Intel Confirms Core i3-8121U 10nm Cannon Lake Processor Shipping In Lenovo IdeaPad 330
Some sleuthing by Hexus revealed that the Core i3-8121U is now represented in Intel’s ARK database, which is a first for a Cannon Lake-based processor. As previously reported, the Core i3-8121U is built on Intel’s new 10nm manufacturing process and has two physical cores with HyperThreading enabled (four total threads). The processor has a base clock of 2.2GHz and a maximum turbo clock of 3.2GHz. 4MB of Intel SmartCache is included and the chip is rated at just 15 TDP, making it a perfect fit for thin and light machines.
The Core i3-8121U supports up to 32GB of dual-channel DDR4-2400 memory, but one curious omission is any reference to onboard integrated graphics. In fact, the IdeaPad 330 relies on a discrete AMD Radeon RX 450 GPU to handle graphics duties, which is likely preferable to Intel’s IGPs… at least from a performance standpoint.
We should note that the Lenovo IdeaPad 330 is currently available for sale in China, although there is no word on if it will make an appearance here in the U.S. market. We’d definitely like to get our hands on the chip – even if it’s it on the lower end of the performance spectrum – to see how it compares to its predecessors.
