Early next year, Intel will release new desktop CPUs meant to refresh its current Core Ultra 200 (codenamed „Arrow Lake“) line for socket LGA 1851. A sneak peek at what we can expect has now been provided by a leak of one of the coming models in the database of Geekbench, software used for CPU performance benchmarks. In it, someone took out for a spin one of the CPUs that will be released as part of the coming refresh.
Some time ago, a CPU sample designated as the Core Ultra 7 365K, which was considered to be included in the coming “refresh” lineup, also surfaced online. However, it appears Intel has since changed their mind and the new models will not be designated as the 300 line after all, but will stick with being called the 200 series. Or more precisely, it will be the 200 Plus line. A sample designated Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has appeared on the internet, possibly indicating what naming scheme Intel is planning to use.
The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus model is apparently the refresh successor to the currently selling 20-core Core Ultra 7 265K model, again belonging to the 125W TDP K-series with an unlocked multiplier aimed at enthusiasts. However, unlike the predecessor, the 270K Plus now has 24 cores—8 P-Cores of the Lion Cove architecture and 16 smaller E-Cores (while the 265K only has 12 of them) of the Skymont architecture.
- Tip: Intel’s new P-Core: Lion Cove is the biggest change since Nehalem
- Tip: Skymont architecture analysed: Intel little core outgrows the big?
The CPU’s base clock speed is 3,7 GHz and the maximum boost for the P-Cores will be 5,5 GHz. This is the same value as the maximum boost of the Core Ultra 7 265K. The single-threaded performance will therefore not increase (at least not from CPU core clock increase). L3 Cache will increase from the 30 MB of the 265K to 36 MB with the new Core Ultra 7 270K Plus, in congruence with the increased core count.
Affordable models to receive more cores
The silicon of Arrow Lake CPUs has 24 cores physically, but until now, the only case where they were all active was the most expensive Core Ultra 9 285K model. It seems Intel plans to shift core counts down by one category in the upcoming refresh, scheduled for next year. Core Ultra 7 processors will get the same number of cores as the previous former top-tier Core Ultra 9 models. The Core Ultra 9 SKUs cannot gain any more cores (that would require new silicon), so they will most likely only differ from the cheaper Core Ultra 7 models by having higher clock speeds.
It is possible that even the cheaper Core Ultra 5 processors, positioned below the Core Ultra 7 series, could receive more cores. Precisely because of how the Core Ultra 7 category has shifted. They could newly offer either 16 cores (8 P-Cores and 8 E-Cores) or 18 cores—6 P-Cores and 12 E-Cores. However, no Core Ultra 5 model has leaked yet, so we do not know if Intel will be generous with them and also throw in more cores.
This strengthening of the cheaper models probably reflects how Intel finds itself under increasing competitive pressure from AMD. Because of this, the company is forced to try to convince customers with an improved price-to-performance ratio. It must work within the constraints of the silicon it has available which gives a hard ceiling to the top SKUs, but below them there’s leeway for choosing the core counts for the lower SKUs which are created by disabling parts of the more expensive silicon. So unlike the highest SKUs, the lower ones can gain more cores while using the same silicon.
By allowing Core Ultra 7 processors to retain more cores, the company will lose some portion of of Core Ultra 9 processors sales (because they will no longer offer as much differentiation compared to Core Ultra 7 models). But in return, the Core Ultra 7 models will sell better, and it is likely these cheaper models that have the best chance against the competition from AMD. Therefore, this strategy could make sense.
Tip: Intel preparing APO+. New version supposedly capable of game code optimization
Launch most likely in January
Intel recently issued a statement indicating that these “refreshed” desktop Arrow Lake models are not planned for release this autumn and instead we will see them only after the new year. We therefore expect Intel to launch them in January during the CES 2026 trade show, where the refresh line-up is likely going to be formally unveiled.
Sources: VideoCardz, Geekbench
English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš
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