"Raptor Lake will continue to be abundantly available": Intel exec makes a case for its older chips as RAM prices soar, but are they actually worth buying in 2026?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, due to the state of the PC gaming hardware market, Intel has clarified that it doesn't have plans to retire production of its 13th and 14th Gen Core processors.

In an interview with Club386, Intel VP and GM of Intel's Enthusiast Channel, Robert Hallock, revealed that the company's Raptor Lake chips are "not going away any time soon," and that the aging hardware remains "a big part of our strategy."

These remarks were made in response to a question about Intel's DDR4 strategy. Unless you've been completely ignoring the price of PC hardware, you'll know that RAM prices have skyrocketed of late due to AI firms buying up the world's supply years in advance.

Although DDR5 prices have seen the most sensational rise, DDR4 prices aren't that far behind. The key here is that PC gamers hoping to upgrade their current system often try to reuse as many parts as possible.

Were you to buy one of Intel's latest Arrow Lake-S Core Ultra 200 series processors, including the impressive new 200S Plus chips we reviewed, you'd have to make the jump to DDR5 RAM. With Intel's Raptor Lake chips, that's not necessary; the 13th Gen and 14th Gen processors support both DDR4 and DDR5.

Hallock confirms that "Raptor Lake is a big part of [Intel's] strategy," and that "it's not going anywhere," especially with continued support from hardware vendors. He notes that hybrid DDR4/DDR5 LGA1700 motherboards entering the market recently add to the company's confidence surrounding the older processors.

When pressed about whether or not that means Raptor Lake chips will see an increase in production, Hallock noted that he can't comment on the subject.

Should you buy a 13th or 14th Gen Intel Raptor Lake CPU in 2026?

It's crazy that we're discussing something like this, but with RAM prices not expected to drop back to normal in 2026 (and maybe not in 2027, either), having any sort of gaming PC is better than having no gaming PC.

The big question is whether or not Intel's Raptor Lake chips are worth buying in 2026.

Intel's Raptor Lake chips were hit by a serious controversy surrounding instability, resulting in irreversible damage in 2024. However, Intel was able to identify the cause, and by all means, the problem seems to have been solved in chips produced after the fiasco.

How are prices looking? Something like the Core i7-14700KF we reviewed favorably currently sits at about $346.99 at Amazon. More popular amongst gamers is the Core i5-14600KF, which you can usually pick up for about $239.99 at Newegg.

Those prices aren't too bad, especially if you're already bringing your own DDR4 RAM and have an LGA 1700 motherboard to go with it (say from a 12th Gen Intel build).

Considering Intel's gaming performance hasn't changed all that much in its newer Arrow Lake desktop chips (aside from the 200S Plus bump), Raptor Lake is probably going to land high on your list, especially if you're on a tight budget.

What are your thoughts on Intel's dedication to keep Raptor Lake alive?

Is Intel's advertising of 13th and 14th Gen chips a way to get rid of leftover stock? How long do you think production will continue on these aging processors? Are you interested in an upgrade involving Raptor Lake? Let me know in the comments section below!

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