Intel has announced its new processor branding scheme for its upcoming generation starting with Meteor Lake CPUs. Intel is rebranding its processor naming scheme after 15 years. Intel is splicing its ‘Core’ branding into ‘Core’ and ‘Core Ultra’. They are also dropping ‘i’ from i5, i7, etc.

So going forward Intel will brand the mainstream Core i3, Core i5, & Core i7 to Core 3, Core 5, & Core 7. There will also be a premium lineup called Core Ultra 5, Core Ultra 7, & Core Ultra 9. Intel is dividing its processor into two categories to make it easier for non-tech-savvy people.

Old Branding	New Branding #1	New Branding #2
14th Gen Core i7 14700K	Core 7 14700K	Core Ultra 7 14700K
Core i7-1370P	Core 7 1370P	Core 7 Ultra 1370P

Intel will also be dropping the generation moniker from their naming. So for example, instead of calling a CPU like 14th gen Core 7 14700K, it will just be called Core 7 14700K. Though you can still figure out the generation from the name itself. Intel will also be resetting the processor generation to the first generation. So the upcoming Meteor Lake CPUs will not be 14th-gen CPu, instead, they will be first-gen Core CPUs. It is to be noted that the upcoming Raptor Lake Refresh will retain the existing ‘Core i’ branding.

Intel’s justification for doing this right now is that the upcoming Meteor Lake CPUs will have many changes. It will be the first client processor manufactured on the new Intel 4 process node. It’s the first client chiplet design. It’s also the first Intel client processor to feature a dedicated AI engine called ‘Intel AI Boost’. While Intel might be right in its justification but there is no denying the fact that it would create confusion among people who are accustomed to the more than a decade-old naming scheme.