Intel Gradually Addresses Performance Issues in Core Ultra 200S Series Desktop Processors with Updates

Intel's Core Ultra 200S series desktop processors, based on the Arrow Lake architecture, were launched in October. Intel promised that these processors would deliver higher performance at lower power levels. However, evaluations revealed unexpectedly low gaming performance, far from Intel's claim of the Core Ultra 285K outperforming its 14th-generation predecessors.

Intel has acknowledged the shortfall in optimization and plans to enhance these processors' performance through incremental updates. Some of these updates have already been rolled out in the past two weeks.

In an interview, Intel's Vice President of Client AI and Technical Marketing stated, "We need to address four fundamental issues. The correction programs for these issues have already been deployed, with updates approved and gradually released over the past two weeks.

The issues stem from a PPM (Processor Power Management) update initially designed to optimize the PPM system for Windows 11, enabling it to support the Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors more effectively."

PPM adjusts CPU performance based on the current power plan (such as balanced, high performance, or power saver) chosen by the user. However, this update was not available when evaluators received the processors, leading to performance that fell below expectations.

The lack of this crucial PPM update also meant Intel's Application Performance Optimizer (APO) couldn't function in games, and "misconfigured" performance settings negatively impacted benchmark tests.

Microsoft has addressed these issues in Windows 11 Build 26100.2161, and Intel noted that EPIC is resolving driver compatibility issues, including blue screen crashes caused by the Easy Anti-Cheat program.

Intel plans to release another set of performance enhancements for the Arrow Lake CPUs at CES 2025, with a comprehensive performance update.

Users who have not updated their BIOS to the latest version can wait for the final update in January next year. Installing this update will ensure optimal performance for Arrow Lake processors.