We have not heard much about Intel's much-debated "Arrow Lake-S Refresh" (or ARL-S Refresh) desktop CPU family in the second quarter of this year. Going back to March, Golden Pig Upgrade predicted another revival of Team Blue's troubled mid-gen update—aka the Core Ultra 300 series. A week or two later, Jaykihn—another tenured discloser of inside track info—theorized an upcoming lineup of "-K and -KF only" SKUs. Hardcore PC hardware enthusiasts and overclockers will likely welcome these unlocked offerings, but an alleged lack of "normal" refreshed options will sting certain consumer bases. The ever intrepid momomo_us has discovered an interesting tidbit; bringing and end to two+ months of "Arrow Lake-S Refresh" silence.

A leaked "W880 PCH" workstation-grade motherboard flow diagram mentions support for "Arrow Lake-S Refresh." This is under the banner of "Core Ultra (Series 2) processors up to 125 W TDP." Unsurprisingly, we are looking at repeat business with the current generation's LGA 1851 socket platform. Intel is still working on the "Nova Lake‑S" (NVL‑S) CPU range; serving as a natural successor to their "Arrow Lake-S" desktop lineup. Lately, data miners have unearthed details regarding a matching "LGA 1954" socket type. According to official announcements, "Nova Lake" processors are "on track" to launch somewhere within 2026. Before then, "Arrow Lake-S Refresh" CPUs are expected to arrive later this year—possibly signalling the final tranche of "ARL."

Based on recent shipping manifests that point to custom test hardware for its next "Nova Lake‑S" processors, Intel seems to be gearing up for a big desktop platform update. According to documents obtained by NBD.ltd, Intel isn't moving full motherboards yet. Instead, it's sending out mechanical interposers and re-balling jigs for an 888‑ball BGA chip. Those tools, likely meant for the upcoming 900‑series PCH, aren't finished products but specialized fixtures used to check voltage regulation during assembly. Right now, desktop builders are tied to the LGA‑1700 socket, but Nova Lake‑S is expected to adopt LGA 1954, which offers 1,954 active lands (and possibly more than 2,000 total pads when you count debug pins). That boost in pin count could allow Intel to expand power delivery and I/O without compromise. Still, anyone holding out for Nova Lake‑S will have to wait. Intel plans to roll out "Arrow Lake Refresh" later this year, with Nova Lake‑S not arriving until 2026.

Under the "NVL‑S" codename, Nova Lake is said to combine two clusters of eight high‑performance "Coyote Cove" P‑cores with 16 "Arctic Wolf" E-cores, plus four ultra‑low‑power LPE cores in a separate SoC tile. That layout would create a 52‑core hybrid chip, though Intel engineers are reportedly still fine‑tuning the exact mix before tape‑out. The new south‑bridge package measures about 25 × 24 mm (around 600 mm²), slightly smaller than the 650 mm² footprint used by today's 800‑series chipsets. Shipping lists reveal jig sizes from roughly 38 × 28 × 6.97 mm up to 50 × 50 × 6.32 mm, which tells us multiple fixture types are being used in test labs around the world. Additionally, moving from LGA‑1851 to LGA‑1954 could hint at a longer‑lived socket, but Intel's history suggests most desktop platforms span just two generations. Whether Nova Lake‑S or any future "Razer Lake" follow‑up will fully exploit this new interface remains to be seen. We are watching closely as more concrete specs emerge ahead of that 2026 launch.

Intel's "Bartlett Lake-S" architecture, previously only offered for edge and networking deployment, may spawn a 12 P-core variant for gamers that eliminates efficiency cores entirely. This hopeful configuration would specifically target applications that benefit from consistent single-threaded performance and deterministic core behavior, addressing a market segment underserved since Intel's transition to hybrid architectures. Recent software support developments strengthen this speculation, with diagnostic utility AIDA64 explicitly adding "improved support for Intel Bartlett Lake-S CPU" in its 7.65.7404 beta release notes from April 13, 2025. This update precedes any consumer launch announcement, suggesting possible platform expansion. MSI-affiliated overclocker Toppc amplified these rumors by highlighting the AIDA64 changelog while referencing undisclosed developments under NDA, a pattern historically preceding consumer product launches.

