Intel quietly confirms Raptor Lake Next CPUs through internal driver publication

Intel has published an internal test driver with the "RPL-NEXT" label, presumably in reference to Raptor Lake Next CPUs that Tom's Hardware first reported on in June. On the same day as the driver was uncovered, shipping manifests from Vietnam were published by Club386, showing exports of CPUs labeled "Raptor Lake Next" dating back to August, complete with cache and clock speed information.

The driver was first spotted by @momomo_us on X, and we were able to find it by searching the name in Intel's software database. The file is locked (hence the padlock icon), and clicking on it will redirect you to an Intel login page. Given that and the "testbuild" label, it looks like this is an internal driver test that wasn't meant to be published.

Judging by the existing conventions, the driver package is for the Smart Sound Technology (SST), a audio digital signal processor integrated into the silicon since the Alder Lake days. …