Intel teases 12th Gen Alder Lake chips — Apple's M1 could get some competition

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And it's already set to debut in the second half of 2021

Intel Alder Lake
(Image credit: Intel)

Apple may have stunned the industry with its ARM-based MacBooks and their high-performing hybrid M1 chips in November last year, but Intel is looking to be the future foundation of not just mobile processors, but desktops, too. 

Intel showed off its 12th-generation Alder Lake chips at CES 2021, mimicking the hybrid performance and efficiency of Apple’s M1 chip, although Intel is promising a bit more ‘oomph’. 

The Alder Lake chips are expected to feature an enhanced version of the 10-nanometer SuperFin designs, two new core architectures including ‘Golden Lake’ for power and ‘Gracemont’ for efficiency. Along with faster transistors and an improved MIM Capacitor, Intel is striving for a “significant breakthrough in x86 architecture.”

With Intel’s 11th-gen Tiger Lake already impressing with its eight-core CPUs along with its upcoming 11th-gen Rocket Lake desktop CPUs, Intel is clearly pushing the boat out for desktops and laptops alike. If its hybrid, ARM-like Alder Lake chips are ready to roll out later this year, Apple should be wary of competition.

It will be a while before we see these chips. In the meantime, find out everything that’s going down over at CES 2021.

Darragh Murphy
Darragh Murphy
Editor

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.