Intel is planning to release a new lineup of LGA1700 CPUs based on the Raptor Lake architecture, according to regular (and often reliable) Intel tech leaker Jaykihn. If true, this could give owners of existing LGA1700 motherboards, as well as DDR4 RAM, an upgrade path that only involves buying a new CPU. Could we soon be seeing a 14th-gen Plus lineup?
The rumour comes shortly after Intel confirmed to us that “Raptor Lake isn’t going anywhere,” with Intel’s VP and GM of its enthusiast channel, Robert Hallock, confirming that chips based on the ageing architecture would continue to be “abundantly available.” We thought this only referred to existing Raptor Lake chips, but it looks as though a new lineup could also be in the works.
In the post, which you can see below, Jaykihn stated that “Intel is planning another Raptor Lake Refresh to extend LGA1700,” in response to a post about future Intel’s next-gen LGA1951 socket potentially supporting up to 700-series CPUs (which Jaykihn refutes). The refresh is likened to “AMD’s practices on AM4,” referring to the multiple generations of Ryzen CPU (Zen, Zen+, Zen 2, and Zen 3) that were supported by this single socket.
Although Intel’s higher-end Raptor Lake chips, such as the Core i9-14900K, are still readily available in the UK, it’s become much harder to find stock of the Core i5-14600K, which we regard as one of the best DDR4 CPU options available. A quick search on Amazon, shows no stock of this CPU, for example. That’s a real shame, as this 14-core CPU is much more powerful than AMD’s budget-friendly options in heavily multi-threaded software, as it has so many cores at its disposal.
As such, a refreshed lineup of Raptor Lake chips that support both DDR5 and DDR4 memory could do really well for Intel at the moment. The high price of DDR5 RAM, which has practically tripled since this time last year, makes upgrading from a DDR4 system to Socket AM5 or LGA1851 CPU very unappealing, as it adds a significant cost over the CPU, not to mention the price of a new motherboard. If you already own a DDR4 rig, and you could use your existing memory, as well as your old motherboard, then that CPU upgrade suddenly looks a whole lot more tempting.
Intel has already told us that it sees a future where its sockets support more CPU generations, but it looks as though it may be bringing out some new CPUs for its old sockets as well. If this rumour is true, it’s a smart move. AMD has similarly told me that it’s looking at AM4 products in the wake of extremely high memory prices, and a new CPU upgrade path would be very welcome in these bleak times right now.
While we await more information, check out our guide to buying the best CPU, where we take you through all our top picks at the moment.
