Intel Arrow Lake-S Desktop CPU Refresh Returns – Features Minor Upgrades Like Enhanced NPU Performance

Intel is set to unveil a refreshed version of its Arrow Lake-S Desktop lineup, offering a series of modest enhancements to its existing architecture.

Intel Arrow Lake-S Refresh: A Modest Evolution

The anticipated refresh of Intel’s Arrow Lake-S series has been a topic of interest, initially expected for release later this year before being postponed. Recent leaks from sources such as Golden Pig Upgrade suggest that the lineup is back on track and may utilize the same dies featured in the forthcoming Arrow Lake-HX CPUs, which are also slated for a refresh.

The Arrow Lake series was originally designed as a successor to Intel’s current offerings, to be categorized under the Core Ultra Series 3. The planned upgrade would have introduced a new architecture featuring a larger die size, promising enhanced AI processing capabilities compared to the existing generation, which boasts 13 TOPS of performance.

According to insights from @Jaykihn, Intel’s roadmap reveals a wide array of NPU architectures evolving from the current NPU4 seen in Lunar Lake CPUs. Notable future architectures include NPU5, expected to deliver between 18 and 50 TOPS across 1 to 3 tiled configurations, and the more advanced NPU6, which aims for up to 75 TOPS in a 4-tiled setup. Intel’s official drivers have confirmed the integration of NPU5 for Panther Lake and NPU6 for upcoming processors like Nova Lake.

NPU2: 11-13 TOPS, 2 tiles

NPU4: 40-48 TOPS, 5-6 tiles

NPU5: 18-50 TOPS, 1-3 tiles

NPU6: 75 TOPS, 4 tiles

— Jaykihn (@jaykihn0) February 6, 2025

The following summarizes the compute capabilities of both existing and anticipated next-generation NPUs:

NPU1: 0.5 TOPs
NPU2: 7.0 TOPs
NPU3: 11.5 TOPs
NPU4: 48.0 TOPs
NPU5: ~50 TOPS
NPU6: ~75 TOPS

Initially, the Arrow Lake Refresh was intended to cover both Desktop and Mobility markets. However, its future seemed uncertain until recent updates indicated a resurgence of plans for the refresh. Among the anticipated features are enhancements for gaming performance, an area where the current Core Ultra 200S lineup has room for improvement.

The upcoming Arrow Lake-S Refresh will target the existing LGA 1851 platform, which is likely to undergo updates in the future. While a specific launch date has yet to be disclosed, the introduction of Nova Lake in 2026 makes a release in the latter half of 2025 a plausible timeline.

Comparison of Intel Desktop CPU Generations

Intel CPU Family	Processor Process	Processor Architecture	Graphics Architecture	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?	TBA	DDR5?	PCIe Gen 6.0?	2026
Razer Lake (Core Ultra 500?)	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	2027?