It seems like Intel could possibly be ditching its iconic ‘i’ branding for CPU names within the not-too-distant future. Which means no extra i5, i7, and so forth. Why? That’s for Intel to know, and us to marvel.

The information comes from Intel’s director of world communications, Bernard Fernandes, who confirmed in a tweet that Intel has plans for ‘model modifications’ as the corporate is at what he calls an ‘inflection level’ in its roadmap for future CPU generations.

Sure, we’re making model modifications as we’re at an inflection level in our consumer roadmap in preparation for the upcoming launch of our #MeteorLake processors. We’ll present extra particulars relating to these thrilling modifications within the coming weeks! #IntelMay 1, 2023

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It shouldn’t be surprising for anybody with their fingers on the heartbeat; Intel has plans to launch an entire new CPU structure (hopefully this yr) below the ‘Meteor Lake’ codename, and a current benchmark outcome discovered within the take a look at outcomes database of technique recreation Ashes of the Singularity revealed a mysterious processor named the Intel Core Extremely 5 1003H.

So, Intel could possibly be dropping the ‘i’ – and changing it with Extremely. After all, this might merely be a codename, or we would see Extremely and non-Extremely variations of Meteor Lake processors. Notably, we would get a minimum of yet another ‘i’ technology earlier than this huge rebrand hits, with some leaks indicating that Intel’s 14th-gen Core CPUs gained’t completely use the brand new structure.

Pointless confusion?

I’ve to ask, Intel: why this? Why now? Certain, Meteor Lake does characterize a recent begin for its processor merchandise, however the ‘Core’ branding is evidently sticking round, so why lose the ‘i’? Judging by the leaked CPU title, Intel doesn’t plan to drop the three/5/7/9 ‘tier’ numerals for its chips both.

If this leak is correct – and it might nicely quantity to nothing, with the rebrand giving us one thing solely completely different – I actually must query the logic behind it. ‘Extremely’ isn’t precisely an authentic title, in spite of everything.

Telephone producers like to shove the phrase into product names to point that you simply’re getting a ‘souped-up’ model of the cellphone. ‘Extremely HD’ is widespread parlance for 4K decision in terms of shows. And, maybe most critically, Apple – which is now a key competitor for Intel within the processor area – is utilizing the moniker in its personal high-end SoCs just like the M1 Extremely.

So far as I’m involved, it’s second solely to slapping ‘Professional’ on the top of a product title within the ‘rubbish tech naming conventions’ race. Even setting apart my dislike of the time period, huge rebrands usually pose the chance of merely being complicated for shoppers.

Intel’s ‘i’ branding has been round for a very long time now – greater than twenty years, in actual fact. It’s grow to be synonymous with Intel’s title: the corporate doesn’t even capitalize the primary letter of its title in logos and branding materials. To ditch it might be a significant transfer, and shoppers with solely a restricted diploma of familiarity with Intel merchandise (say, realizing that an i9 is healthier than an i5) might find yourself not sure of the place they stand.

Hey, this could possibly be no huge deal. Possibly Intel needs to shake up its numbering conventions as a substitute (which might additionally suck). Possibly even ‘Core’ goes away. ‘Intel Inside’ was a masterstroke of name campaigning, nevertheless it didn’t final eternally. All issues change, and maybe it’s time for one thing new. All these ‘i’s will probably be misplaced in time, like tears in rain…