake): Release Date & Brand Update
In 2023, Intel announced brand and architecture updates for its client product line, and successively launched consumer processors based on Meteor Lake (Core Ultra) from the second half of 2023 to 2024. These processors feature NPUs (heterogeneous system-on-chips), and Intel positions this generation as chips for thin-and-light laptops and high-performance portable devices with on-device AI capabilities.
Intel Core Ultra: Shipment & Market Performance
Core Ultra (Meteor Lake) has been adopted by numerous OEMs in the thin-and-light laptop and 2-in-1 device markets, with a particular focus on on-device AI features (NPU) and energy efficiency ratio. Official website and channel releases from 2023 to 2024 indicate that this family has been used in new ultraportable product lines, driving the upgrade of mid-to-high-end mobile computing devices.
Key Consumer Electronics Applications of Intel Core Ultra
•Thin-and-light laptops and 2-in-1 devices (smart camera noise reduction, real-time translation, AI assistants).
•High-end netbooks/business laptops (energy-efficient acceleration for content creation).
•Certain smart home gateways and high-end media centers (requiring x86 compatibility).
Core Ultra's NPU can locally handle image enhancement, speech recognition, and lightweight inference for certain large models, enabling a more responsive and privacy-focused AI experience on mobile devices.
Core Ultra & Other Products in the Same Series
Core Ultra (Meteor Lake) is Intel's new-generation client series, covering tiers such as Core Ultra 3/5/7/9, and transitioning in parallel with Intel's existing Raptor Lake series. Its main competitors include AMD Ryzen mobile processors and Qualcomm's Windows-on-ARM solutions.
Intel Core Ultra: Performance Upgrade Over Previous Generations
Compared to the previous generation (Raptor Lake), the upgrades of Core Ultra (Meteor Lake) include:
•On-chip heterogeneous design (Tile + Foveros) enabling more flexible power/performance balance, adapting to both light and heavy workloads on mobile devices.
•Integrated NPU (on-device AI) supporting local AI functions without relying on cloud computing.
•Upgraded graphics and media subsystems, enhancing video encoding/decoding capabilities and display performance for 4K content and creative tasks.
Core Ultra vs. Competitors
•Vs. AMD Ryzen Mobile: AMD maintains competitiveness in pure CPU/multithreaded performance; Core Ultra's NPU and Foveros heterogeneous design serve as differentiated selling points.
•Vs. Apple M Series (Apple Silicon): Apple leads in overall energy efficiency and device integration; Intel's advantages lie in x86 ecosystem compatibility and Windows support.
Kingrole's Procurement Recommendations for Intel Core Ultra
•Early Prototype Testing for NPU Scenarios: Verify the stability of local AI use cases under specific hardware/BIOS configurations.
•Bulk Pricing & Channel Assurance: Secure bulk pricing and long-term delivery support through Kingrole.
•Software/Driver Consistency: Synchronize Intel driver and Windows versions; Kingrole can assist in resource docking.
Kingrole can assist customers in obtaining genuine Intel Core Ultra (Meteor Lake) series processors from official sources at optimal prices, providing long-term supply guarantees and technical communication support.