Summary

  • The Intel Core Ultra 200S CPU series launches on October 24 to compete with AMD's Ryzen line.
  • With prices ranging from $294 to $589, the Core Ultra 200S lineup aims to deliver power efficiency and competitive performance.

The latest generation of Intel processors, the Core Ultra 200S series, will launch on Thursday, October 24, alongside new Z890 motherboards from various partners like MSI and Asus. Formerly codenamed Arrow Lake, the Intel Core Ultra 200S desktop CPUs will include five models at launch, each with different specifications and starting prices.

The release of the next generation of Intel CPUs will come as the tech giant looks to turn around its fortunes. In February 2024, instability and crash reports concerning Intel's Raptor Lake processors began to spread on social media. Although the company refused to refund affected users, warranty extensions were granted. After months of investigation and testing, Intel claimed that a phenomenon called "Vmin shift instability," which affects the system's minimum operating voltage, was the root cause. Since June, Intel has released four distinct microcode updates to address specific crash scenarios.

Although some details of the Intel Core Ultra 200S were revealed early, Intel gave users a deep dive into its new lineup. In a video presentation hosted by Intel vice president and general manager Roger Chandler, Intel confirmed the Core Ultra 200S processors will launch on Thursday, October 24. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, Core Ultra 7 265K, and Core Ultra 5 245K processors will include integrated graphics, and the Core Ultra 7 365KF and Core Ultra 245KF will be suitable for users with a dedicated graphics card. The Core Ultra 245KF will start at $294, which is $15 cheaper than the 245K's price of $309. The Core Ultra 7 265KF and 265K will launch at $379 and $394 respectively, and the Core Ultra 9 285K will go for $589.

Intel Reveals the Core Ultra 200S CPUs

Various Z890 motherboards will also be released from Asus, MSI, Gigabyte, and Asrock, as the Core Ultra 200S lineup will utilize the new LGA1851 socket. The Core Ultra 9 285K will include 24 total cores (8 P-Cores and 16 E-Cores), with up to 5.7 GHz boost clock speeds. By comparison, the Core Ultra 245K and 245KF will have 14 cores (6 P-Cores and 8 E-Cores) which can run up to 5.2 GHz when boosted. The Intel Core Ultra 200S lineup was built with power efficiency in mind, as Intel revealed that the new CPUs will have a lower power draw than the 14th Generation Raptor Lake CPUs.

Intel also claimed that the Core Ultra 200S could perform better than AMD's Ryzen 7000 series in programs like Blender, but perform slightly worse in games like Cyberpunk 2077. Only time will tell how many users will give the Core Ultra 200S series a shot.

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    Intel Core i7-13700K Gaming Desktop Processor
    Intel Core i7-13700K Gaming Desktop Processor
    $308 $419 Save $111
    Display card main info widget
    Brand
    Intel
    CPU Model
    Core i7
    CPU Socket
    LGA 1700
    Cores
    16 cores (8 P-cores + 8 E-cores
    Threads
    24
    Display card main info widget end

    The Intel Core i7-13700K  CPU is a true definition of power and efficiency, thanks to its innovative P-cores and  E-cores architecture. It offers  16 cores (8 P-cores + 8 E-cores) and 24 threads, plus it is up to 5.4 GHz unlocked, making it the strongest option for both gamers and professionals.

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    PCIe
    PCIe 5.0 & 4.0 support
    Graphics
    Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 770 i
    $308 at Amazon $340 at Newegg $340 at Best Buy
  • Image
    Intel Core i7 14700KF 20-Core, 28-Thread CPU
    Intel Core i7 14700KF 20-Core, 28-Thread CPU
    $355 $435 Save $80
    Display card main info widget
    Brand
    Intel
    CPU Model
    Core i7 14700KF
    CPU Socket
    LGA 1700
    Cores
    20 (8P + 12E Cores)
    Threads
    28
    Display card main info widget end

    The Intel Core i7 14700KF is the iGPU-less version of the unlocked Intel Core i7 14700K CPU, offering four additional efficiency cores and a lower price thanks to it skipping the integrated Intel UHD 770 that the latter offers. It requires a discrete graphics card for display and adequate cooling for one of the most power-hungry CPUs.

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    PCIe
    PCI-E 4.0/5.0 Support
    Graphics
    N/A
    $355 at Amazon $365 at Newegg $365 at Walmart
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    Intel Core i9 14900KS 24-Core, 32-Thread CPU
    Intel Core i9 14900KS 24-Core, 32-Thread CPU
    $615 $750 Save $135
    Display card main info widget
    Brand
    Intel
    CPU Model
    Core i9 14900KS
    CPU Socket
    LGA 1700
    Cores
    24 Cores (8 P-Cores + 16 E-Cores)
    Threads
    32 Threads
    Display card main info widget end

    The Intel Core i9 14900KS 24-core, 32-thread CPU is Intel's special edition CPU take on its flagship 14th generation CPU, the Core i9 14900K.

    It is essentially a cherry-picked 14900K SKU that can push higher clocks with up to a minimum of 6.2 GHz on its P-Cores, making it effectively the highest-clocked CPU out of the box to date when it comes to boost clocks from Intel.

    It trades at a significant premium as a result and is expected, as a limited-run chip, to be a collectible SKU with high demand from enthusiasts and overclockers in 2024.

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    PCIe
    PCI-E 4.0 and 5.0 Support
    Graphics
    Intel® UHD Graphics 770
    $615 at Amazon $632 at Newegg