Intel unveils new Core Ultra processors with 2X to 3X performance on AI apps

Intel has released new Intel Core Ultra 9 processors today at CES 2025 with as much as two or three times the performance margin on AI apps as before.

The chips under the labels Intel Core Ultra 9 and Core i9 were previously coded Arrow Lake H, Meteor Lake H, Arrow Lake S and Raptor Lake S Refresh. Intel said it is pushing the limits of AI performance and power efficiency for businesses and consumers, ushering in the next century of AI computing.

In other performance evaluations, Intel said that Core Ultra 9 processors are up to 5.8 times faster in media performance, 3.4 times faster in end-to-end video analytics workloads with media and AI, and 8.2 times better in terms of performance per watt than. chips before.

Intel hopes to start the year better than in 2024. CEO Pat Gelsinger resigned last month without a permanent successor after a series of struggles, including major layoffs, manufacturing delays and poor performance on chips including gaming bugs in chips launched in the summer.

Michael Masci, vice president of product management at Intel's Edge Computing Group, said in a press release that AI, once the domain of a research lab, is integrating into every aspect of our lives, including AI PCs where the AI ​​processing is done in the computer itself, not the cloud. AI is also being processed in data centers in large enterprises, from retail stores to hospital rooms.

“As CES begins, it's clear we're witnessing a transformative era,” he said. “Artificial intelligence is moving at an unprecedented pace.”

The new processors include Intel Core 9 Ultra 200 H / U / S models, with up to 99 TOPS (a measure of AI performance) for the H versions. Other models being launched Intel Core 200S, 200H, 100U and Intel Core 3 processor behavior and Intel Processor names.

The chips have improvements for data security, and come with a built-in Intel Arc GPU with Intel XMX or Intel graphics.

For the main processor Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, formerly known as Arrow Lake H, the chip has 2.2 times higher performance in Procyon AI Computer Vision, 3.3 times higher performance in Llama 3 8B, and 2.3 times higher performance in Stable Diffusion 1.5 compared to the previous chip, the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor (codenamed Meteor Lake H).

Intel is now under the interim leadership of David Zinsner and Michelle Johnston Holthaus as co-CEOs. Zinsner is Intel's CFO, and Holthaus is general manager of Intel's consumer computing group.

“Intel Core Ultra processors set new benchmarks for mobile AI and graphics, once again demonstrating the superior performance and efficiency of the x86 architecture as we shape the future of personal computing,” said Michelle Johnston Holthaus , Intel's interim co-chairman and CEO. of Intel Products, in a statement. “The strength of our AI PC product innovation, combined with the breadth and scale of our hardware and software ecosystem across all market segments, empowers consumers to better experience the traditional ways we use PCs for productivity, creation and communication, while opening up entirely new possibilities with over 400 AI features. And Intel is not going to continue to strengthen its AI PC product portfolio in 2025 and beyond as we sample our flagship Intel 18A product to customers now ahead of volume production in second half of 2025.”

The Intel Core Ultra Processor platform (V-SKUs) has NPU performance that hits 48 TOPS and 67 TOPS with GPU. The V-SKUs have eight processor cores and run at P-Core Max Turbo frequencies up to 5.1 GHz. Intel said its AI PCs use GPUs for high output, NPUs for low-power AI workloads and CPUs for fast response with low AI workloads. There are other changes to the Intel Core Ultra as well.

In other CES 2025 news, Intel is also showing its solutions for smart vehicles. Jack Weast, Intel Fellow and vice president of Intel Automotive, will present Intel's next-gen architecture with built-in AI for vehicles on Tuesday, January 7, at 3:30 p.m. Intel's vehicle approach is built to power the next generation of intelligent software. – specified vehicles.

Weast's will showcase how Intel's combination of AI-enhanced high-performance computing, intelligent power management and software-defined zone controllers built on an open ecosystem are enabling a more sustainable automotive future , scalable and profitable.

Intel also showed its Intel Core Ultra 200V Series processors (announced in September) for business users. It also updated its Intel vPro technology for IT departments.

For businesses trying to keep up in the AI ​​era, Intel introduced the Intel Core Ultra 200V series processors with Intel vPro. These new processors offer incredible performance gains, improved efficiency, and robust security and management features to help modernize IT environments.