The rumored gaming-oriented CPU would leverage the LGA 1700 platform compatibility, enabling drop-in upgrades for existing 600-series and 700-series motherboard owners. Unlike the current flagship Core 7 251E with its 8P+16E configuration, a pure performance-core implementation would eliminate the Windows scheduler complications that sometimes impact frame timing in latency-sensitive games. Current hybrid designs force game engines to navigate complex thread scheduling across heterogeneous cores, with performance-critical threads occasionally migrating to efficiency cores during intensive scenes. A homogeneous 12 P-core architecture would eliminate this behavior, providing stable thread assignment and potentially reducing the 99th percentile frame time variances that affect perceived smoothness in CPU-bound titles.

The BCM MX-MTLPS is a Thin Mini-ITX motherboard designed to take advantage of Intel's latest Core Ultra 3/5/7 processors, built on the Meteor Lake-PS (MTL-PS) platform. As one of the first Mini-ITX form factor boards to support Intel's new socketed SoC design, the MX-MTLPS offers an ideal blend of AI acceleration, integrated graphics, and power-efficient compute—all in a low-profile, fanless-capable footprint.

With a strong focus on edge AI, multi-display, and embedded computing, the MX-MTLPS allows system developers to bring mobile-class performance to desktop-style deployments in space-constrained or thermally sensitive environments.

The oft-rumored status of Intel's refreshed generation of Arrow Lake processors (ARL-R) was the topic of much debate in 2023. By September 2024, certain industry watchdogs believed that the endeavor had ended. Early last month, Golden Pig Upgrade proposed that Team Blue leadership had resurrected the troubled project—at least with "ARL-S Refresh" desktop CPUs. Earlier today, the noted leaker of inside information returned to the topic of Arrow Lake Refresh. According to industry moles, the launch of refreshed desktop processors (on LGA 1851) is confirmed.

An extended timeline was disclosed in Golden Pig Upgrade's latest musing: "Arrow Lake HX Refresh is confirmed to return. Don't criticize the interface for only one generation. AI PCs are getting bigger and stronger." Given that ARL-HX-equipped high-end notebooks and mini PCs—with Core Ultra 7 200 series APUs—are relatively new arrivals, a mild update later on in the year could be considered pointless. Intel has committed themselves to a launch of Panther Lake mobile processors (PTL-H) in the second half of 2025. As disclosed by past leaks, the "beefing up" of onboard NPUs—to Lunar Lake-esque standards—is a reported goal; at least with Arrow Lake-S.

GAMDIAS Technology, a leading brand in high-performance PC gaming hardware, is excited to unveil the new CHIONE P5 Series LCD display liquid cooler, as part of GAMDIAS's 2025 vision, embodied by the annual slogan "GAMING REIMAGINED." Available in sleek black and white color options, it comes in two sizes: 240mm and 360 mm. This cutting-edge cooler delivers exceptional CPU cooling, featuring a 3.4" customizable IPS LCD display, a high-performance PWM pump with speeds up to 2600 RPM, and ARGB PWM NOTUS fans. "The CHIONE P5 embodies our values and beliefs: through the combination of high-end technologies and the aesthetic design, GAMDIAS enables gamers at all levels to perform at their best," said Stimson Wang, CEO of GAMDIAS, making it the ultimate cooling solution for gamers and enthusiasts.

The CHIONE P5 Series features a brilliant 3.4-inch IPS LCD display with a high resolution of 480x480, allowing you to monitor real-time system performance statistics while offering full personalization by setting custom images or animated GIFs as the background. Below the LCD display, an ARGB lighting strip adds a vibrant glow, enhancing your system's aesthetics with dynamic lighting effects.

