Intel Confirms L4 Cache for Meteor Lake CPU & Arc Graphics Tile

For some time now, unofficial information has pointed to Intel featuring L4 cache in its upcoming CPU series codenamed Meteor Lake. The info has been floating around on the internet for quite a while, but it seems like we finally have confirmation regarding it, thanks to an Intel patent.

A new Intel patent has been found which confirms that the company will use an L4 cache codenamed “Adamantine” on its upcoming 14th Gen Meteor Lake CPUs. The new cache will be targeted mainly at the Arc Xe-GPU which is there on the graphics tile of the Meteor Lake GPUs.

The L4 cache tile will go toe to toe against AMD’s 3D V-Cache tile. The patent was published way back in 2020 and it mentioned that the ‘next-generation SoC architecture’ or in other words, the Meteor Lake, is to feature ‘on-package caches’, which basically means that the Adamantine part would be a part of the base tile that could be accessed by any of the building blocks of the SoC.

Intel explained that the main purpose of L4 cache is to improve boot optimization and increase security around the host CPU. In addition to that, the L4 cache will preserve the cache data at reset in order to improve loading times, otherwise it would have to go through all the boot cycles again.

Here’s what Intel had to say about Adamantine:

“Next generation client SoC architectures may introduce large on-package caches, which will allow novel usages. Access time for the L4 (e.g., “Adamantine” or “ADM”) cache may be much less than the DRAM access time, which is used to improve host CPU and security controller communications. Embodiments help to protect innovations in boot optimization. Value is added for high end silicon with higher pre-initialized memory at reset, potentially leading to increased revenue. Having memory available at reset also helps to nullify legacy BIOS assumptions and make a faster and efficient BIOS solution with a reduced firmware stage (e.g., pre-CPU reset stage, IBBL stage and IBB stage) for modern device use cases like Automotive IVI (in-vehicle infotainment, e.g., turn on rear view camera within 2 sec), household and industrial robots, etc. Accordingly, new market segments may be available.”

In his latest video, Moore’s Law is Dead claimed that the cache could further expand into ‘gigabytes’ but for now, it’s currently being tested with in sizes of 128MB to 512MB. He also pointed out a rumor that the Adamantine L4 cache could be used in both Meteor Lake CPUs and Battlemage CPUs.

Meteor Lake will feature a hybrid architecture combining five different tiles: CPU, SoC, GPU, I/O and base tile and the Adamantine cache will help in offering much faster access time compared to L3. It is officially slated to launch in the second half of this year, although which series of Meteor Lake will release first is still unknown.

About Intel

Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, in Silicon Valley. It is the world’s largest semiconductor chip manufacturer on the basis of revenue, and is the developer of the x86 series of microprocessors – the processors found in most personal computers (PCs).

Incorporated in Delaware, Intel ranked No. 46 in the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue.