Intel is currently examining the possibility of improving the performance of its latest processors Core Ultra 200S in gaming, beyond the results of independent tests. This situation has raised questions about the real performance of these chips, which seem to have passed a milestone in terms of efficiency in the field of gaming.
Problems identified at the BIOS and OS level
Data concerning Arrow Lake processors, more precisely Core Ultra 200Shave disappointed many users. Expectations were high, but gaming performance results showed an unexpected decline. Unlike processor-oriented workloads, Intel admits that gaming performance hasn’t been up to par.
Robert Hallock, vice president and general manager at Intel, explained that this decline is attributed to multifactorial problems at the BIOS and OS level. Although he did not want to go into details, he indicates that optimizations are necessary for the Core Ultra 200S.
“We have identified a series of issues with the OS and BIOS. The performance they observed in the tests did not match expectations. The launch did not go as planned, which was a humbling lesson for us. »
- Robert Hallock (VP & GM chez Intel) via HotHardware
The precise details of the defects encountered remain unclear, but Intel is actively looking into the subject in order to remedy them. The first corrective actions should be implemented by the end of November or beginning of December, specifically focused on optimizing the gaming performance.
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Sources close to motherboard suppliers also mention that Intel plans to deploy a new bios patch to correct certain shortcomings of Arrow Lake processors. Originally planned for shortly after launch, the word seems to be a more considered approach before the patch is released.
The impact of memory latency on performance
During this interview, Robert also addressed the issue of memory latency. Although some tests revealed high latencies (180+ ns), he assures that this is not the main cause of the lack of performance in gaming. A more detailed analysis is expected from Intel on this subject.
Furthermore, Hallock spoke of the absence of technology SMT in Arrow Lake Chips. He says the goal is to design cores capable of delivering SMT-like performance, without the associated additional costs. This could enable a reduction in chip size and power consumption.
“We believe we can offer a more affordable, less energy-intensive and more secure product without the SMT. »
- Robert Hallock (VP & GM chez Intel) via HotHardware
It is important to keep in mind that eventually, even with improvements, the performance of Core Ultra 200S are likely to remain lower than initial expectations. Intel will have to strive to reach the performance level of the Core i9 14900Kespecially for consumers expecting high-performance chips in the areas of productivity and gaming.
The Core Ultra 9 285K, although it surpasses the 14900K in terms of productivity, struggles to convince in terms of performance. elite ” in gaming. With a price set at 629 dollars, it competes against a Ryzen 7 9800X3D becomes tricky, as the performances of the latter are impressive. Waiting for a fix is therefore desirable.
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