Intel has been playing catch-up in recent years. While most of its CPU launches have been solid, the company has lost some of the spark people associate with the chip giant. Intel aims to change that with its latest range of chips, Arrow Lake, and if the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K CPU is any indication, they may have rediscovered their magic. The 200S series processors mark a significant milestone in the company’s pursuit of efficiency and performance, offering a much more efficient chip that brings many features found in laptop CPUs to the desktop. With integrated Intel Xe graphics, improved power management, and AI features, these new chips are poised to shake up the desktop computing landscape.
Arrow Lake is an odd release for Intel, but that might be a good thing. Built on Intel’s Arrow Lake architecture, the 200S series offers the same level of performance as the previous Raptor Lake refresh but with a claimed 50 percent reduction in power usage. This means there are no massive leaps in gaming performance, with most benchmarks hitting close to where the Raptor Lake refresh landed but with much less power draw.
Even more unique, the 200S series does away with Hyper-Threading, meaning Intel is focusing purely on core counts when detailing specs. Considering Hyper-Threading was something Intel pushed for years, it’s an interesting shift that changes how we view desktop CPUs. Despite this, Intel still boasts impressive numbers and raises expectations for core counts in an enthusiast chip. It’s an intriguing strategy, making the 200S feel very different from past launches. Even with these changes, there’s a lot to like about the new range.
At the top of the lineup sits the flagship Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, boasting 24 cores (8 Performance and 16 Efficient) and 24 threads. This powerhouse can turbo boost up to 5.7 GHz, backed by 36 MB of L3 cache and 40 MB of L2 cache to keep things running smoothly. It draws 125 W base power and 250 W turbo power—slightly less than the 14900K. The story gets more interesting from there: Intel claims the new architecture can deliver similar performance to Raptor Lake while using half the power, something that will appeal to those looking for maximum efficiency in their PC.
Like most of the top chips in the 200S series, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K also integrates Intel’s Xe graphics (Arc graphics) into its desktop processors. While Intel has long offered integrated graphics, they were typically limited and lacked gaming performance. With Intel Xe graphics, this changes somewhat, as the integrated Arc graphics can handle basic 1080p gaming. It can also assist with tasks like video rendering and content creation. Despite the limited Xe cores in the 200S series, this marks a significant step forward in the desktop space, offering more power to the end user.
In addition to the Xe graphics built into the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, Intel has also integrated an NPU that delivers 13 TOPS of performance without tapping into the GPU. This addition marks Intel’s first foray into AI-enhanced desktop computing, aiming to change how users interact with their PCs. The NPU offloads AI workloads from the CPU and GPU, freeing up resources for other tasks and optimizing overall system performance. With a performance benchmark of 13 TOPS (Tera Operations Per Second), the NPU enables faster execution of AI-centric applications, such as real-time language translation, enhanced image processing, and smoother video editing.
There is a lot to test with the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, so with that in mind, we put it through its paces with an ideal setup to maximize the CPU’s potential. We installed the chip into our Intel test build, featuring a new MAG Z890 Tomahawk Wi-Fi motherboard provided by Intel. We paired this with 32 GB (2×16 GB) Kingston Fury 6000 RAM, a Samsung 980 M.2 SSD, an NZXT 1200-watt PSU, an NZXT Kraken 360 AIO, and an AMD RX 7900 XTX, all housed in the ASUS TUF Gaming GT502 PC case.
In an effort to keep our tests as close as physically possible, on the AMD side, our test bench included an ASUS X670 Master motherboard with 32 GB DDR5-6000 EXPO memory provided by AMD, a Lexar PCI-E Gen4 2 TB M.2 SSD, and a 1,000-watt Gigabyte PSU, built into a be quiet! Dark Base Pro 901 PC case and paired with a similarly spec’d AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX. While it is impossible to make every part exactly equal, we’ve minimized variables to avoid skewed results.
Starting with our synthetic benchmarks, we put the new 200S series through its paces to see how it fares against the competition and last year’s 14 series. In Cinebench R23, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K performed well, surpassing the 14th gen i9-14900K by around 4%, though it still trails behind the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and the high-end Intel Core i9-14900KS. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K also held its own, easily beating out the i5-14600K, Ryzen 7 9700X, and AMD Ryzen 5 9600X in comparison.
In our synthetic CPU-Z benchmark (Version 17), the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K performed exceptionally well, falling behind only the Intel Core i9-14900KS. It outpaced all the top chips in the AMD Ryzen 9000 family, including AMD’s flagship Ryzen 9 9950X, surpassing it by just over 11%. As for the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K, the results were more nuanced. It nearly tied with the previous-gen i5-14600K but managed to outperform most of the mid-range AMD Ryzen 9000 series chips. Impressively, it bested the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X by a notable 25%, an unexpected result that speaks to the efficiency and power of Intel’s new 200S series.
With the basic synthetic benchmarks out of the way, it is time to jump into some gaming, and this is where things start to get interesting. As I mentioned above, with the 200S series, Intel is not pushing performance at all costs; as such, it does not walk away the winner in everything at the core clocks these chips ship with, as they are built to run more efficiently and cooler than past Intel offerings have been. That being said, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K performed relatively well on a selection of titles.
“…we have the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K earning a solid win against the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K with our Low preset test in Total War: Warhammer 3, with it beating out every chip we have tested to date.”
