Intel may debut 5-core CPUs in 2019

Intel may expand its range of mid-range CPU offerings in 2019 with a new class of 5-core, Lakefield chips, that we're told could end up in a brand new range of mobile devices. Exact pricing and release dates have yet to be released, but Intel's combination of onboard graphics and both small and big CPU cores, could make it much more competitive with the like of Qualcomm's Snapdragon lines.

Lakefield uses a similar hybrid CPU design to Snapdragon chips, in that it has four small 10nm cores that are efficient, but low-power. The larger 10nm Sunny Cove core is much more powerful and is brought to bear as and when it's needed, helping to preserve battery life, while still providing the power you need on a moment's notice.

All of that is combined with what Intel calls it Foveros design. That adds a 3D-stacked layer of memory, which gives all cores fast and immediate access to as much RAM as they need. This results in not only fast memory access, with almost no latency through exterior wiring, but a reduced physical footprint for the CPU die itself. That helps fit it into smaller devices, without sacrificing power or performance.

Some of the suggested devices Intel expects its new Lakefield CPUs to appear in include foldable phones, tablets, low-power laptops, and IoT devices. All of them should have good performance while retaining long battery life.

While it's not clear yet how competitive Lakefield will be with more established mobile processor developers, more competition in that space will only be good for consumers.