Intel’s First AI PC Core Ultra Desktop Processors Use Way Less Power

Intel announced its new Intel Core Ultra 200S series processor family that promises to improve efficiency and power while ushering in a new generation of AI-powered desktop PCs.

Headlined by the Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 285K, the new processor generation comprises five unlocked desktop processors equipped with up to eight next-gen performance cores (P-cores), the fastest cores available for desktop PCs, and up to 16 next-generation efficient cores (E-cores). These hardware advancements promise up to 14% more performance in multi-threaded workflows than the previous generation.

“The new Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors deliver on our goals to significantly cut power usage while retaining outstanding gaming performance and delivering leadership compute. The result is a cooler and quieter user experience elevated by new AI gaming and creation capabilities enabled by the NPU, and leadership media performance that leverages our growing graphics portfolio,” explains Robert Hallock, vice president and general manager of AI and Technical Marketing, Intel’s Client Computing Group.

These improvements, including a 6% bump in single-threaded performance, come with an up to 58% reduction in power consumption during typical everyday use and up to 165W less power demand during gaming, an incredibly intensive PC use case.

With the growing number of applications that leverage artificial intelligence, the Intel Core Ultra 200S series delivers up to 50% faster performance thanks to more powerful CPU, GPU, and neutral processing units (NPU). The new NPU can offload AI tasks from the CPU and GPU, freeing them up for other tasks while reducing overall power demands across the system.

Getting more into the weeds, the Intel Core Ultra 200S series supports up to 24 PCIe 4.0 lanes, up to eight SATA 3.0 ports, and up to 10 USB 3.2 ports. All Intel Core Ultra 200S processors come equipped with 20 CPU PCIe 5.0 lanes, four CPU PCIe 4.0 lanes, support for a pair of integrated Thunderbolt 4 ports, WiFi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3. Further, the processors support new XMP and CUDIMM DDR5 memory up to 48GB per DIMM for up to 192GB of total memory.

The Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors will be available at retailers and via OEM partners starting October 24, 2024. Prices range from $294 to $589.

Image credits: Intel