'The fastest desktop gaming processors Intel has ever built': new Arrow Lake Refresh CPUs are priced to sell, and AMD should be worried

• Intel revealed new Arrow Lake Refresh processors
• They are the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
• Both offer core count increases compared to their Arrow Lake predecessors — and a sizeable boost in gaming performance to the tune of 15%

Intel has released a pair of new desktop processors, which are refreshed models that are a step forward for the firm's current Arrow Lake range.

Tom's Hardware reports that these Arrow Lake Refresh chips are the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. These are pepped-up models of the existing Core Ultra 7 265K and Core Ultra 5 245K CPUs, respectively.

Intel's Robert Hallock, VP, Client Computing Group, General Manager, Enthusiast Channel Segment, boasts: "First, the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Ultra 5 250K Plus are the fastest desktop gaming processors Intel has ever built. Second, they nearly double the content creation performance of our competitor. And, thirdly, they're arriving with exciting new technologies that revolutionize the setup and optimization roadmap for Intel gaming platforms. These chips are a value that's hard to beat."

That's some big talk, so what's new exactly with these CPUs?

Intel has beefed up the core count, so the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has eight performance cores plus 16 efficiency cores, which is an extra four efficiency cores compared to the 265K. The same treatment has been given to the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus with an extra four efficiency cores, meaning it now has 12 efficiency cores to go along with its six performance cores.

As for clock speeds, these remain essentially the same as their predecessors, save for minor changes — you do get 100MHz more boost with the 250K, but the 270K maintains the same 5.4GHz for the performance cores as seen with the 265K.

Intel has brought in performance boosts elsewhere, though, notably with an up to 900MHz increase in the die-to-die speed of these new processors. That means lower system latency and a boost for PC gaming, Intel observes.

There's also support for faster RAM — up to 7200 MT/s DDR5 (up from 6400 MT/s on current Arrow Lake chips) — which will help performance, and a new Intel Binary Optimization Tool or iBOT.

Intel explains that iBOT is "a first-of-its-kind optimization technology" which will "increase processor instructions per cycle (IPC) and user performance".

We're told that this tool can increase IPC in certain games — think of that as a different way of upping performance aside from clock frequency increases — and this holds even if the game has been optimized for a different platform (like a console).

The proof will be in the (independent) game benchmarks, of course, but Team Blue is already calling iBOT a "key aspect of Intel's long-term performance roadmap for enthusiasts".

In terms of the game benchmarks for launch, Intel's claiming 15% faster gaming performance for the 270K Plus versus the 265K based on the average frame rates over 38 games (at 1080p resolution, high details, with the iBOT tool enabled where supported).

The price of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus processor is $299, and the MSRP of the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is $199.

Analysis: a statement of intent from Intel

Intel has a lot of work to do to gain favor again in the world of PC enthusiasts and gamers, because Arrow Lake wasn't well-received by the gaming community, and before that, we had those nasty stability issues with 13th and 14th-gen CPUs (which weren't well-received by anyone). However, this Core Ultra 200S Plus refresh — albeit that it's a modest two-chip effort — is an important step towards rebuilding Intel's desktop reputation.

The gaming performance jump with the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a sizeable one, with the extra cores, die-to-die speed boost, and complementing tech providing some serious extra power. When you consider those gains through the lens of the asking prices — which are actually lower than the old models these refreshes succeed — you've got a potent recipe for success, frankly.

Hallock's PR boasts aren't hollow by all accounts, and the refreshed Arrow Lake CPUs here have been a pleasant surprise for the gaming community and PC enthusiasts alike.

The only thing missing is a flagship refresh, with no 290K Plus model. That means the flagship 285K is in an odd position, seeing as the new 270K Plus is its equal in core count and almost matches the former's clocks (it's 100MHz shy in the boost stakes, but that's not a big deal at all).

More eyes, however, are likely to be on the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, because at $199, this looks like an excellent value proposition, and a much-needed breath of fresh air at a time when many PC components are getting depressingly expensive (RAM and storage, of course, and also GPUs).

The best computers for all budgets

➡️ Read our full guide to the best computers
1. Best Windows:
Dell Tower Plus
2. Best Mac:
Apple Mac mini M4
3. Best Mac AIO:
Apple iMac 24-inch (M4)

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