Intel's Wildcat Lake processors are quite expensive, yet testing reveals they fall short compared to the MacBook Neo.

      Intel's fanless processors have arrived, but the pricing may be shocking.

      Intel’s Wildcat Lake represents the company’s effort to compete directly with the Apple MacBook Neo. These compact chips incorporate two performance cores, four efficiency cores, and a small integrated GPU, allowing them to operate entirely without a fan.

      This is an enticing option for Windows users seeking a sleek, silent laptop without switching operating systems. However, the new chipsets come with a significant drawback.

      How do these chips perform?

      First, let's examine performance. As reported by Notebookcheck, benchmarks for the Core 5 320 have surfaced on Geekbench, showing decent yet unimpressive results.

      | Benchmark | Single-Core Score | Multi-Core Score | Performance Difference |

      |--------------------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-----------------------|

      | Intel Core 5 320 | 2,564 | 8,122 | |

      | Apple A18 Pro | 3,589 | 9,140 | +40% (single) |

      | | | | +13% (multi) |

      | AMD Ryzen 5 7520U | 1,374 | 4,434 | -46% (single) |

      | | | | -45% (multi) |

      With scores of 2,564 for single-thread and 8,122 for multi-core performance, the Core 5 320 is nearly double the speed of AMD’s budget Ryzen 5 7520U, which is a positive outcome. However, it lags significantly behind the A18 Pro in both single-core and multi-core capabilities.

      So, what’s the issue?

      Intel has discreetly revealed the official prices for these chips, which are, to put it mildly, surprising. The Core 5 320 is priced at $340, while the Core 7 360 is set at $426.

      For comparison, the standard MacBook Neo retails for $599 and $499 with a student discount. This means that Intel’s base chip alone costs more than half of a standard MacBook Neo.

      Consequently, once these chips are integrated into laptops, the end price will likely exceed that of the MacBook Neo.

      Are there any advantages?

      The main advantage of these chips is their fanless architecture. Wildcat Lake operates at up to 11 watts without a fan, and can reach 22 watts with one. This provides laptop manufacturers with significant flexibility while delivering a quieter, sleeker device for users.

      Currently, no laptops featuring Wildcat Lake are available, and no manufacturers have confirmed prices. When they are released, the chip pricing indicates they are unlikely to be budget-friendly options.

      Rachit is an experienced tech journalist with over seven years of experience covering consumer technology trends.

      Adobe Firefly AI is now publicly available, encouraging interaction with an AI to assist in your work.

      The Firefly AI Assistant can manage your whole creative process.

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      Meta’s latest ambitious initiative involves using satellites to beam solar power to Earth, even at night.

      Meta's collaboration with Overview Energy isn't solely focused on clean energy; it highlights what will be essential for sustaining AI operations at a planetary level.

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      This Chrome extension will have a chubby ginger cat take control of your screen until you take a break.

      Who needs willpower when you can have a chubby ginger cat?

      If you struggle with excessive scrolling, you've likely attempted every productivity app available—app timers, grayscale mode, completely deleting apps—only to reinstall them shortly after. None of these approaches work because relying solely on willpower can be ineffective.

      Cat Gatekeeper presents a more entertaining solution. Rather than guilt-tripping, it sends a chubby ginger cat to take over your screen when you’ve spent too much time on social media, and I find that delightful.