AMD has emerged as the clear winner in this year's Black Friday motherboard sales, securing an impressive 87.36% of unit sales and 86.5% of revenue share. Thanks to the nicely compiled data from TechEpiphany, we see that German retailer Mindfactory sold 3,800 AMD-socketed motherboard units compared to Intel's 550 units during the shopping event. The success story is particularly evident in AMD's newest AM5 socket platform, which accounted for 2,730 units sold, representing nearly 72% of AMD's total sales. This strong adoption rate of the AM5 platform suggests consumers are increasingly investing in AMD's latest technology despite the typically higher platform costs associated with newer generations. The older AM4 socket maintained a relevant market presence, with 1,070 units sold.

Meanwhile, Intel's sales were primarily driven by their LGA 1700 socket, which moved 490 units, with minimal movement in their newer LGA 1851 and older LGA 1200 platforms, selling just 40 and 20 units, respectively. The average selling price (ASP) comparison reveals an interesting dynamic, with Intel commanding a slightly higher ASP at $183 compared to AMD's $170. However, AMD's substantially higher sales volume resulted in a total revenue of $644,584 (about 86.5%), dwarfing Intel's revenue of $100,564 (13.5%). This sales distribution reflects AMD's successful strategy of offering competitive performance across various price points while maintaining strong platform compatibility and future support. The overwhelming preference for AMD's AM5 platform also indicates consumer confidence in the company's future upgrade path and platform longevity, which AMD also delivered with AM4.

EK a leader in PC liquid cooling solutions, is pleased to announce full compatibility of our high-performance cooling products with newly released Intel LGA 1851 socket, supporting their latest generation of Arrow Lake processors. As a part of EK's commitment to future-proofing hardware and maximizing longevity for its customers, our current LGA 1700 compatible products, including Velocity², Magnitude, and Nucleus, will now seamlessly support the LGA 1851 platform without requiring additional brackets or modifications.

Through extensive testing and design optimizations, EK's LGA 1700-ready coolers have been verified to meet the demands of Intel's LGA 1851, ensuring that users can transition to the latest Intel processors with confidence and ease. Our cooling solutions are engineered to provide superior thermal management, delivering enhanced performance even under the increased thermal demands of next-gen CPUs.

Thermal Grizzly, a high-performance cooling solutions provider, unveils a new line-up of products specifically designed for Intel's LGA 1851 socket, the latest Intel Core Ultra 200 Arrow Lake CPUs. The product line consists of four new solutions tailored to the improvements of 15th generation CPUs, including a CPU contact frame, a direct die water block, a CPU delidding tool and a delidding heater. Today, three of these products are now officially launched and available for purchase on the Thermal Grizzly web shop and through its Partner Reseller Network.

Intel 1851 CPU Contact Frame V1
In addition to a new internal contour for the contact surface, the new Intel 1851 CPU Contact Frame V1 considers the position of the socket on the motherboard. The thermal hotspot has shifted with the Arrow Lake CPUs and is now located further north compared to its predecessor. With a slight shift of Socket 1851 compared to LGA1700, Intel has attempted to counter the hotspot shift. Thus, CPU coolers designed for Socket 1700 can also be used with Socket 1851. The shift in the socket makes previous contact frames for Socket 1700 incompatible with 1851, which is why Thermal Grizzly now offers the Intel 1851 Contact Frame V1.

Corsair today announced an expansion to its popular family of next-generation all-in-one (AIO) CPU coolers, the iCUE LINK TITAN RX LCD. Maintaining the outstanding CPU cooling performance of the TITAN RX RGB products, the TITAN RX LCD features a custom 2.1" IPS LCD screen with 480x480 resolution, ultra-bright 600cd/m² backlight, 30 frames per second, and support for over 16.7 million colors. The screen can be quickly configured and allows users to choose from a predefined set of data displays and backgrounds within the iCUE software.