Total War: Warhammer 3 was an interesting one, and I did see the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K walk away the winner when running the benchmark with the Ultra preset, scoring an average of 194.2 FPS. It would not be a CPU testing week if we did not experience some odd numbers, and in this case, we have the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K earning a solid win against the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K with our Low preset test in Total War: Warhammer 3, with it beating out every chip we have tested to date.
This is one I am having a bit of trouble explaining. It could be down to the chip throttling less even after a longer run, but we saw the same results in three consecutive tests, so it’s a solid showing for the Ultra 5 if you are looking to run your games at the lowest settings possible.
Jumping over to our Ubisoft titles, Intel falls behind the latest AMD Ryzen offerings, though it still provides a solid showing in terms of power draw and thermals during testing. In Watch Dogs: Legion, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K lagged behind most of the AMD 9000 range, tying with the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K performed worse, landing at the back of the pack with an average of 139 FPS in our high graphic setting test.
The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K fared better in our Assassin’s Creed Valhalla benchmarks, sitting near the top of the charts, tying with the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and only falling behind the gaming champion, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D—by just 1 FPS. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K also performed better in this test, beating the Intel Core i9-14900K and even the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, though only by a single FPS.
In Rainbow Six Siege, both the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and Intel Core Ultra 5 245K performed relatively well. The Ultra 9 285K beat the Intel Core i9-14900K by around 13% and remained competitive with most of the Ryzen 9000 series, surpassing the Ryzen 9 7900X and even the Ryzen 9 7950X. The Ultra 5 was less than 10 FPS away from tying the previous generation flagship. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D still leads the pack, holding onto the gaming crown, at least for now.
In the rest of our testing, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and Intel Core Ultra 5 245K performed well, though not spectacularly. The key takeaway here is that this new generation from Intel is not designed to be the most powerful but instead focuses on efficiency and performance per watt. While it may not be the most exciting narrative, Intel demonstrated a much lower power draw during our benchmarks compared to its previous generation and even appeared relatively efficient when compared to AMD’s latest 9000 series—an already efficient lineup of chips.
What’s particularly interesting for those looking to overclock these CPUs is the thermal performance we observed. Even under load, the CPUs never exceeded 65°C when benchmarking games like Cyberpunk 2077, providing ample headroom for overclocking if desired. Intel’s eXtreme Tuning Utility (XTU) is a straightforward tool for overclocking, offering a range of options to push these CPUs and maximize performance. For most users, there’s no need to touch this software, but the fact that both Intel and AMD are making it easier to explore overclocking is a positive development. It gives users more flexibility in how they use their PCs and extract the most performance possible.
That said, for the average gamer—assuming you’ve invested in a solid GPU—the small differences in performance won’t significantly impact gameplay. As with all testing, the difference between 235 FPS and 231 FPS isn’t noticeable during actual gameplay, especially since most mainstream monitors are capped at 144Hz. While these benchmarks are helpful in assessing how well a CPU handles gaming tasks, the minor variations won’t be evident during play.
Content creators haven’t been forgotten either, with the Intel 200S series delivering solid results in our testing of DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, and tools like Blender. When software takes advantage of the NPU and Xe integrated graphics, there is a noticeable decrease in power consumption while still delivering faster, more consistent results. Rendering times in DaVinci Resolve was solid, and working in the timeline was smooth, with minimal issues related to pre-rendering or general slowdown during use.
AI tasks are also seeing improvements, with the NPU managing jobs that would typically fall on the GPU. The Xe graphics in the Intel 200S series also include all the features found in Intel’s ARC-dedicated graphics, such as AV1 encoding. This is particularly beneficial for streaming and other tasks that can leverage the encoder, as it allows these processes to run without taxing the GPU, thereby reducing the impact on gaming framerates during streaming.
This brings us to one of the biggest selling points of the Intel 200S range: its improved efficiency and thermal performance. The AMD 9000 series was already impressive in how it improved performance per watt, making it much less of a drain on power when the system is pushed. In our office testing, Intel delivered similarly impressive results. When we ran Cinebench R23 for a 10-minute period, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K handily outperformed its predecessor, averaging 160 watts of power draw with an average temperature of just 74°C. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K was even more remarkable, drawing 130 watts and averaging 65°C, significantly improving over the Intel Core i5-14600K.
“…the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, and the 200S series in general, feels like a major step forward for Intel…”
After completing all the testing, I have mixed feelings about Intel’s new 200S series processors. In many ways, they represent a significant step forward in desktop computing, offering improved efficiency without sacrificing performance. The addition of AI capabilities and integrated Xe graphics could unlock new possibilities for both gamers and content creators. However, despite the notable improvements, the real-world performance occasionally feels slightly behind the last generation, even if only by a small margin.
That said, the improvements in thermals and power draw provide greater flexibility for those interested in overclocking. For the average user, the performance is more than sufficient for most tasks, and the ability to achieve near-top-tier results while consuming less power is a win—especially in an industry that often prioritizes performance over efficiency.
When all is said and done, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, and the 200S series in general, feels like a major step forward for Intel, positioning it well for the future of computing. Much like AMD’s 9000 series, the ability to deliver solid results while being more efficient is a great approach to the next evolution in computing. The inclusion of the NPU and Xe graphics directly on the desktop CPU will benefit a variety of computing tasks, many of which are still emerging.
If you’re upgrading from Intel’s 14th-generation desktop CPUs, this may not be the best investment. However, for anyone with an aging desktop, this feels like the perfect time to make the leap. With increased efficiency and new features, it seems we’ve only begun to explore what this new range of Intel CPUs can offer desktop users and gamers alike.
