Intel Core Ultra 200 Arrow Lake CPUs could hit the market sooner than expected
An MSI overclocker has claimed that the upcoming Intel Arrow Lake processor could arrive as soon as the third quarter of 2024, which would be significantly ahead of what we previously thought.
As reported by KitGuruan MSI overclocker called Toppc has dropped hints about the MSI Dragon Event in Wuhan, China which is said to contain information about the “next” platform which is highly speculated to be the socket LGA 1851 desktop processors – Arrow Lake-S (via Chiphell).
Previously, there were rumors that we wouldn’t see Intel Arrow Lake until 2025, so the news that the chipset generation could arrive in just a few months is certainly welcome news. This source also confirms that the Core Ultra 9, Core Ultra 7, and Core Ultra 5 models will be exclusive to DDR5 RAM, just like AMD’s AM5 socket.
In terms of what we can expect from the Intel Core Ultra 200 series, the flagship of the next generation CPU generation is believed to be the Ultra 9 285K. According to WccftechThis top chipset is claimed to reach a top speed of 5.5 GHz, which is significantly lower than the 6 GHz of the Intel Core i9-14900K and the 6.2 GHz of the 14900KS.
For reference, that’s the same stock speed as Alder Lake’s flagship model, the 12900KS, which debuted more than three years ago. With changes in architecture going from socket 1700 (hybrid) to socket 1851 (disaggregated), it appears that Intel is prioritizing efficiency over brute force in the upcoming CPU generation.
A third quarter release date is possible, but unlikely
The third quarter of 2024 will take place between July and September, meaning Intel Arrow Lake could debut in two to three months. Given the rumors going around pointing to a release date late this year or early 2025, we’re leaning more towards a later rather than an earlier release date, but the K variants could come first.
Toppc has made money from leaks and rumors in the past, most notably with the pre-release information surrounding socket AM5 AMD CPUs in 2022 (via Chiphell). That lends credence to the fact that we may not have to wait that long, as MSI’s internal events could point to an earlier release, but we’re not convinced of a summer release date at this point.
It’s fair to say that things have been turbulent for Arrow Lake. Recently, the pre-release silicon has been illegally available for sale in China. Tech samples are being sold for as little as $14, but even if the hardware is in the manufacturing process, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be ready for prime time within the next three months. We will keep you informed about all things Arrow Lake.