PERFORMANCE WHERE IT COUNTS
Driving the TITAN RX LCD's phenomenal performance is the new FlowDrive cooling engine, powered by a three-phase motor that offers improved power efficiency, quieter operation, and a higher flow rate than its predecessors. This, combined with a precision-engineered cold plate surface profile that ensures optimal contact with your CPU's integrated heat spreader, results in consistently lower temperatures even under extreme conditions.

Corsair announces broad compatibility across its extensive component ranges designed to realize the potential of the Intel Core Ultra series processors. Intel Core Ultra processors feature a new socket, LGA 1851, and Corsair is ready with a full lineup of compatible CPU coolers. All our CPU coolers compatible with the previous LGA1700 socket are compatible with the new LGA 1851 socket, from our A115 air cooler to our best-performance TITAN RX RGB series of AIO coolers. From our 120 mm single fan radiators to our class-leading 360 mm and 420 mm radiators, we have a solution for you no matter which Core Ultra processor you choose or what case you're using.

To unleash the performance of the new Core Ultra series processors, we have a wide range of DOMINATOR and VENGEANCE series DDR5 memory kits available. These cutting-edge kits are designed to deliver award-winning performance, with XMP certification providing easy overclocking and improved memory bandwidth. Whether you're a gamer, content creator, or professional, Corsair DDR5 memory is the premiere option for reliable high-speed DRAM. With speeds up to 8,200 MT/s and densities up to 128 GB per kit, you can choose from attractive and compact VENGEANCE modules to the aesthetically elite DOMINATOR TITANIUM with RGB lighting that can be controlled through our iCUE software.

NZXT, a leader in PC gaming components, gear, and prebuilt gaming systems, is thrilled to announce the launch of the N9 Z890 and the N7 Z890 Intel ATX motherboards. Offering two new motherboards that are optimized to support the latest Intel Core Ultra desktop processors, each providing a robust feature set suited to give gamers the performance they desire while also sleekly fitting into any PC build.

The N9 Z890 is designed for enthusiast PC gamers looking to build a high-end Intel -based gaming PC and push its performance to the limit. It enables gamers to unlock their peak performance by providing the thermal headroom and tools needed to reliably achieve higher overclocks for the new Intel Core Ultra desktop processors and memory. Meanwhile, the N7 Z890 refreshes NZXT's existing N7 lineup with a well-balanced ATX motherboard, offering the power and stability required to run any Intel Core Ultra desktop processor, making it an ideal choice for most PC gamers.

MSI's latest MAG CORELIQUID I Series Liquid Cooler receives high praise for its DIY-friendly features, designed to simplify the assembly process. With pre-installed fans, streamlined cables, and UNI bracket, users can save time and effort while enjoying their assembly experience. MSI continues to prioritize delivering the best cooling solutions for our users. To support the latest Intel Core Ultra desktop processors (series 2), our engineering team has developed the LGA 1851 Offset Kit Enhancer-I for the MAG CORELIQUID I Series, engineered to optimize cooling performance. As a token of appreciation for our users, MSI is offering the LGA 1851 Offset Kit Enhancer-I to users free of charge. We invite you to apply and enhance your cooling experience.

Boosting Cooling Efficiency with LGA 1851 OFFSET KIT ENHANCER-I
The new MSI MAG CORELIQUID I Series is tailor-made for Intel Core Ultra desktop processors (series 2) platform. The enhanced LGA 1851 OFFSET KIT ENHANCER-I addresses the heat source shifting of the LGA 1851 socket. This upgraded mounting bracket precisely targets the core heat source, boosting cooling efficiency by approximately 3% when overclocking and ensuring stable operation even under heavy loads. For gamers pushing the limits of performance, this upgrade is about improved cooling performance and a fundamental breakthrough in system stability. MSI's optimized cooling design lets you enjoy top-tier performance output and stable system performance even during intense overclocking or extended operation, fully satisfying the ultimate desire for extreme performance.