At CES 2020, Intel previewed upcoming mobile PC processors code-named “Tiger Lake.” Tiger Lake’s new capabilities, built on Intel’s 10nm+ process and integrated with new Intel Xe graphics architecture, are expected to deliver massive gains over 10th Gen Intel Core processors. First systems are expected to ship this year. (Credit: Tim Herman/Intel Corporation)
Power ratings for Intel Alder Lake-P & Alder Lake-M mobility CPU lineup have been detailed in the latest Coreboot patch for Chromebooks as discovered by Coelacanth-dream. The patch lists down power limits for the 12th Gen mobility family based around the ADLRVP (reference validation platform) & also the standard notebook ratings.
Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake-P & Alder Lake-M Mobility CPU Power Limits For Standard & Chromebook Laptops Revealed
We recently got our first look at the power recommendations for Intel’s Alder Lake-S Desktop CPU family & today, we are getting our first look at the Alder Lake-P and Alder Lake-M Mobility CPU line which is expected to be announced at CES 2022.
Now coming straight to the numbers, it looks like the PL1 rating of the Intel Alder Lake-P and Alder Lake-M is in line with the Tiger Lake-H and Tiger Lake-U chips. We have Alder Lake-M starting at 9W (PL1), 30W (PL2), & 68W (PL4), Alder Lake-P starting at 15W (PL1), 55W (PL2), & 123W (PL4). Now we also have the higher-end P35 & P45 replacements which start at 28W (PL1), 64W (PL2), 140W (PL4) plus the flagship configuration which starts at 45W (PL1), 115W (PL2), & a 215W (PL4) power rating.
| Tiger Lake-U | Tiger Lake-H | Alder Lake-P | Alder Lake-M | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PL1 | UP3: <= 28W UP4: <= 9W |
<= 45W | (2 + 8 + 2): <= 15W (4 + 8 + 2): <= 28W (6 + 8 + 2): <= 45W |
(2 + 8 + 2): <= 9W |
| PL2 | UP3: <= 38W (2C), <= 60W (4C) UP4: <= 35W (2C), <= 40W (4C) |
107-135W | (2 + 8 + 2): <= 55W (4 + 8 + 2): <= 64W (6 + 8 + 2): <= 115W |
(2 + 8 + 2): <= 30W |
| PL4 | UP3: <= 71W (2C), <= 105W (4C) UP4: <= 66W (2C), <= 83W (4C) |
(2 + 8 + 2): <= 123W (4 + 8 + 2): <= 140W (6 + 8 + 2): <= 215W |
(2 + 8 + 2): <= 68W |
Do keep in mind that the maximum Intel Tiger Lake-H chips can hit a PL2 rating of 135W so a 115W rating for Alder Lake-P shows a slight reduction. Both PL2 and PL4 ratings are based around the max opportunistic clock speeds which only last under 10ms (PL4). These ratings are specific to standard laptop configurations, the Alder Lake-P Chromebook reference board ratings are even lower and are listed below:
| Alder Lake-P (brya0, Chromebook reference board) |
|
|---|---|
| PL1 | (2 + 8 + 2) ?: 3-15W (4 + 8 + 2) ?: 4-28W (6 + 8 + 2) ?: 5-45W |
| PL2 | (2 + 8 + 2) ?: 39W (4 + 8 + 2) ?: 43W (6 + 8 + 2) ?: 80W |
| PL4 | (2 + 8 + 2) ?: 100W (4 + 8 + 2) ?: 105W (6 + 8 + 2) ?: 159W |
Do note that these core count configurations are valid but not final for each specific SKU. Those might change but all chips will pack a similar die hierarchy. The actual power limit will depend mostly on the OEM based on their cooling and PCB designs for each specific Intel Alder Lake mobility chip.
Intel Alder Lake-P Series SKUs
The Intel Alder Lake P series features the U15, U28, and H45. The U15, U28, and H45 have power ratings of 15W, 28W, and 35W (Up To 45W) respectively. The U15 series will come with up to 2 big cores and 8 small cores. The U28 series will come with up to 4 big cores and up to 8 small cores.
The Intel Alder Lake-P45 series will come with up to 6 big cores and up to 8 small cores. All three feature GT2 GPU with 96 Execution Units or 768 cores. The U series looks to be put in mainstream and performance laptops featuring Tiger Lake processors. The H series looks to be a direct replacement for Tiger Lake-H35/45 series which is in portable gaming and enthusiast laptops.
Intel Alder Lake-M Series SKUs
intel Alder Lake M series features the M5 and U9 series with a power rating of 5W (Up To 7W) and 9W (Up To 15W) respectively. The M5 series will offer 1 big core and up to 4 small cores and up to 64 Graphics Execution Units. The U9 series will offer up to 2 big cores and 8 small cores and up to 96 Graphics Execution Units. The slide indicates that these will be used in tablets and ultra-thin laptops.
The Intel Alder Lake Desktop lineup and the Z690 platform are expected to launch on the 27th of October & will be the first mainstream consumer platform to utilize PCIe5.0 and DDR5 technologies along with a new hybrid architecture approach, something Microsoft has optimized for its Windows 11 operating system. As for the mobility Alder Lake-P and Alder Lake-M lineups, they are expected to get both DDR5 and DDR4 memory support and will launch in Q1 2022.