New Intel Core Ultra 200V series mobile processors with Intel vPro empower businesses with AI-driven productivity and better IT management. The combination of performance, efficiency and industry-leading computing with advanced security and manageability – while enabling a seamless Microsoft Copilot+ experience – helps deliver a robust platform for locations today's work, said Intel.

He noted that the latest HP EliteBook X laptop with an Intel Core Ultra7 268V processor using Microsoft Teams has up to 10.5 hours of battery life, compared to similar competing devices with lower battery life. On Microsoft 365 apps, it has up to 20.3 hours of battery life.

Intel has partnered with Microsoft to continue advancing AI-driven innovation, improved security, and improved performance until 2025. Copilot+ PCs powered by Intel Core Ultra 200V series processors will ' next gen AI productivity solution, while delivering long-lasting battery life, said Intel. .

“Copilot+ PCs offer exceptional performance, battery life, enhanced AI experiences, and are all basic PCs secured with the Microsoft Pluton security processor.” Copilot+ PCs powered by the Intel Core Ultra 200V series deliver on all of these areas, and we're excited to partner with Intel to bring a comprehensive set of Copilot+ PCs to commercial audiences,” said Pavan Davuluri, CVP Windows + Devices at Microsoft, in a statement. . “Intel Core Ultra 200V Copilot+ series PCs are a great choice for commercial customers looking to upgrade their existing Windows 10 PCs to Windows 11.”

Intel Core Ultra 200HX and H Series: Empowering Creators and Gamers

For creators and gaming enthusiasts, Intel introduces the Core Ultra 200HX and H series mobile processors, delivering industry-leading performance, efficiency and platform capabilities, along with exceptional performance reduction power. These processors enhance mobile creativity and provide gamers with an immersive experience supported by powerful AI acceleration, Intel said.

“Our Intel Core Ultra 200HX and H series processors are built for the next generation of creators and gamers,” said Josh Newman, vice president of the Client Computing Group and general manager of Marketing and Product Management at Intel , in a statement. “With advanced computing and graphics performance, efficiency and AI capabilities, these processors push the entire laptop experience to new heights.”

Key features of Intel Core Ultra 200HX and H series mobile processors include:

• Up to 24 cores – eight Performance Performances (P-cores) and 16 Efficient-cores (E-cores) – for the HX series up to 16 cores – six P-cores, eight E-cores and two low power E-cores – for H series, based on Intel's latest core architecture. These new processors give gamers, creators and professionals the computing power they need to game and create on the go – including up to 41% multi-threaded performance better for Intel Core Ultra 200HX series compared to previous gen HX series processors.
• The Intel Core Ultra 200H series features Intel Arc graphics with up to eight Intel Xe cores featuring Intel Xe Matrix (XMX) extensions for AI acceleration – providing up to 22% better gaming performance compared to previous gen H-series processors. Across the entire platform these processors deliver up to 99 TOPS (trillion operations per second) when using the graphics processing unit (GPU), central processing unit (CPU) and neural processing unit ( NPU).
• The Intel Core Ultra 200HX series processor is Intel's first AI dedicated mobile PC with a built-in NPU, providing 13 TOPS.
• The Intel Core Ultra 200HX series processor provides the latest in bandwidth and connectivity, with as many as 48 total PCIe lanes (including PCIe 4.0 and 5.0) to support the discrete GPUs and the latest storage connection.
• Packaging improvements result in an overall 33% smaller processor package, enabling new thin and light designs without compromising performance.

In addition, Intel is launching its Intel Core Ultra 200U series mobile processors featuring up to two P-cores and eight E-cores, Intel Xe LPG graphics, and up to a 24 TOPS platform . Intel Core Ultra 200U series systems provide users with a good balance of performance, power efficiency and price.

Intel is also expanding its Intel Core Ultra 200S series desktop processors with 12 new 65-watt and 35-watt offerings. With up to eight P-cores and 16 E-cores, these new processors offer customers an incredible combination of performance and power efficiency in a desktop CPU – whether for gaming, creating or using productivity applications.