Intel is making a big change to its most iconic brand of CPUs

What you need to know

• Intel plans to shift away from its "Core i" branding for CPUs.
• The chipmaker will drop the "i" from its naming conventions.
• Benchmarks, leaks, and reports discussed an upcoming chip called the "Core Ultra 5 1003H."
• Intel confirmed that it is making brand changes for its Meteor Lake processors.

Over the weekend, rumors swirled about Intel shifting away from its "Core i" naming scheme. A benchmark for an Intel Core Ultra 5 1003H CPU appeared on Ashes of the Singularity. After a few reports popped up, Intel confirmed that it will indeed change the naming structure of its well-recognized CPUs.

"Yes, we are making brand changes as we’re at an inflection point in our client roadmap in preparation for the upcoming launch of our #MeteorLake processors," said Intel Director of Global Communications Bernard Fernandes on Twitter.

"We will provide more details regarding these exciting changes in the coming weeks! #Intel."

The benchmarks and reports by VideoCardz and Wccftech shed light on the situation and likely contributed to Fernandes confirming the branding change.

Intel seems set to shift from its "Core i" branding to one without the "i." For example, chips that would have been known as Core i5 CPUs will be labeled "Core 5."

At this point, the "Ultra" moniker remains a question mark. It's also not clear if the change will address mobile chips, desktop processors, or both.

Intel plans to refresh its Raptor Lake CPUs later this year. If those are classified as part of Intel's next generation of chips (Meteor Lake), we could see the new naming structure by the end of 2023.

Leaker Bionic_Squash noted that only some SKUs will have the Ultra naming. According to them, refreshed Raptor Lake CPUs will not include the Ultra branding.

Windows Central take

There are pros and cons to such a major shift by Intel. Moving to a new naming structure will allow the chipmaker to streamline the labeling of its processors. AMD announced changes to its CPU names in 2022 that took effect this year. It allowed the company to portray a lot of information through a simple name while also consolidating some families. Intel will likely see similar benefits.

On the other side of things, Intel's "Core i" processors are a well-known brand. Moving away from an established brand can be difficult and cause confusion. I'll have to see Intel's exact plans before I can assess if it's a good decision or not. In my experience, you want to stick with branding people know unless something dramatic happens.