Intel is giving its next-generation desktop processor lineup the Core Ultra 200 series processor model numbering. We detailed the processor numbering in our older report. The Core Ultra 200 series would be the company's first desktop processors with AI capabilities thanks to an integrated 50 TOPS-class NPU. At the heart of these processors is the "Arrow Lake" microarchitecture. Its development is the reason the company had to refresh "Raptor Lake" to cover its 2023-24 processor lineup. The company's "Meteor Lake" microarchitecture topped off at CPU core counts of 6P+8E, which would have proven to be a generational regression in multithreaded application performance over "Raptor Lake." The new "Arrow Lake-S" desktop processor has a maximum CPU core configuration of 8P+16E, which means consumers can expect at least the same core-counts at given price-points to carry over.

According to a report by Chinese tech publication Benchlife.info, the introduction of "Arrow Lake" would see Intel's desktop processor model numbering align with that of its mobile processor numbering, and incorporate the Core Ultra brand to denote the latest microarchitecture for a given processor generation. Since "Arrow Lake" is a generation ahead of "Meteor Lake," processor models in the series get numbered under Core Ultra 200 series.Intel will likely debut the lineup with overclocker-friendly K and KF SKUs. The lineup is led by the Core Ultra 9 285K (and possibly the 285KF), which comes with an 8P+16E core configuration, a processor base power value of 125 W, and a maximum P-core boost frequency of 5.50 GHz. This is followed by the Core Ultra 7 265K (and 265KF), with an 8P+12E core configuration; and the Core Ultra 5 245K, with a 6P+8E core-configuration.

There are also some 65 W non-K models in the middle, although these don't have similar processor model numbers to the K/KF parts. There's the Core Ultra 9 275 (8P+16E, 65 W); the Core Ultra 7 255 (8P+12E, 65 W); and the Core Ultra 5 240 (6P+4E, 65 W).

"Arrow Lake" is a chiplet-based processor, just like "Meteor Lake." Its compute tile, the piece of silicon with the CPU cores, packs up to 8 "Lion Cove" performance cores (P-cores), and up to 16 "Skymont" efficiency cores (E-cores). The processor is also expected to feature a 50 TOPS-class NPU for on-device AI acceleration, and a truncated version of the Xe-LPG iGPU the company is using with "Meteor Lake," which could be branded differently from the Arc Graphics branding Intel is using on the Core Ultra 100 series mobile chips. "Arrow Lake" is also expected to debut a new CPU socket on the desktop platform, the LGA1851, with more I/O capabilities than the LGA1700 and "Raptor Lake."