Intel Core Ultra 3 205 Priced at $149 on French Retailer: Features 4+4 Core Setup and 15MB Cache

Intel appears to be on the verge of officially launching its slowest Arrow Lake-S desktop CPU, as evidenced by a recent listing from a French retailer.

Core Ultra 3 205 Officially Listed at 155 Euros with Impressive Specs

After a noticeable absence since the introduction of Intel’s Arrow Lake CPUs, the Ultra 3 series is gaining attention. While Intel has yet to make an official announcement regarding this lineup, the recent listing of the Core Ultra 3 205 suggests that this entry-level CPU is set to debut soon. A notable find by @momomo_us from the retailer PC21 confirms the existence of this processor and includes several key specifications that are of interest to consumers.

Intel Core Ultra 3.80GHz Processor, SKU SKTLGA1851, Price: €129.55, No stock available. — The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 is set to be the slowest CPU in the Arrow Lake-S lineup for desktops.

The listing highlights significant specifications, including a base clock speed of 3.8 GHz, likely attributed to its Performance-core design. Additionally, the Core Ultra 3 205 will be equipped with 15 MB of L3 cache—5 MB less than the Core Ultra 5 225 but still a 3 MB increase over its predecessor, the Raptor Lake Refresh’s Core i3 14100. Unlike earlier models, the Arrow Lake CPUs do not support hyperthreading, resulting in a new 4+4 core configuration with 4 Performance cores and 4 Efficient cores. This setup positions the Ultra 3 205 as the most budget-friendly option in the Arrow Lake lineup, targeting mainstream consumers.

According to the listing, the Core Ultra 3 205 is priced at approximately 129 Euros before VAT, translating to around 155 Euros after VAT. This amount is roughly equivalent to $149 in USD. While this price is somewhat elevated compared to the Core i3 14100, it may simply be a placeholder and the suggested retail price could be lower. However, considering the launch trends of the more powerful Arrow Lake-S CPUs, it is anticipated that a final retail price range of $130 to $140 is likely.

This pricing strategy could present Intel with challenges, especially since AMD offers competitively priced 6-core/12-thread processors from the Ryzen 5000 series that are often less expensive. Although the Core Ultra 3 205 may provide superior performance, the differences may not be sufficient to justify the higher cost. Increased competition in the budget CPU market will be essential, and keeping prices competitive will be vital for Intel’s success.

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