Overview: Intel CPU Naming (Core i Series & Core/Core Ultra)

1) Intel naming building blocks (basic principle)

An Intel processor name (usually) consists of these parts:

Brand / family → Performance tier → Model number → Suffix (letters)

Example (old):

Intel Core i7-14700K

Example (new):

Intel Core Ultra 7 155H

With the new scheme, Intel has (partly) dropped the “i” (i5/i7/i9) and increasingly uses just Core or Core Ultra.

2) Intel families (consumer)

A) Intel Core (classic)

• Core i3 / i5 / i7 / i9
• very common in desktop PCs and many laptops

B) Intel Core (new, without “i”)

• Core 3 / Core 5 / Core 7
• more mainstream

C) Intel Core Ultra (new)

• Core Ultra 5 / 7 / 9
• usually the more modern platforms (e.g. Meteor Lake / Lunar Lake / Arrow Lake Mobile)

Since the changeover, Intel has been using this new breakdown especially heavily in the laptop segment.

3) Performance tier (i3/i5/i7/i9 or 3/5/7/9)

Very roughly (applies to old & new):

• 3 / i3 → entry-level (office, everyday use)
• 5 / i5 → solid all-rounder (office + a bit more)
• 7 / i7 → upper tier (lots of multitasking, content work, some gaming)
• 9 / i9 → high-end (workstation/gaming/heavy workloads)

Important: A Core i7 is not automatically faster than a Core i5 from a newer generation – generation and suffix matter a lot.

4) The old scheme: reading Core i7-14700K correctly

Example: Intel Core i7-14700K

• Core = series/family
• i7 = performance tier
• 14700 = generation + model number
• K = suffix (meaning: unlocked for overclocking)

A) Identifying the generation (for desktop i CPUs)

For many Core i processors, the rule is:

10th Gen and newer
The first two digits usually indicate the generation:

• i7-10700K → 10th Gen
• i7-12700K → 12th Gen
• i7-14700K → 14th Gen

9th Gen and older
The first digit indicated the generation:

• i7-8700K → 8th Gen
• i7-9700K → 9th Gen

B) What do the last 3 digits mean (e.g. 700 / 900)?

That’s the model position within a generation:

• i5-14600K < i7-14700K < i9-14900K (usually)

Rule of thumb: higher = more cores/clock/cache, but there are exceptions.

5) Intel suffixes (letters): the most important part in practice

The letters at the end often tell you faster than any number which device class the CPU is meant for.

A) Desktop suffixes (Core i series)

Typical letters:

• K = unlocked for overclocking (enthusiasts)
• KF = like K, but without an iGPU
• F = without an iGPU (you need a discrete graphics card)
• T = desktop, more power-efficient variant
• (no letter) = standard version

This system is commonly described that way and can also be found in many CPU lists and explainer pages.

Mini examples

• i5-13400 → standard
• i5-13400F → standard, but without iGPU
• i7-13700K → faster/OC-capable
• i9-13900KS → special case, binned top model (not relevant every year)

B) Laptop suffixes (Core i series & Core Ultra)

There are more variants here – the most important ones:

• U = very efficient (ultrabooks, long battery life)
• H = more performance (performance laptops)
• HX = “desktop class” in a laptop (very powerful, very high power draw)

This also matches the typical explanation of Intel suffixes in guides.

6) The “new” scheme: Intel Core / Core Ultra 100/200/…

Intel now often uses a scheme like:

Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
Intel Core 5 120U

Here, the numbers are structured differently than with “i7-14700K”.

A) Structure (simplified)

Core Ultra 7 155H means:

• Core Ultra = product family (positioned higher)
• 7 = performance tier
• 155 = “Series” generation + model position
• H = performance/power class

In the Ultra segment, Intel often calls these generations Series 1, Series 2, …

B) Identifying the series (1xx / 2xx / …)

Roughly:

• 1xx = Series 1
• 2xx = Series 2
• … continues upward

Example:

• Ultra 7 165H → Series 1
• Ultra 7 265H → Series 2

7) Quickly “translating” Intel CPU names (practical rules)

Here are a few very useful quick rules:

✅ Rule 1: The suffix beats almost everything

• U = focus on battery/office
• H/HX = focus on performance

✅ Rule 2: Generation beats the i tier

An i5 from a new generation can be better than an i7 from an old one – depending on what you compare.

✅ Rule 3: Ultra does not automatically mean “better” for everyone

Ultra usually means a more modern platform/features – but depending on the device, a classic Core i7-H can still be faster than a power-efficient Ultra-U.

8) Cheat sheet with examples

Desktop (classic)

• i5-12400F
  • 12th Gen, mid-range, without iGPU
• i7-14700K
  • 14th Gen, upper tier, overclocking possible
• i9-14900KF
  • 14th Gen, high-end, OC, without iGPU

Laptop (modern)

• Core Ultra 7 155H
  • Ultra family, Series 1, performance
• Core 5 120U
  • Core family (without Ultra), Series 1, efficient/everyday

9) Where to always verify reliably

If you want to know exactly what this specific chip can do (cores, clocks, iGPU, NPU, etc.), Intel’s database ARK is the most reliable source.