Confirmed: Intel Arrow Lake-S Refresh CPUs Launching for LGA 1851 & 800-Series Motherboards

Intel has officially announced its upcoming Arrow Lake-S Refresh “Core Ultra Series 2″processors, set to be compatible with current LGA 1851 socket motherboards.

Intel’s Core Ultra Series 2: Confirmation of Arrow Lake-S Refresh Processors

After a period of speculation, clear evidence has emerged regarding Intel’s Arrow Lake-S Refresh Desktop CPUs. Recently, well-known leaker Momomo_US shared a block diagram from a W880 motherboard that outlines support for both Arrow Lake-S and its refresh variants.

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— 188号 (@momomo_us) May 30,

Overview of the Arrow Lake-S Refresh Platform

The Arrow Lake Refresh lineup will encompass two primary segments: the Arrow Lake-S targeting desktop users and the Arrow Lake-HX catering to high-performance laptops. While significant upgrades over the previous series are not anticipated, users can expect improved clock speeds and enhanced neural processing units (NPUs).There is uncertainty surrounding additional WeUs, as the Arrow Lake-S architecture limits configurations to a maximum of 8 Performance Cores and 16 Efficiency Cores.

This new generation of Arrow Lake-S Refresh CPUs will work seamlessly with the existing LGA 1851 socket and the 800 series motherboards, as documented in the W880 PCH board manual. They will maintain thermal design power (TDP) ratings of up to 125W for unlocked models. However, this series will be the last to utilize the LGA 1851 socket before Intel transitions to its forthcoming LGA 1954 socket designed for the next-gen Nova Lake-S CPUs.

Intel Arrow Lake-S Refresh CPU Family — Image Source: Momomo_US

Market Positioning and Pricing Strategy

Intel’s decision to adopt a two-generation cycle presents challenges, especially in comparison to AMD’s more extended platform support, exemplified by the longevity of the AM4 and AM5 sockets. Nevertheless, an advantage for users is the ability to reuse existing cooling solutions since the new socket retains the same size. However, the compatibility of older coolers with the new integrated heat spreader (IHS) remains uncertain, and it is unclear whether the new infrastructure requires different mounting kits.

To appeal to customers, Intel has recently slashed prices on its existing Core Ultra Series 2 products. Specifically, the Core Ultra 7 265K/KF models have seen price reductions below $300, making them appealing options. While these CPUs provide decent overall performance, notably, their gaming capabilities have not met expectations, particularly as many PC builders prioritize gaming performance when making purchasing decisions. The enhancement provided by Intel’s Core Ultra 200S boost has shown only a modest improvement over baseline gaming performance.

Comparison of Intel Desktop CPU Generations

Intel CPU Family	Processor Process	Processor Architecture	Graphics Architecture	Processor Cores/Threads (Max)	Platform	Memory Support	PCIe Support	Launch Year
Alder Lake (12th Gen)	Intel 7	Golden Cove (P-Core) / Gracemont (E-Core)	HD 700 Series	16/24	LGA 1700/1800	DDR5 / DDR4	PCIe Gen 5.0	2021
Raptor Lake (13th Gen)	Intel 7	Raptor Cove (P-Core) / Gracemont (E-Core)	HD 700 Series	24/32	LGA 1700/1800	DDR5 / DDR4	PCIe Gen 5.0	2022
Raptor Lake Refresh (14th Gen)	Intel 7	Raptor Cove (P-Core) / Gracemont (E-Core)	HD 700 Series	24/32	LGA 1700/1800	DDR5 / DDR4	PCIe Gen 5.0	2023
Arrow Lake (Core Ultra 200)	TSMC N3B	Lion Cove (P-Core) / Skymont (E-Core)	Xe1 (Alchemist)	24/24	LGA 1851	DDR5	PCIe Gen 5.0	2024
Arrow Lake Refresh (TBD)	TSMC N3B?	Lion Cove (P-Core) / Skymont (E-Core)	Xe1 (Alchemist)	TBD	LGA 1851	DDR5	PCIe Gen 5.0	2025
Nova Lake (Core Ultra 400?)	TBA	Coyote Cove (P-Core) / Arctic Wolf (E-Core)	TBA	52/52?	LGA 1954?	DDR5?	PCIe Gen 6.0?	2026
Razer Lake (Core Ultra 500?)	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	LGA 1954?	TBA	TBA	2027?