Intel Refreshes 11th-Generation Core U-Series Processors

Intel today announced that it has refreshed two of its most popular PC processors, the Core i7-1195G7 and Intel Core i5-1155G7. The firm also revealed its first 5G solution for PCs, which it created in partnership with MediaTek and Fibocom.

“We’ve taken the world’s best processor for thin-and-light Windows laptops and made the experience even better with the addition of our two new 11th-generation Intel Core processors with Intel Iris Xe graphics,” Intel vice president Chris Walker says. “In addition, we know real-world performance and connectivity are vital to our partners and the people who rely on PCs every day, so we’re continuing that momentum with more platform capabilities and choice in the market with the launch of our first 5G product for PCs, the Intel 5G Solution 5000.”

The new processors are the first in the U-series to offer a 5 GHz clock speed, Intel notes, resulting in up to a 25 percent performance improvement over other 11th-generation Core i5 and i7 U-series processors. They incorporate Wi-Fi 6E compatibility, and Intel claims that PCs on this chipset can deliver 1080p gameplay on new and popular titles.

Intel says that PC makers plan over 60 designs based on these news processors this holiday season, which suggests that the 11th-generation Core processor family may stay in the market for longer than usual.

As for the Intel 5G Solution 5000, this release marks the return of Intel to 5G client networking after it killed its smartphone modem business in 2019. Acer, ASUS and HP will be among the first hardware makers to incorporate this M.2-based into their U- and H-Series PCs this year, and Intel expects to see over 30 designs based on the Intel 5G Solution 5000 to appear in the market by next year.

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Conversation 22 comments

  • bluvg

    31 May, 2021 - 2:52 pm

    <p>"it killed its smartphone modem business in 2019"</p><p><br></p><p>Intel didn’t really kill it, it sold it to Apple for $1B.</p>

  • spacein_vader

    Premium Member
    31 May, 2021 - 3:29 pm

    <p>The Intel processor naming scheme really is a hot mess. </p>

    • mattbg

      Premium Member
      31 May, 2021 - 5:19 pm

      <p>Agree.</p><p><br></p><p>I mean, how is an average person to know the difference between today’s i7-1195G7 is significantly different from the i7-1165G7 that was released in Q3 2020?</p><p><br></p><p>Further confusing is that there really isn’t that much difference between the two.</p><p><br></p><p>Even enthusiasts will have trouble with this.</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      01 June, 2021 - 9:38 am

      Yes it is.

  • johnnych

    31 May, 2021 - 5:55 pm

    <p>So most commenters on reddit (r/apple) are saying that if you want the best gaming experience right now, that would be Windows + AMD (I’m not so much into this world myself). </p><p><br></p><p>I’m personally saving my pennies for next week’s WWDC – M1X Macbook Pro: gimme that magsafe + extra ports + fixed keyboard + 25 hour battery life ARM monster and you can take my money! :)</p><p><br></p><p>Are any users on this website buying these Intel processors themselves?</p><p><br></p>

    • wp7mango

      Premium Member
      31 May, 2021 - 6:17 pm

      <p>Yes I just bought an Intel 11th gen laptop. Acer Spin 5, which is a convertible 2-in-1 and I absolutely love it. </p><p><br></p><p>13.5" 3:2 aspect ratio QHD touch screen with integrated Wacom pen</p><p><br></p><p>Intel Core i7 11th gen</p><p>16 GB RAM</p><p>1 TB SSD</p><p>2 x thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports</p><p>1 x Full size USB 3 port</p><p>HDMI port</p><p>Micro SD card slot</p><p>EVO certified</p><p>Weighs just 1.2 kg</p><p><br></p><p>Sure, the AMD is faster, but the Intel is plenty fast enough for me. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

    • dftf

      31 May, 2021 - 6:39 pm

      <p><em>"So most commenters on Reddit (r/apple) are saying that if you want the best gaming experience right now, that would be Windows + AMD"</em></p><p><br></p><p>AMD CPUs are generally cheaper, so by "best" that’s probably what they mean… you can obviously find Intel CPUs that are as-powerful as AMD in the same class (e.g. comparing Intel i5 CPUs and AMD Ryzen 5 CPUs).</p><p><br></p><p>And also Windows has more overall games than macOS, mostly as (1) it’s a bigger userbase, so more tend to get released there; and (2) there are many older games that are 32-bit only, and these no-longer run on any version of macOS after 10.15 "Catalina", released October 2019. No M1 mac supports any 32-bit code; only native ARM64, and through Rosetta 2, AMD64.</p>

      • wright_is

        Premium Member
        01 June, 2021 - 2:36 am

        <p>The new Intel desktop and Xeon processors still lag behind the equivalent AMD processors, depending on what benchmarks you use, often by a large margin. Even in single core performance, they are starting to lag behind AMD in some areas, which is where they used to have their only advantage – and it was an important one for gaming, which often didn’t take advantage of the better multi-core processing power of the AMD chips. </p><p><br></p><p>Intel is playing catch-up at the moment in most areas. It has meant that they have sunk their prices to near-AMD levels in many instances.</p>

        • crunchyfrog

          01 June, 2021 - 8:42 am

          <p>Agreed. I just picked up a new laptop with AMD 4800H CPU and it really does a fantastic job of running anything I throw at it. Intel works fine too of course but I feel like I’m getting more for less with AMD including less heat.</p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      01 June, 2021 - 2:33 am

      <p>I’ll probably be looking to get a new desktop at the end of the year. At the moment, it looks like a new Ryzen 7 or 9 desktop.</p><p><br></p><p>Notebooks, I use an 8th generation i5 at the moment at work and a Skylake i5 at home. Both are fine for their intended roles, so won’t be upgraded any time soon.</p>

