Intel is expected to launch its new range of processors, codenamed Arrow Lake, later today. It feels like a fresh start given the change in naming convention to ‘Core Ultra’ and it’s probably for the best given the recent instability issues with its most recent 13th and 14th gen CPUs. On top of that, Arrow Lake is moving on to the brand-new LGA 1851 socket to truly set the 15th-gen processors apart from what is currently on the market.
The latest news regarding Arrow Lake is all about the price tag, as a recent online leak put them all on display. While we’ll still have to take it with a pinch of salt for now, the launch is expected incredibly soon – and we see that as a positive detail in terms of the leak’s validity.
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Leaked Arrow Lake vs Intel 14th & 13th gen pricing
Prominent hardware leaker, OneRaichu, gets credit for the original leak. According to them, the new flagship Intel Core Ultra 9 285K will be priced at $589. The cheapest chip in the series comes in the form of the Ultra 5 245KF at $294 USD. Now, let’s do some comparisons to see how these prices match up to the most recent generations. It’s worth noting that the new naming convention means there isn’t an exact (name for name) successor to each of the CPUs.
CPU | Price (leak) |
---|---|
Intel Core Ultra 9 285K | $589 |
Intel Core Ultra 7 265K | $394 |
Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF | $379 |
Intel Core Ultra 5 245K | $309 |
Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF | $294 |
i9 / Ultra 9
Now, for comparison, the 14900K and 13900K launched at the same $589 price tag. However, you’ll find them on Amazon for around $445 and $415 respectively, at least while deals last. This makes the 13th-gen pick the best value for money. We had the chance to review chips such as the i9-14900K, and while it offers excellent performance as you’d expect, it wasn’t really the generational difference we hoped for.
Instability worries may still be out there though, especially with the i9 chips in the last two generations, so Arrow Lake should provide some reassurance in that department. On the flip side, Intel has been helping out with microcode fixes to win back some favor. Furthermore, gaming performance is reportedly not being improved; Intel is focusing on efficiency instead.
i7 / Ultra 7
The new Ultra 7 chips seem to be launching a little cheaper than what we saw with the 14700K and 13700K, which started at $409. However, these days you can find the 13700K for less than $300 – with the 14th-gen equivalent more within the $350 range. On the bright side, 15th gen has shown promising benchmarks, with the 265K among them, so we’ll have to see how it shapes up upon release.
i5 / Ultra 5
Competing with the value of the i5-14600K or i5-13600K isn’t going to be easy. These two are a couple of the best picks for a mid-range build, and plenty enough for your average gamer. The 245K debuts cheaper according to the leak, but considering you can get the 13600K for just under $220 (at the time of writing), it’s a hard sell for us. If you’re going for a more budget-friendly pick, last-gen makes a lot of sense.
Is the new series worth it?
Just like with any new PC hardware launch, pricing on day one may be a turn-off for some people. When you take into consideration all the great deals on 14th, 13th, or even 12th-gen processors as of late (especially with Amazon’s latest Prime Day just rolling by) it can be a tough sell unless you’re committed to putting together a new Intel build.
Now that the Core Ultra 200 series is moving to a new socket, it means more commitment; you’ll need a new Z890 motherboard to go along with it. With that in mind, anyone looking to upgrade will have to take into account their budget; it’s not just a simple CPU swap. Arrow Lake does look to provide better efficiency from what we’ve seen so far, but now that Intel has finally dealt with instability issues, we’re tempted to say: stick with Raptor Lake for now unless you want a completely new build on the new socket.