The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H Review: Meteor Lake Marks A Fresh Start To Mobile CPUs
0
0 
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Intel Meteor Lake SoC Architecture: A Quick Recap
- Intel Core Ultra H-Series Processors: Meteor Lake (Intel 4)
- ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405MA): 14″ Ultrabook
- Conclusion
Introduction
One of the paramount occurrences in mobile computing over the past half-year has been Intel’s unveiling of their disaggregated Meteor Lake SoC architecture. This innovative architecture, along with the new Core and Core Ultra product lines, marks the inception of Intel’s initial chiplet architecture aimed at mainstream mobile devices, facilitated by the Intel 4 node and Foveros packaging technology.
Last December, Intel introduced their premier Meteor Lake-based Core Ultra H series, encompassing five SKUs: three featuring 16 CPU cores and two with 14 cores. Since this announcement, numerous vendors and manufacturers have rolled out notebooks that harness Intel’s latest multi-tiled Meteor Lake SoC architecture, setting the stage for their cutting-edge models in 2024.
Today, we delve into the performance of Meteor Lake with a comprehensive review of Intel’s Core Ultra 7 155H processor. This upper-tier (though not flagship) Core Ultra SKU boasts all 16 of Meteor Lake’s CPU cores and targets mainstream performance laptops. With a base TDP of 28 Watts and a turbo TDP reaching up to 115 Watts, the 155H is designed to power everything from desktop replacement laptops to high-performance ultrabooks.
Our review sample for this launch is the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405MA), a thin-and-light notebook chosen by Intel as their launch platform for Core Ultra. The spotlight is understandably on how the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, with its 6P+8E+2LP CPU core configuration and 8 Arc Xe integrated graphics cores, performs. As Intel’s first brand-new consumer chip architecture since Alder Lake in 2021, Meteor Lake represents a significant milestone for the company.
However, the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED UX3405MA is more than just a showcase for Intel’s new CPU. ASUS has equipped it with a plethora of features within its sleek Ponder Blue chassis, making it a compelling, highly-portable laptop. The device includes a 14″ 2.8K (2880 x 1800) touchscreen OLED panel with a 120 Hz refresh rate, 32 GB of LPDDR5X memory (soldered), and a 1 TB NVMe M.2 SSD for storage.
Intel Meteor Lake SoC Architecture: A Quick Recap
Before delving deeper into our review of the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405MA) featuring Intel’s Core Ultra 7 155H mobile processor, let’s briefly recap what’s new with Intel’s Meteor Lake SoC. Below is a summary of Intel’s comprehensive Meteor Lake SoC commentary:
- Intel Unveils Meteor Lake Architecture: Intel 4 Heralds the Disaggregated Future of Mobile CPUs
- Intel Releases Core Ultra H and U-Series Processors: Meteor Lake Brings AI and Arc to Ultra-Thin Notebooks
- Intel Meteor Lake SoC is NOT Coming to Desktops: Well, Not Technically
In September last year, Intel outlined the technical specifications for Meteor Lake at their Innovation 2023 event, showcasing their move away from manufacturing conventional monolithic processors to a multi-tiled design. This approach leverages Intel’s Foveros 3D packaging to combine different tiles from various process nodes, creating a chiplet-based CPU. Intel has emphasized that Meteor Lake is exclusively a mobile architecture intended for laptops and notebooks.
The Meteor Lake SoC comprises five interconnected tiles: compute, graphics, SoC, I/O, and base, each introducing new advancements. The compute tile features Redwood Cove Performance (P) cores and Crestmont Efficiency (E) cores, built using the latest Intel 4 node to enhance power and efficiency over previous generations. Additionally, the SoC tile includes two energy-efficient LP-E cores for low-intensity tasks.
The SoC tile, functioning as Meteor Lake’s central hub, alongside the I/O tile, is constructed using TSMC’s N6 node. This chiplet-based design marks a significant architectural shift for Intel, overcoming power and latency limitations of traditional 2D layouts. The modular design improves power management and allows independent tile operation, enhancing both performance and energy efficiency. It also offers flexibility by allowing Intel to use different silicon processes for each tile.
Also integrated within the SoC tile are two Neural Compute Engines: Intel’s NPU designed for generative AI, optimized for specific workloads. This ‘Intel AI Boost’ offloads tasks such as image processing from the CPU/GPU, processing them more efficiently. Similar to AMD’s Ryzen AI NPU, Intel’s NPU is more flexible and programmable, designed to improve AI features within Windows and applications like Adobe Premiere Pro.
The GPU tile, built on TSMC’s N5 node, upgrades integrated graphics seen in previous generations to the Arc Xe-LPG core. This core, related to Intel’s discrete Xe-HPG GPU architecture, includes 16 Vector Engines and a dedicated FP64 unit, offering robust capabilities. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (feature level 12_2), aligning with the latest GPU architectures. Additionally, the Xe Media Engine in the SoC tile supports various codecs for power-efficient encoding and decoding.