    • bettyblue

      01 June, 2021 - 8:15 am

      <p>There is a general shortage of CPU’s right now. Intel is filling a gap but they are NOT the first choice anymore. </p><p><br></p><p>PC gamers have (99% of them) have moved to AMD. The Ryzen 3000 and now 5000 series are the choice of gamers. 7nm vs Intel 14nm++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ generation CPU’s. Both the Xbox and Playstation have been AMD for a while now.</p><p><br></p><p>We just upgraded our one of our production VMware cluster (8 hosts) and for the first time since I have worked there (11 years) we chose AMD Epyc over Intel. Later this year a second prod cluster will be upgraded and also a DEV, and AMD will be the choice.</p><p><br></p><p>I personally have a 16inch Macbook, i7 model that I am typing on now. The second I can get a M1X/M2 or whatever they are going to call it, I will buy it day one. My M1 Mini in my home office is every bit as fast as this thing minus the heat and fan noise.</p>

      • Paul Thurrott

        Premium Member
        01 June, 2021 - 9:32 am

        First of all, thanks for doing AMD’s PR for them. Secondly… 99 percent of gamers have left Intel for AMD? Um. Come on.

        • bettyblue

          01 June, 2021 - 12:38 pm

          <p>I am talking PC gamers that build their own rigs. I have a friend that works at the local Microcenter. PC gamers are choosing AMD over Intel almost always according to him. Go to Reddit and see what the trend is, or a website like Videocarz..dot..com. Ryzen is the choice of gamers that build their own. Expecially if they steam. Ryzen brought is many cores and a much lower price that Intel. Intel has now lowered their price point because of what is happening.</p><p><br></p><p>Once the 3000 series dropped from AMD in 2019 PC gamers that build their own PC’s have been choosing AMD over Intel because AMD matched Intel’s IPC finally and surpassed in some cases and at a much better price point. The Xbox Series X/S PS5 are basically a Ryzen 7-3700X according to Digtial Foundry. The 5000 series makes that point even more so pulling ahead of Intel’s IPC. Only the very top end Intel i9 can compete and that thing is as hot as the sun.</p><p><br></p><p>AMD can’t provide all of the CPU’s the world needs for the x86/65 market. Some people will be die hard Intel fans as well. However from what I am seeing and hearing Intel is your office cubicle desktop/laptop provider of CPU’s. Basically where no one really cares as long as they have a computer to work on.</p>

          • johnnych

            01 June, 2021 - 2:42 pm

            <p>Yup, everyone’s talking about the AMD Ryzen these days, even Leo Laporte got one just for fun lol!</p>

  • brettscoast

    Premium Member
    31 May, 2021 - 7:42 pm

    <p>Naming silliness aside I guess any improvement in performance is a good thing..</p>

    • Greg Green

      01 June, 2021 - 2:11 pm

      <p>It sounds like a cleaning solution.</p>

  • JH_Radio

    Premium Member
    31 May, 2021 - 8:35 pm

    <p>But where do you notice these gains? I think for me, the only reason I’d upgrade older hardware (especially laptops), is for better battery life. I have nothing newer than a 6th gen I7 in a Lenovo X1 carbon, and the oldest is the 2nd Gen I7 in an HP from 2011. I have two 3rd gen i5’s, one being the first Microsoft Surface and the other being Dell that i bauht used on eBay to try Windows 10 without having to give up my Windows 7. At the time I didn’t realize the Surface would be handed down to me. Meanwhile its my desktop that gets the most use. </p>

  • wright_is

    Premium Member
    01 June, 2021 - 2:28 am

    <p>Minor correction, it isn’t the first 5G solution for PCs. It is <em>Intels</em> first integrated 5G solution. Lenovo and others have been offering 5G enabled laptops for several months already.</p>

  • straker135

    Premium Member
    01 June, 2021 - 5:28 am

    <p>Interesting that Microsoft isn’t in the advertised lineup but a couple of Lenovos are seen in the still. Trust issues? </p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      01 June, 2021 - 5:46 am

      <p>Microsoft always limps along behind the major manufacturers. They probably haven’t even started looking at these chips, whereas the big boys have already made prototypes and are ready for production…</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      01 June, 2021 - 9:33 am

      Microsoft isn’t a major PC maker, and they do not adopt modern technology quickly. So this isn’t surprising.

  • chump2010

    01 June, 2021 - 10:33 am

    <p>Can I say this new generation of intel cpus look like they are really hitting the mark. The key thing to look for, for most people, is single thread performance combined with price:</p><p><br></p><p>https://www.cpubenchmark.net/singleThread.html</p><p><br></p><p>The other benchmarks that are used are just not as good for most users.</p><p><br></p><p>So if you look at: <a href="https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i5-11600KF+%40+3.90GHz&amp;id=4261&quot; target="_blank" style="color: rgb(63, 72, 80);">Intel Core i5-11600KF @ 3.90GHz</a></p><p>Your getting a top 20 processor for just under £250. Which is pretty damm good considering. Of course it has multiple cores etc, but what you really want to be looking at is the single thread speed.</p><p><br></p><p>If you want further confirmation, try looking at userbenchmarks and plugging that cpu in against any other. It is pretty much the fastest one for most of the items they test against. </p><p><br></p><p>Comparing the Ryzen 5900x against the i5 – notice the price too:</p><p><br></p><p>https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Core-i5-11600KF-vs-AMD-Ryzen-9-5900X/m1512279vs4087</p><p><br></p&gt;

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