Intel has launched the Intel Core Ultra 200S series processor family that will scale AI PC capabilities to desktop platforms and usher in the first enthusiast desktop AI PCs. Codenamed Arrow Lake-S with integrated NPU (Neural Processing Unit), the redesigned “computer on a chip” including a CPU, GPU, and more, showcases multiple improved features across every facet of computing. This follows Intel’s previous two generations of NPU armed mobile processors for laptops.
Led by the Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 285K, the latest generation of enthusiast desktop processors includes five unlocked desktop processors equipped with up to eight next-gen Performance-cores (P-cores), the fastest cores available for desktop PCs, and up to 16 next-gen Efficient-cores (E-cores). Altogether, they result in up to 14% improved performance in multi-threaded workloads than the previous generation. The new family is the first NPU-enabled desktop processors for enthusiasts and come with a built-in Xe GPU with media support.
“The new Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors deliver on our goals to significantly cut power usage while retaining outstanding gaming performance and delivering leadership compute,” says Robert Hallock, Vice President and General Manager of AI and Technical Marketing, Client Computing Group at Intel. “The result is a cooler and quieter user experience elevated by new AI gaming and creation capabilities enabled by the NPU, and leadership media performance that leverages our growing graphics portfolio.”
Intel says the Core Ultra 200S desktop processors deliver a landmark reduction in power usage with up to 58% lower package power in everyday applications and up to 165W lower system power while gaming. The new processor family combines improved efficiency with performance, also delivering up to 6% faster single-threaded and up to 14% faster multi-threaded performance over the previous generation.
With complete AI capabilities powered by the CPU, GPU, and NPU, enthusiasts get intelligent and powerful performance for content creation and gaming, all with a reduced energy footprint. By bringing the AI to a PC desktop for the first time, the Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors deliver up to 50% faster performance in AI-enabled creator applications against competing flagship processors.
The newly available NPU enables offloading of AI functions as well. This includes freeing up discrete GPUs to increase gaming frame rates, significantly reducing power usage in AI workloads, and enabling accessibility use cases such as face- and gesture-tracking in games while minimizing performance impact.
Gaming frame rates can be increased without pricey GPU’s by dropping the render resolution to play at a higher and smoother FPS (frames per second) then using AI power to interpolate each frame back to a higher playback resolution.
Fast, Efficient and Smart
With up to 36 platform TOPS, the new Intel Core Ultra 200S series processor is Intel’s first and best desktop processor for AI PCs. Here are some highlights:
- The processors boast a substantial 76 MB cache (36 MB L3 and up to 40 MB L2) and clock speeds of 3.7 GHz for P-cores and 3.2 GHz for cores, with boost capabilities reaching up to 5.7 GHz and 4.6 GHz respectively.
- Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors offer excellent performance in AI and content creation, and power an immersive gaming experience, with up to 28% gaming performance uplift compared to competing flagship processors.
- The new Intel 800 Series Chipset requires a new motherboard for the Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors. It extends platform compatibility with up to 24 PCIe 4.0 lanes, up to 8 SATA 3.0 ports, and up to 10 USB 3.2 ports, empowering enthusiasts to take advantage of the latest connectivity, storage, and other technologies.
- Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors bring new overclocking functionality with fine-grain controls, with top turbo frequency in 16.6 MHz steps for P-cores and E-cores. A new memory controller supports fast, new XMP and CUDIMM DDR5 memory up to 48GB per DIMM for up to 192GB in total, and the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility now includes one-click overclocking enhancements.
- The processors come equipped with 20 CPU PCIe 5.0 lanes, 4 CPU PCIe 4.0 lanes, support for 2 integrated Thunderbolt 4 ports, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 delivers supercharged wireless performance and enables seamless, immersive online gameplay through application priority auto-detection, bandwidth analysis and management, and smart AP selection and switching.
- Intel Silicon multi-engine Security Engine helps preserve data confidentiality and code integrity while maintaining high performance for demanding AI workloads.
Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors will be available online and in stores, and via OEM partner systems starting October 24, 2024.