Intel is reportedly developing "Moon Lake," an entry-level processor family with no P-Cores, up to four Darkmont LPE-Cores, and a 6W base power rating, built on the 18A node. It's positioned below the existing Wildcat Lake family as an ultra-low-power option for things like Chromebook-tier laptops and embedded devices such as NAS units.
Intel appears to be preparing a new ultra-low-power processor family called "Moon Lake," according to reporting from TechPowerUp and Wccftech. Unlike Intel's mainstream mobile chips, Moon Lake drops performance cores entirely, relying on up to four "Darkmont" LPE-Cores built on the Intel 18A node. Its officially listed base power of 6W puts it closer to a smartphone SoC than a typical laptop processor, with Wccftech citing a configurable TDP of up to 15W.
Moon Lake sits in the same BGA1516 package used by Intel's recently launched "Wildcat Lake" (Core Series 3) chips, but it's a much smaller, more stripped-down design. Where Wildcat Lake includes at least two P-Cores alongside its LPE-Cores and Xe3 graphics, Moon Lake is pure efficiency silicon — TechPowerUp describes it as intended for embedded use cases like NAS devices, while Wccftech frames it as an entry-tier laptop chip aimed at Chromebook-style price points, potentially replacing the aging Alder Lake-N (Core N-Series) lineup.
Alongside Moon Lake, Intel is also said to be working on a "Wildcat Lake Refresh," which bumps P-Core count from two to four while keeping the same Cougar Cove and Darkmont core architecture, and adds vPro support for enterprise buyers. All three platforms — Wildcat Lake, its refresh, and Moon Lake — share the 18A node and BGA1516 package, suggesting Intel is building out a tiered family of low-power chips rather than a single successor product.
Details on Moon Lake's integrated graphics configuration remain unconfirmed; both outlets speculate it will carry one or two Xe3 cores, scaled down from Wildcat Lake's two-core setup to fit within the 6W power envelope. No pricing or launch date has been confirmed in the available reporting.
What We Know
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Core Configuration | Up to 4 Darkmont LPE-Cores, no P-Cores |
| Process Node | Intel 18A |
| Package | BGA1516 |
| Base Power | 6W (configurable TDP up to 15W, per Wccftech) |
| GPU Architecture | Xe3 (core count unconfirmed, likely 1-2 cores) |
| Official Codename | MNL |
| Likely Successor To | Alder Lake-N / N-Series |
| Target Devices | Entry-level laptops, Chromebooks, embedded devices like NAS |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Intel Moon Lake?
Moon Lake is a reported Intel processor family with no P-Cores, using up to four Darkmont LPE-Cores built on the 18A node, aimed at extremely low-power computing.
How is Moon Lake different from Wildcat Lake?
Wildcat Lake includes at least two P-Cores alongside LPE-Cores and Xe3 graphics, while Moon Lake drops P-Cores entirely and targets a much lower 6W base power rating.
What process node is Moon Lake built on?
Moon Lake is manufactured on Intel's 18A node, the same process used for Wildcat Lake and the rumored Wildcat Lake Refresh.
What devices will use Moon Lake chips?
Reports suggest Moon Lake could power entry-level laptops or Chromebook-tier devices, as well as embedded products like NAS units.
