Skip to main content

Intel announces Tiger Lake processors, with double the graphics performance

Intel Tiger Lake processor on a laptop motherboard

Intel unveiled its new Tiger Lake processor designed for thin-and-light ultrabooks at CES 2020, promising double-digit performance improvements thanks to the company’s new Xe graphics architecture.

The chipset also doubles the graphics performance of the the prior generation, providing HD gaming performance for hundreds of millions of people that depend on integrated graphics. Thanks to the jump in graphics performance, consumers can now play casual games on the integrated graphics of a thin-and-light ultrabook without having to buy a second gaming desktop or laptop with discrete graphics.

In particular, Tiger Lake is meant to be the replacement of Ice Lake, which was Intel’s first attempt at a 10nm processor. These chips were launched last fall, and have become the primary processor used in high-end laptops in early 2020.

There are AI improvements with Tiger Lake as well, alongside advancements in media and display improvements. Software vendors can utilize the hardware’s AI acceleration to help users do instant photo enhancements, turning everyday consumers into creatives. With little effort, you can digitally zoom into blurry photos and get an enhanced resolution, crisper image with minimal effort, Intel showed during its demo with photo editing software from Topaz Labs.

“It is our most disruptive and advanced architecture yet,” said Intel’s graphics software engineering director Lisa Pearce during the company’s CES keynote. “And so we’re super excited and bring gains and efficiency also doubles the performance versus the previous generation.” Other features include Thunderbolt 4 support and Wi-Fi 6 on Intel’s smallest U-series motherboard to date.

Intel's foldable Horseshoe Bend concept

In a show of what it can accomplish, Intel also demonstrated how its Tiger Lake processor can be used to drive new and exciting form factors to drive more immersive computing experiences. The company showcased its new Horseshoe Bend concept, a foldable laptop with a massive 17-inch display that uses Tiger Lake. According to Intel, the “hybrid” Tiger Lake processor is what allows for these types of experimental form factors.

Intel didn’t provide details on the exact specifications of these new processors. There’s a lot we still don’t know. But Intel did show off the tiny motherboard it designed just for Tiger Lake.

Intel stated that laptops with Tiger Lake should be available later this year.

Follow our live blog for more CES news and announcements.

Editors' Recommendations

Windows 12: the top features we want to see in the rumored OS
A laptop running Windows 11.

Windows 12 might be in development at Microsoft, at least according to the latest rumors. A leak from Intel made mention of Windows 12, and with a new Windows Insider channel promising cutting-edge versions of the operating system, it seems Microsoft is eyeing the next major release.

Windows 11 is less than two years old, but reports say Microsoft could release Windows 12 as soon as 2024. Microsoft hasn't made any official announcements yet, but it's still not too early to get a wish list going. Here's what I want to see out of the next major version of Windows.
A set Windows 12 release date

Read more
USB-C charging laptops: Here’s what you need to know
Close up on the USB-C ports on a Macbook Pro.

The arrival of USB-C and USB-C laptop chargers has been a game-changer for many electronics. You can use the connection to charge devices and transfer media, and it's conveniently reversible. The best laptops no longer need a big power brick -- you can just use USB-C. But there are some precautions you should take when charging over USB-C. Here's everything you need to know.
USB charging and laptops

You have probably already used USB connections to charge smaller devices either from your computer or from an outlet. That works well because past USB connections had enough wattage to successfully power up those smaller batteries. Prior versions of USB could only handle a limited amount of power, which is why laptop chargers have typically retained their larger, bulkier cables.

Read more
The most common Zoom problems and how to fix them
zoom privacy feature freeze active users meeting office

Is Zoom giving you problems and you can't seem to fix them? Video conferencing software is more popular than ever, with thousands of companies turning to teleworking to keep their employees in the loop. Zoom and other online meeting tools make that easier than ever, but as with any other software, issues will arise, and they disrupt or even prevent good video calls.

Fortunately, while there are Zoom service outages you can't do much about, you often can fix typical problems yourself. To help get your Zoom calls working properly, we’ve collected the most common Zoom problems users face and have provided easy solutions to be able to fix them.

Read more