Microcode update accelerates desktop processors Intel Core Ultra 200S
The Intel Core Ultra 200S CPUs initially suffered from a weakness in single-threaded applications. A microcode update now solves the performance problem.
(Image: heise online / mma)
LGA1851 mainboards with the Z890 chipset for Intel's current desktop processor generation Core Ultra 200S alias "Arrow Lake" are receiving important BIOS updates. They contain the latest microcode, which corrects a previously faulty behavior of the CPUs. Similar to AMD with the Ryzen 9000, the launch of the new desktop CPU generation Core Ultra 200S "Arrow Lake" from Intel was also accompanied by a few glitches. For example, the three processors Core Ultra 9 285K, Core Ultra 7 275K and Core Ultra 5 265K showed below-average performance in our test, especially in applications that only utilize one core. As a workaround, we had to set the energy-saving mode from "Balanced" to "Best performance" under Windows 11, which means that some energy-saving functions are not active.
The BIOS updates make this workaround superfluous. Mainboard manufacturers have already started the distribution – Users can recognize the updates by the changelogs on the product pages when the microcode version 0x113 is mentioned. Performance increases by a whopping 34 percent in the single-threaded rating of the Cinebench 2024 rendering benchmark. Office applications also benefit from this: The PCMark 10 benchmark suite with such applications increases by around 36 percent. Scientific simulations from the Rodinia Life Science Suite also saw a 20 percent increase.
BIOS updates recommended
This puts the Core Ultra 9 285K ahead of AMD's current top model, the Ryzen 9 9950X, in these disciplines: In Cinebench 2024 1T, the lead is six percent (Ryzen 9 9950X: 136 points) and in PCMark 10 eleven percent (9950X: 7484 points). In Rodinia Life Sience, the two CPUs are in a close neck-and-neck race with 7.04 (285K) to 7.02 points (9950X). In 3D games and applications that make optimal use of the 24 cores of the Core Ultra 9 285K, however, there are no significant changes due to the microcode update.
Videos by heise
We recommend installing a current UEFI BIOS with microcode 0x113 for Core Ultra 200S systems. Microcode updates also come via the operating system under Linux and Windows, but these are sometimes months behind. Linux, for example, does not yet provide any microcode updates for Arrow Lake processors.
Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt
Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier ein externer Preisvergleich (heise Preisvergleich) geladen.
Ich bin damit einverstanden, dass mir externe Inhalte angezeigt werden. Damit können personenbezogene Daten an Drittplattformen (heise Preisvergleich) übermittelt werden. Mehr dazu in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.
(chh)