Intel Core Ultra H-Series Processors: Meteor Lake (Intel 4)
| AnandTech | Cores (P+E+LP/T) | P-Core Turbo Freq | E-Core Turbo Freq | GPU | GPU Freq | L3 Cache (MB) | Base TDP | Turbo TDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra 9 | ||||||||
| Core Ultra 9 185H | 6+8+2/22 | 5100 | 3800 | Arc Xe (8) | 2350 | 24 | 45 W | 115 W |
| Ultra 7 | ||||||||
| Core Ultra 7 165H | 6+8+2/22 | 5000 | 3800 | Arc Xe (8) | 2300 | 24 | 28 W | 64/115 W |
| Core Ultra 7 155H | 6+8+2/22 | 4800 | 3800 | Arc Xe (8) | 2250 | 24 | 28 W | 64/115 W |
| Ultra 5 | ||||||||
| Core Ultra 5 135H | 4+8+2/18 | 4600 | 3600 | Arc Xe (8) | 2200 | 18 | 28 W | 64/115 W |
| Core Ultra 5 125H | 4+8+2/18 | 4500 | 3600 | Arc Xe (7) | 2200 | 18 | 28 W | 64/115 W |
Before we explore the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405MA) powered by the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, it’s important to note that Intel offers four other SKUs. The Zenbook 14 OLED is available with the top SKU, the Core Ultra 9 185H, and the entry-level Core Ultra 5 125H. The Core Ultra 9 185H, Core Ultra 7 165H, and the Core Ultra 7 155H (the SKU we are testing) share the same core configuration of 6P+8E+2LP/22T, with 24 MB of Intel’s Smart L3 cache and a turbo TDP rating of 115 W. The primary differences lie in the P-Core turbo frequency and Arc Xe graphics core frequency. The Core Ultra 9 185H has a higher base TDP of 45 W, while the rest of the lineup has a base TDP of 28 W.
Intel’s latest Meteor Lake SoC architecture is primarily designed for mobile platforms like notebooks and laptops, with a key focus on extending battery life through power efficiency. Unlike the previous Raptor Lake (13th/14th Gen Core series) architecture that Meteor Lake supersedes, Meteor Lake doesn’t technically replace the 14/13th Gen HX series mobile processors, which are desktop processors repurposed for mobile. Instead, Meteor Lake slots in ahead of the Intel 13th Gen Core P and U series mobile processors, such as the Core i7 1370P and Core i7 1365U.
Meteor Lake, being an SoC architecture and Intel’s first for mobile using a disaggregated tiled design, marks a shift from the traditional monolithic design. Utilizing 3D chip stacking with Foveros 3D packaging technology allows Intel to overcome limitations of 2D layouts. Additionally, the disaggregated architecture enables Intel to use multiple tiles built on different nodes, akin to intricate silicon-based Lego.
Meteor Lake also introduces new branding, with Intel dropping the ‘i’ from the Core naming structure. The H-Series and other mobile SKUs utilize the Core Ultra nomenclature, though it’s unclear whether Intel plans to extend this to desktop parts as their current Raptor Lake Refresh 14th Gen Core series desktop processors still use the previous naming conventions.
ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405MA): 14″ Ultrabook
Shifting our attention to the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED, this Ponder Blue-colored ultrabook is crafted from aluminum, with a lid adorned by a metallic circle and the ASUS Zenbook emblem at the center. Notably, this is the first review where we’ve received a pre-production model with such an early embargo.
The Zenbook 14 OLED’s chassis measures 313.6 x 220.6 x 16.9 mm (WxDxH) and weighs 1.5 kg. It’s designed for portability with a sleek, clean, and professional appearance. The lid is devoid of extra features, except for the ASUS Zenbook branding at the center.
The Zenbook 14 OLED incorporates a 14” 16:10 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space, making it suitable for professionals requiring accurate color reproduction. The display is Pantone validated, supporting HDR, and has a maximum brightness of 550 nits.
Inside, the Zenbook 14 OLED UX3405MA is equipped with Intel’s Core Ultra 7 155H processor, 32 GB of LPDDR5X-7500 memory, and a 1 TB NVMe M.2 SSD for storage. Connectivity options include one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, one Thunderbolt 4 port, one HDMI 2.1 port, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, one 3.5 mm audio jack, and a micro SD card reader.
The Zenbook 14 OLED also features a 75 Wh battery, promising up to 14 hours of battery life. It comes with a 65W USB-C charger, enabling fast charging.
Conclusion
Intel’s Meteor Lake architecture signifies a leap forward in mobile computing, offering improved power efficiency and performance through its disaggregated SoC design. The ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405MA), with its sleek design and robust hardware, serves as an excellent showcase for the capabilities of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, making it a compelling choice for professionals and tech enthusiasts alike.
