Intel Core Ultra gaming CPU refresh to see clock speed boosts, says leak

Rumors have been spreading for months of a refreshed Intel CPU lineup based on its most recent Arrow Lake series. Initially it was believed these chips would bring some big upgrades to its beleaguered desktop CPUs, but a new leak suggests that Intel is planning only a modest upgrade to its Intel Core Ultra S and HX CPUs instead.

As our Intel Core Ultra 9 265K review shows, we weren’t particularly impressed by the first wave of Intel Arrow Lake CPUs. Our tests showed that Intel simply couldn't compete with AMD’s X3D chips when it comes to gaming performance. As such, AMD's X3D offerings continue to dominate our best gaming CPU guide. Arrow Lake performance updates have improved the situation for Intel gamers since launch, but a narrower refresh to its Core Ultra lineup suggests a revolution in Intel CPU gaming performance isn't just around the corner.