Intel Introduces New Arrow Lake Processors for High-Performance Gaming Notebooks
Following a chaotic 2024, Intel has its work cut out if it aims to reclaim its momentum. Kicking off the new year, Intel reveals a plethora of new chips designed for corporate and gaming laptops, specifically the 200H and 200HX series in the all-new range. Intel also plans to compensate for Arrow Lake's underwhelming gaming performance with the introduction of a new Ultra 200S lineup.
Alongside these new chips, Intel shared which PCs would be accommodating the Lunar Lake's high-end Lunar Lake SKUs. It's the elite business PCs set to debut at CES this week. Intel is releasing a multitude of new laptop and desktop CPUs early this year, catering to both the enthusiast and business-end notebook segments.
Intel's Lunar Lake chipset has exhibited strong performance in modern laptops, but the Arrow Lake desktop chipset falls short, even compared to Intel's 14th generation. This disparity was evident in our Orion Neuron 3500X PC review. The Intel Core Ultra 200HX and 200S series aim to bridge this gap by enhancing graphical performance and supporting Thunderbolt 5.
Intel seems to be obsessed with laptops, with the 200H Arrow Lake series slated to lead the way in mobile computers. There's an Intel Core Ultra 5 235H, an Ultra 7 265H, and the ultrasuave Ultra 9 285H at the top. The Ultra 7 and Ultra 9 include 16-core configurations, with the high-end chip boasting six performance cores, eight efficiency cores, and two LPE (low-power efficiency) cores.
The new 200HX lineup for mobile workstation users progresses from an Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX up to an Ultra 9 285HX. The top-end chip employs an eight-performance core, 16-efficiency core layout. The chip also features four Xe graphics cores, identical to the 200V series. These chips might not reach the performance levels of their desktop counterparts, but they could offer unique benefits for PCs with or without a separate GPU for graphics or gaming purposes.
We'll have to keep an eye on power consumption levels. According to Intel, the high-performance 200H operates between 28W and 45W, while the 200HX requires 55W. I'm excited to witness how 200H laptops handle more demanding tasks in a slim frame without overheating. As for the 200HX's performance, we'll want to compare the 285HX to current champions such as the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370.
Lunar Lake remains an essential component for thin and light laptops, but we're now seeing a selection of left-over SKUs in more business-focused notebooks. Intel pointed to the newly-introduced HP EliteBook X with an Intel Core Ultra 7 268V. This SKU includes four performance cores and four efficiency cores in an eight-by-eight core/thread configuration. It boosts the P-core frequency to 5.1 GHz with a 12 MB cache. This is one of those chips we've only seen demonstrated by Intel itself, and the top-end Ultra 9 288V still hasn't made much of an impact since its September 2024 release.
As one would expect, these elite laptops will be brimming with security features. Intel promises that its chips will utilize their neural processing ability for improved threat detection.
On the desktop front, the major change will be the Intel Core Ultra 200S series, with the Ultra 9 285S boasting enhanced AI performance compared to the company's 14th generation. Whether or not AI processing capabilities influence you, it's at least gratifying to finally see what Intel had planned for non-light laptops. We hope to witness Intel regain its glory, but we’ll need to see for ourselves if these chips prove a propitious starting point.
Gizmodo is unearthing all the coolest and oddest tech from the show floor at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. Stay tuned for our live coverage here.
The Intel Core Ultra 200S series, set to debut in desktop computers, is anticipated to showcase enhanced AI performance, aiming to regain Intel's former glory in the tech industry. In the future, Lunar Lake technology is expected to continue powering thin and light laptops, offering improved capabilities for these devices.
