Intel has released a free 'performance boost for low-latency workloads like gaming' for Core Ultra 200S processors

Intel's Core Ultra 200S 'Arrow Lake' processors didn't exactly spark joy for us PC gamers when they launched last year. That could (emphasis on could) all be about to change, though, as Intel's just released an update that claims to improve gaming performance for the current-gen desktop CPUs.

Enabling the Intel 200S Boost Overclocking Profile will, apparently, result "in a performance boost for low-latency workloads like gaming" thanks to boosts in "fabric, die-to-die, and memory frequencies." And it'll all be available without voiding your boxed processor's warranty from Intel.

Specifically, (inter-die) fabric and die-to-die frequencies get boosted from 2.6 GHz and 2.1 GHz, respectively, to up to 3.2 GHz. DDR5 memory frequencies will permit up to 8000 MT/s (4,000 MHz), up from 6,400 MT/s (3,200 MHz).

This is welcome news because the Core Ultra 200S chips didn't impress us for gaming when we tested them. They only sip at power, sure, and they're not half bad at productivity tasks (though they face stiff competition from AMD's Ryzen 9000-series chips), but for gaming they're pretty underwhelming.

This overclocking profile will, presumably, walk back on the whole 'super-low power while gaming' Arrow Lake theme, lifting the lid a little and allowing the juice-ometer to be dialled up.

We won't know how that pans out until we've tested it ourselves (and on that note, watch this space), but whatever helps these chips close that performance gap will be worth it for gamers, by my estimation. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K, for instance, is pretty significantly behind even midrange previous-gen Intel and Ryzen chips when it comes to gaming.

Our colleagues at Tom's Hardware had an early look at the update and have seen around a 7% performance uplift in games from this Boost Overclocking Profile.

Hopefully this official profile will net better results than the updates we've seen until now, too. The firmware and software updates released up to January were pretty disappointing, to say the least. In our Nick's words, speaking about the few games he tested: "Intel's fixes and Microsoft's Windows updates have barely made any difference and in some cases, it's made things significantly worse."

Fingers crossed, then. This update should be rolling out across a ton of Z890 boards soon. Intel lists the following motherboards as ones that partners have already tested for the profile:

• ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF
• ASRock Z890 Taichi
• Asus ROG MAXIMUS Z890 HERO
• Colorful iGame Z890 FLOW V20
• Colorful BATTLE-AX Z890M-PLUS V20
• Gigabyte Z890I AORUS ULTRA
• Gigabyte Z890 AORUS MASTER
• Gigabyte Z890 EAGLE
• Maxsun iCraft Z890 VERTEX
• Maxsun Terminator Z890-A WIFI
• MSI MEG Z890 ACE

Similarly, Intel lists the following memory kits as ones that partners have tested for it:

• Adata LANCER RGB DDR5-8000 32GB (2x16GB) CL38
• Corsair VENGEANCE RGB 48GB (2x24GB) DDR5 CUDIMM 8000MT/s CL38
• Corsair VENGEANCE RGB 48GB (2x24GB) DDR5 DRAM 7200MT/s CL36
• G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-8000 CL38 32GB (2x16GB)
• G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-8000 CL38 48GB (2x24GB)
• TeamGroup T-FORCE XTREEM DDR5 8000MHz 48GB (2x24GB), CL38
• V-Color Manta XFinity RGB DDR5 48GB (24GBx2) 8000MHz CL38

Note that these lists aren't exhaustive of motherboards and memory kits that will work with the profile, either. For instance, G.Skill has already released a more extensive list of its compatible memory configurations.

Intel assures us that "eligible Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors will retain the three-year limited warranty provided by Intel" but this only applies to boxed processors, ie, processors bought separately, not as part of an OEM or third-party-built system. Regarding this, Intel says:

"If your PC was purchased through a system builder or OEM, your warranty and support for that warranty are provided exclusively by the system builder or OEM. Please contact your OEM or reseller for warranty support or with any questions about your warranty."

I've reached out to some OEMs and resellers for comment. Hopefully they will all honor existing warranties whether the new overclocking profile is enabled or not. Intel certainly seems to deem it safe enough, and so many partners having already tested it is a good sign, too. Fingers crossed.