Since the summer 2020, entries on Intel’s upcoming desktop processor generation Alder Lake-S alias Core i have been appearing in online benchmark databases. 12000 on – the first desktop series with 10 – nanometers -Technology. In the case of a new run with SiSoftware Sandra, DDR5-SDRAM is now also used, and the clock frequencies are higher.

The tested processor is it is a 16 Kerner. For the Alder Lake series, Intel relies on hybrid computing with a mix of eight large Cove and eight smaller, but more efficient Atom computing cores when the load is low. As a result, the software reads 24 threads: The large CPU cores can handle Hyper-Threading, the small ones not.

Lots of L2 cache and DDR5-SDRAM Only the information in the read ID make less sense: It is there 32 threads and 10 × 1, 25 MByte level 2 cache. This is probably due to the different CPU cores, since SiSoftware Sandra simply does not yet know the hybrid approach of desktop processors. 1, 25 MByte L2 cache per Cove core, i.e. eight times, seems likely with a view to the Tiger Lake mobile processor generation. The Atom cores are traditionally content with a fraction.

Unlike in previous entries, SiSoftware Sandra now also shows DDR5 instead of DDR4 SDRAM. We are talking about 4.8 GHz, i.e. DDR5 – 4800 – the lower end of what modules should come onto the market in the second half of the year.

With previous test results DDR4 could have been read incorrectly or Alder Lake can handle both memory standards. In the case of transitional generations, this would not be surprising, but it is questionable what Intel will offer with the upcoming LGA 1700 platform. The focus should be on DDR5.

The CPU clock frequencies are increasing: The base clock rate of 1.8 GHz is still low, but the turbo has reached the 4 GHz mark. Pre-production models traditionally have a lower clock rate than the final retail processors. Intel wants to present Alder Lake-S by the end of the year – the test results that appear fit into the course of time.

(mma)