Intel just announced its new Arrow Lake Refresh CPUs, calling them the Core Ultra 200S Plus series. The company revealed two main chips that cost less than the previous models but offer a 15 percent jump in 1080p gaming performance.
The lineup features the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. The 270K Plus packs 24 cores, matching previous flagship models. Meanwhile, the 250K Plus brings 18 cores to the table. Both processors include four extra Efficiency cores compared to their older counterparts. Intel also pushed the memory controller speed up by 900MHz to fix latency issues from the original design.
Intel credits a large portion of the performance boost to a new feature called the Intel Binary Optimization Tool, or iBOT. The company states this tool increases performance in specific games. We still do not know exactly how it works behind the scenes. However, gamers can easily turn it on through the advanced mode in the Intel Application Optimization software.
Beyond the chips themselves, Intel brings faster memory support to the platform. Standard DDR5 memory speeds now officially reach 7,200MT/s out of the box. Intel also added early support for massive 4R CUDIMMs. This means future motherboards can handle up to 128GB of memory on a single stick.
Intel claims these new processors easily beat AMD Zen 5 chips in heavy applications. Since Intel packs so many cores into these chips, they power through demanding tasks like video rendering. If the 15 percent gaming improvement holds up in real-world tests, the 270K Plus will outperform its main AMD rivals. It will also finally surpass older 14th-Gen models in gaming.
The most exciting news for buyers is the aggressive pricing. Intel priced the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus at $199 and the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus at $299. These numbers directly challenge AMD and make PC building much more affordable. Shoppers can grab these new CPUs at retailers starting on March 26.
