Intel is set to make waves at CES 2026 with the unveiling of its refreshed Arrow Lake “Core Ultra 200S” CPUs. This new iteration promises enhancements in memory speed, which could deliver a significant performance boost for enthusiasts and professionals alike. With the tech world eagerly awaiting these developments, Intel’s latest CPUs are poised to capture considerable attention.
Enhanced Memory Speeds with DDR5 Support
The upcoming Arrow Lake Refresh CPUs from Intel will support faster DDR5 memory speeds, reaching up to 7200 MT/s natively. This is a substantial improvement, especially considering the current maximum of 6400 MT/s supported by the existing Arrow Lake CPUs. The enhancement is specific to CUDIMM memory or DDR5 memory with CKD ICs, maintaining the same support at 5600 MT/s UDIMM and 6400 MT/s CSODIMM. This advancement represents a 12.5% boost in memory speed, marking a significant step forward for Intel’s CPU capabilities.
This increase in memory speed is attributed to advancements in the Integrated Memory Controller (IMC) and optimizations on LGA 1851 platforms. Although no new PCH is expected beyond the existing Z890, these enhancements are designed to maximize performance on the Arrow Lake CPUs. Meanwhile, the 2DPC speeds and memory support for Arrow Lake-HX “Core Ultra 200HX” remain consistent with previous models.
Market Impact and Future Prospects
Despite the technological improvements, the market reception for the Arrow Lake Refresh might be subdued, as the initial Arrow Lake release did not fare well against AMD’s Ryzen offerings. Industry insiders speculate that the upcoming LGA 1954 socket and the anticipated Nova Lake-S CPUs will eventually replace the current lineup in 2026, bringing even more robust competition against AMD’s future Zen 6-based processors.
Intel Core Ultra 200S “Arrow Lake” and Arrow Lake Refresh CPU Specs:
| CPU | Cores/Threads | Base Clock (P/E Core) | Max Boost (P/E Core) | Cache (L3 / L2) | Memory Support | TDP (PL1 / PL2) | Price (SEP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Ultra 9 290K Plus | 24/24 (8+16) | 3.7 / 3.2 GHz | 5.6 / 4.8 GHz | 36 MB / 40 MB | DDR5-7200 | 125W / 250W | TBD |
| Core Ultra 9 285K | 24/24 (8+16) | 3.7 / 3.2 GHz | 5.5 / 4.6 GHz | 36 MB / 40 MB | DDR5-6400 | 125W / 250W | $589 US |
| Core Ultra 7 270K Plus | 24/24 (8+16) | 3.7 / 3.2 GHz | 5.5 / 4.7 GHz | 36 MB / 40 MB | DDR5-7200 | 125W / 250W | TBD |
| Core Ultra 7 265K | 20/20 (8+12) | 3.9 / 3.3 GHz | 5.4 / 4.6 GHz | 30 MB / 36 MB | DDR5-6400 | 125W / 250W | $394 US |
| Core Ultra 7 265KF | 20/20 (8+12) | 3.9 / 3.3 GHz | 5.4 / 4.6 GHz | 30 MB / 36 MB | DDR5-6400 | 125W / 250W | $379 US |
| Core Ultra 5 250K Plus | 18/18 (6+12) | 4.2 / 3.5 GHz | 5.3 / 4.7 GHz | 24 MB / 26 MB ? | DDR5-7200 | 125W / 159W | TBD |
| Core Ultra 5 245K | 14/14 (6+8) | 4.2 / 3.6 GHz | 5.2 / 4.6 GHz | 24 MB / 26 MB | DDR5-6400 | 125W / 159W | $309 US |
| Core Ultra 5 245KF | 14/14 (6+8) | 4.2 / 3.6 GHz | 5.2 / 4.6 GHz | 24 MB / 26 MB | DDR5-6400 | 125W / 159W | $294 US |