Underwhelming Refresh for Arrow Lake
Intel’s Arrow Lake Refresh for desktops (S-series) and high-end laptops (HX-series) will deliver only minor clock speed increases—contrary to rumors of a significant NPU or core count upgrade. Reliable leaker Jaykihn confirms:
- No NPU4 upgrade (keeps NPU2, disqualifying Copilot+ PC certification)
- No core count changes (rumored 8P+32E configuration scrapped)
- Exclusive to K/KF-series (e.g., Core Ultra 9 295K)
This positions the refresh as one of Intel’s most incremental updates in years.
Why This Disappoints
- Missed AI Opportunity: NPU2’s 10 TOPS falls short of Microsoft’s 40 TOPS Copilot+ requirement, while AMD/Qualcomm lead in AI laptops.
- No Core Boost: Arrow Lake-S retains max 8P+16E cores, unlike AMD’s 16-core Strix Halo.
- Naming Stagnation: CPUs stay under “200-series” branding, avoiding a full generational rebrand.
Market Context & Intel’s Strategy
- Competition: AMD’s Strix Point (NPU 50 TOPS) dominates AI laptop sales.
- Socket Longevity: LGA-1851 socket persists through 2025, with Nova Lake-S (LGA-1954) expected in 2026.
- Pricing: Refresh chips likely cost same as current models, making upgrades pointless for existing owners.
“After the Raptor Lake Refresh backlash, Intel seems cautious about overhyping minor updates.”
— Industry analyst reaction
What to Expect
| Model | Current Max Boost | Refresh Boost |
|---|---|---|
| Core Ultra 9 295K | 5.8 GHz | ~6.0 GHz |
| Core Ultra 7 285K | 5.6 GHz | ~5.8 GHz |
| Core Ultra 5 265K | 5.3 GHz | ~5.5 GHz |
Launch: Q4 2025, exclusively for unlocked K/KF desktop SKUs.
Also, Read
- Scored a Free i5-9600K + RTX 2060 Rig – Free Facebook Gaming PC
- Intel Nova Lake-AX Leaked – High-Power APU to Challenge AMD Strix Halo
- Intel Arc Battlemage GPUs Target Edge AI Market in Q4 Launch
Key Takeaway: This refresh suggests Intel is reserving major innovations for Nova Lake-S (2026). For now, Arrow Lake owners gain little beyond fractional performance tweaks.
Source: Jaykihn