A new Intel processor, believed to be part of the upcoming Wildcat Lake lineup, has surfaced on an online benchmarking platform, hinting at the company’s efforts to compete directly with Apple’s latest silicon used in the MacBook Neo. The chip, reportedly named Intel Core 5 320, has not yet been officially announced, but early performance data suggests it could rival — and in some areas surpass — Apple’s A18 Pro chipset.
The appearance of this processor on benchmarking databases indicates that Intel is actively preparing a response to Apple’s growing presence in the mid-range laptop market. The MacBook Neo, introduced earlier this year, is powered by the same A18 Pro chip found in the iPhone 16 Pro series, positioning it as a strong contender against both Chromebooks and affordable Windows laptops.
According to the leaked benchmark results, the Intel Core 5 320 processor features a six-core CPU design, consisting of two high-performance cores and four efficiency-focused cores. This hybrid architecture is aimed at balancing power and energy efficiency for everyday computing tasks.
Performance scores from the PassMark platform show the chip achieving 4,047 points in single-thread tests and 15,222 points in multi-thread performance. These numbers place the processor competitively among thousands of CPUs listed on the platform. Notably, the processor’s performance cores are said to reach clock speeds of up to 4.6GHz.
When compared to Apple’s A18 Pro chip inside the MacBook Neo, Intel’s unreleased processor appears to have an advantage in multi-threaded performance. Reports suggest that the MacBook Neo scored around 11,993 points in similar tests, which is significantly lower than the Intel chip’s benchmark result.
Previously, the MacBook Neo was also tested on Geekbench, where it recorded approximately 3,980 points in single-core performance and 10,105 in multi-core tests. The device features 8GB of RAM and operates at a base frequency of around 4.04GHz, showcasing Apple’s focus on efficiency and optimized performance.
Launched globally in March, the MacBook Neo is positioned as Apple’s most affordable laptop option, starting at Rs. 69,900 in India. It comes with a 13-inch Liquid Retina display and is designed to deliver strong everyday performance. Apple claims the A18 Pro chip can offer up to 50 percent faster performance in routine tasks compared to certain Windows laptops powered by Intel processors.
While Intel has not officially confirmed details about the Wildcat Lake series, the early benchmark appearance suggests that competition in the mid-range laptop segment is set to intensify. As both companies continue to refine their chip technologies, consumers can expect more powerful and efficient devices in the near future.
