What was found
Tom's Hardware reports that Intel's software database contains an internal test driver labeled "RPL-NEXT", which it presumes refers to the Raptor Lake Next CPUs it first reported on in June. The listing was first spotted on X by @momomo_us, and Tom's Hardware found it by searching that name in Intel's software database.
The file is locked and redirects to an Intel login page. Combined with the "testbuild" label, that suggests an internal test that wasn't meant to be public. That is a reasonable read. It is still an inference. The driver file itself wasn't publicly accessible, so nobody outside Intel can inspect it. Neither the listing nor the shipping records say what "RPL-NEXT" will be called at retail.
The driver is a small clue
Tom's Hardware says that, going by Intel's naming conventions, the package is for Smart Sound Technology (SST), an audio DSP built into Intel silicon since Alder Lake. Audio codecs such as Realtek's use it to offload noise reduction, echo cancellation, low-power playback and wake-on-voice, which saves power.
For Windows users, this driver says almost nothing about performance. It is mainly a sign that Intel's software teams are preparing platform-specific packages for something labeled RPL-NEXT. If these chips drop into existing LGA1700 boards, the audio stack probably isn't where the interesting changes are. Treat the driver as a hint about the code name, not as a spec sheet.
The shipping records add more
On the same day, Club386 published trade and customs data that gave the story more substance. Club386 says Raptor Lake Next CPUs have been shipping from Vietnam since August 2026, with four models appearing in records that include clock and cache data. VideoCardz, relaying the report, says the entries are dated August 18 and 19, list part numbers 99DLMV, 99DLMT, 99DLMW and 99DLMX, and describe all four as Raptor Lake Next 64-bit microprocessors with FCLGA packaging.
The clock speeds are low, so Club386 assumes they are base frequencies rather than peak boost clocks. Wccftech notes that the importer and exporter names are censored in the trade table. That limits how far anyone can verify the entries independently.
| Part number | Base clock | Cache | Expected core layout | Expected TDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99DLMV | 3.5 GHz | 30 MB | 8P + 8E | 125 W |
| 99DLMT | 2.1 GHz | 33 MB | 8P + 12E | 65 W |
| 99DLMW | 2.6 GHz | 24 MB | 6P + 4E | 65 W |
| 99DLMX | 2.6 GHz | 24 MB | Unknown | 65 W |
The clocks and cache come from the shipping records. The core layouts and TDPs are Club386's expectations, drawn from earlier rumors rather than from the records. Both the 99DLMW and 99DLMX show the same specs. Nobody yet knows how they differ, and I won't guess.
Reading the numbers with caution
- Cache matches earlier leaks. Club386 notes that the 99DLMT's 33 MB of L3 matches the Core i7-14700K. The 99DLMV's 30 MB matches a Core i7-13700K, which has the same core configuration.
- The low-end part may differ from the current i5. Rumors point to a 6P+4E lower-end chip like the Core i5-14400F, but that chip has only 20 MB of cache and the new part appears to have more.
- These are not retail specs. Tom's Hardware's own table of "approximate matches" to existing Core i5 and i7 models is a guess. Pricing, boost clocks, final names and performance are all unknown.
- Shipments don't equal availability. TechPowerUp says shipping manifests usually indicate CPUs going out as samples to customers or as part of a production run returning to Intel, which suggests a nearby launch. That is not the same as a retail date.
The earlier trail
The name has been circulating since June. Tom's Hardware reported hearing at Computex that Intel planned Raptor Lake Next CPUs for the first half of 2027, the third refresh of the Raptor Lake range. Intel declined to comment at that time, per Tom's Hardware. A June roundup from Club386 added unconfirmed details from VideoCardz and the leaker jaykihn0. Those included Core 200 branding, mobile variants and no Core i9 part. Treat all of that as rumor.
The strongest platform signal is from a motherboard maker. Per Club386's October 9 report, Gigabyte said it had announced BIOS support for upcoming LGA1700 processors across its B760 and H610 lineup. TechPowerUp likewise says Gigabyte released BIOS updates to prepare its entire B760 and H610 lineup for upcoming LGA1700 processors that it expects in early 2027. Gigabyte did not name Raptor Lake Next in that report, so the link remains an inference.
What this means for LGA1700 owners
If these chips ship at retail, owners of compatible boards could upgrade without changing sockets. A few practical points:
- Don't buy anything yet. There's no announcement, price or review. Nothing here justifies a purchase.
- Check your board's CPU support list. Support depends on the specific board and BIOS version. Gigabyte's announcement covers its own B760 and H610 boards, not the whole platform.
- Memory is set by the motherboard. A new CPU can't turn a DDR4 board into a DDR5 board or the reverse. Reports describe DDR4/DDR5 flexibility as a draw. Whether each specific SKU supports both is not established by the shipping data.
- Keep your current BIOS and chipset drivers up to date. That is sensible anyway, and it is how new-CPU support usually arrives on Windows 11 and Windows 10 desktops.
Bottom line
Three separate signals now point the same way: a restricted RPL-NEXT driver entry, August shipping records for four desktop part numbers, and motherboard BIOS preparation for new LGA1700 chips. Together they make a real Raptor Lake Next refresh look likely. They fall short of Intel confirming it, and the exact specs, names, prices and dates are all still open. Expect an official announcement before treating any of the table above as final.