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Intel’s Arrow Lake doesn’t impress

24/10/2024

The first models in Intel’s Core Ultra 200S series are now available to buy. The increase in gross output is low, but efficiency has risen. Initial verdicts range from «alright» to «Arrow Lake is a mess».

For the first time, Intel isn’t manufacturing its desktop CPUs itself, but has commissioned TSMC to do so. The architecture of the Core Ultra 200S is new as well. Fellow editor Martin has already summarised the new features in detail as well as other interesting facts from the presentation:

News + Trends
Intel introduces Core Ultra 200S desktop CPUs
by Martin Jud

Initial independent tests are now revealing exactly what these devices can do.

Gaming: a step in the wrong direction

Computerbase (review in German) notes a step backwards in gaming compared to the previous generation. The Core Ultra 9 285K is six per cent slower than the i9-14900K. Compared to the best current gaming chip, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, the gap is as big as 19 per cent. The smaller Core Ultra 7 265K and Core Ultra 5 245K also disappoint for gaming. They’re eight and five per cent behind their predecessors respectively. Only the significantly better efficiency speaks in favour of Arrow Lake – the Core Ultra 200S processors require around half as many watts as the previous generation. However, the 7800X3D remains the efficiency champ.

Techpowerup comes to similar conclusions. Reviewer W1zzard emphasises that results from the Core 200S processors vary. In some games they’re absolutely top, but in others they’re at the lower end of the scale. He also points out that any differences at the top are minor. The Core 200S are also good processors for gaming.

This review by Techspot doesn’t give Arrow Lake a good report card either. The results are a chaotic mix that doesn’t make much sense. Intel has many serious problems to solve. Reviewer Steven Walton admits he doesn’t expect a perfect product from a new platform and architecture. Nevertheless, he’d hoped for a better product.

Productivity: mixed results

Productivity results align with gaming. In the Photoshop benchmark from Techspot, the Core Ultra 9 285K achieves the second-worst result of all CPUs compared. Then again, in Blender Open Data it charges upward. Compared to gaming, the 285K performs better, but doesn’t stand out.

Techpowerup also notes these differing results. However, reviewer W1zzard emphasises that the less powerful Core 7 265K and Core 5 245K perform well compared to the competition from AMD at least. The former even beats the Ryzen 9 9900X, and the latter the Ryzen 7 9700X, both one level higher in the product portfolio.

Computerbase (review in German) reaches better results. The Core 9 265K beats all other processors in their benchmarks. The predecessor Core i9-14900K is even beaten by eleven per cent. Again, weaker models had a harder time compared to their predecessors. However, the lead here is still six and seven per cent respectively.

Efficiency: a step… in the right direction

According to Techpowerup, all Core 200S processors are more efficient than the previous generation. In applications, the Core 9 285K and Core 7 265K offer around 30 per cent more efficiency than the previous generation. With the 265K, the difference is 15 per cent in favour of the new chip. Power consumption has also been improved in gaming. Intel is closing in on AMD.

Computerbase (article in German) also praises the improved efficiency. Intel could even slightly outperform AMD in application benchmarks. Techspot sees it differently. Although Arrow Lake has been massively improved compared to its predecessor, AMD’s performance hasn’t yet been reached in most cases.

Price: just too high

Steven Walton from Techspot considers the price of the Core 9 285K to be too high. The Ryzen 9950X, 7950X3D or 7950X are the better choice. In his eyes, the recommended retail price should be 500 instead of 600 dollars.

Techpowerup advises against buying the Core 7 265K for gaming at Intel’s recommended retail price. The chip does deliver decent performance in applications, but not everywhere. That’s why reviewer W1zzard recommends waiting until the platform is more mature. The same applies to the Core 5 245K.

Computerbase writes (article in German) that AMD hasn’t managed to sell many Ryzen 9000 processors. Apparently, there’s hardly any progress in terms of performance. Intel’s Arrow Lake is now even taking a step back in performance at the same recommended retail price. It’s difficult, selling CPUs this way.