Intel's Arrow Lake Refresh: Bringing Copilot+ AI Features to Desktop PCs

Microsoft's Copilot Plus features might arrive on desktop PCs later this year

Tom Warren is a senior editor and author of Notepad, who has been covering all things Microsoft, PC, and tech for over 20 years. Microsoft's latest Windows AI features arrived first on new Copilot Plus PCs last year, but they were limited to a special range of laptops. That looks set to change thanks to Intel refreshing its existing Arrow Lake desktop CPUs later this year, that might just deliver Copilot Plus PC features in desktop PC form factors for the first time. Intel's latest Core Ultra desktop CPUs launched in October with an NPU inside, but it wasn't capable enough to hit the 40 TOPS requirement that Microsoft mandates for Copilot Plus features. ZDNet Korea reports that Intel is now preparing an Arrow Lake Refresh that will include higher clock speeds and a more advanced NPU that should be capable of Copilot Plus features. The new NPU design will reportedly move the refreshed Core Ultra 200 lineup to a newer "NPU 4" design, the same NPU architecture found on Intel's Lunar Lake laptop CPUs that got Copilot Plus AI features in November. This would allow for true desktop PCs with a capable NPU, instead of Copilot Plus only being available on mini PCs and all-in-one PCs that use laptop processors. It sounds like a newer NPU will be the main part of Intel's Arrow Lake Refresh, as it will reportedly not include addition CPU or GPU cores over the existing Core Ultra 200 chips. More space on the chip for NPU features will disappoint gamers who have been waiting for Intel to be more competitive in the desktop CPU space, though. The first Arrow Lake chips ran more efficiently and cooler, but the PC gaming performance was disappointing and often behind Intel's previous Raptor Lake CPUs. Intel admitted that its Arrow Lake launch "didn't go as planned," but a series of BIOS updates have done little to change the gaming performance situation. It now looks unlikely that Intel will compete with AMD's Ryzen 9800X3D and 9950X3D chips in gaming performance until its next generation Nova Lake CPUs launch in 2026.

Intel prepping Arrow Lake Refresh with minor clock speed bump and new Copilot+ AI-compliant NPU lifted from Core Ultra 200V -- reportedly launches in the second half of 2025

Intel isn't done with Arrow Lake yet. After having launched a total of 22 locked and unlocked SKUs since last year's not-so-incredible launch, the company is now looking forward to the next wave. According to ZDNet Korea, a refresh of the Arrow Lake-S desktop lineup is reportedly set for release in the second half of 2025, and while it won't introduce new core architectures, it will bring minor upgrades to (try to) stay competitive, including a bulked-up NPU that supports CoPilot+. Expect slightly higher clock speeds thanks to better silicon binning and refinements on the Intel 20A process, which introduced RibbonFET and PowerVia in Arrow Lake's initial release. This new report comes after a previous leak from @momomo_us, who shared motherboard reference documents revealing the existence of Arrow Lake 2.0, if you will. As such, the refresh will remain on the LGA 1851 socket and continue to use 800-series chipsets, ensuring that current motherboards remain fully compatible and extend their life for one final generation before Nova Lake replaces them next year. Core configurations reportedly won't change -- Lion Cove P-cores and Skymont E-cores are staying the same -- but firmware and tuning optimizations will likely lead to a boost in efficiency. Intel has been trying its best to gain whatever ground possible when it comes to squeezing more juice out of Arrow Lake with updates like Core Boost 200S at Computex earlier this year, and "IPO" optimized memory profiles that are currently live in China with various system integrators. Moreover, one notable upgrade is the rumored new NPU4, which would make its debut on Arrow Lake-S refresh after its introduction in last year's Lunar Lake mobile chips. The original Arrow Lake desktop CPUs shipped with NPU3 (from Meteor Lake) which only had 13 TOPS of AI power, short of Microsoft's Copilot+ AI PC requirements of at least 40 TOPS. The refresh is expected to surpass that with 48 TOPS, which will be able to handle the increasing demands of local AI workloads. With AI features becoming more central to consumer usage, this NPU upgrade is likely Intel's main play. It should allow the company to brand these chips as AI-ready. There's no indication yet of how Intel will brand the refresh -- whether it'll fall under the same Core Ultra 200 series umbrella or branch off as a new tier -- but this is more of an iterative performance uplift than a fully-blown new generation. It's likely a strategic move to extend Arrow Lake's shelf life while the company gears up for Nova Lake, which is still expected in 2026 on the Intel 18A node. ZDNet Korea also reported that Intel's actual next-gen architecture is still more than a year away since the launch is currently scheduled for H2 2026. Till then, Intel's declining market share will have to cling on for dear life as the market continues to see red.

Intel is preparing an "Arrow Lake" refresh to bring Copilot+ features to desktop PCs

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. Editor's take: Microsoft currently offers its Copilot+ service on select all-in-one and laptop designs. However, Intel may soon shake up the market with its upcoming Arrow Lake CPU lineup. Gamers, take note: there's nothing particularly exciting for you in this release. Intel is preparing to launch an upgraded version of its Arrow Lake CPU series, featuring slightly higher clock speeds and a brand-new NPU aimed at users interested in AI technologies. According to Korean sources cited by ZDNet, the new CPU line is expected to arrive in the second half of the year and will likely disappoint many PC users still waiting for a true Intel comeback against AMD's performance lead in the desktop market. The updated Arrow Lake chips are expected to include the new "NPU 4" silicon design, adding AI acceleration capabilities similar to those found in Copilot+ systems. If accurate, the refreshed Core Ultra 200 series could become the first desktop CPUs to support this level of AI integration, potentially expanding access to Microsoft's AI features across the broader Windows ecosystem. However, the processors will reportedly retain the same CPU and GPU cores as the current models, meaning performance and hardware improvements - outside of the NPU - will likely be minimal. The troubled Arrow Lake platform will also remain plagued by previously identified issues, including a recently revealed and particularly frustrating throttling bug affecting high-end PCIe 5.0 SSDs. Existing Core Ultra 200 CPUs already include built-in NPU technology, but their performance doesn't meet Microsoft's requirements to fully accelerate the Copilot chatbot. The upcoming NPU 4 architecture is expected to bring the same AI capabilities found in Intel's Lunar Lake laptop-class CPUs, making the refreshed Arrow Lake chips more viable for AI workloads. Intel introduced the Arrow Lake microarchitecture in October 2024, promising a more efficient and cooler desktop processor lineup aimed at productivity and general computing. However, the launch was widely regarded as a disappointment among PC gamers, with performance trailing behind even the older Raptor Lake-S Refresh architecture. Intel attempted to boost Arrow Lake's appeal through microcode and firmware updates, but the results have been underwhelming. As it stands, Arrow Lake remains a lackluster product in the desktop space, and AMD continues to aggressively eat into Intel's market share. Can slightly higher clock speeds and a significantly upgraded NPU rescue Intel's second attempt at launching a new desktop CPU architecture? For now, we'll have to wait and see how the Arrow Lake refresh stacks up against an increasingly competitive field.

Windows 11 desktop PCs could soon get Copilot+ AI powers, as Intel might radically switch tactics with next-gen CPUs

This will allow them to use Copilot+ features for the first time on the desktop - but gamers will be less than impressed, no doubt Intel's Arrow Lake Refresh processors, which are rumored to be the next desktop CPUs from Team Blue arriving later in 2025, may come with a surprise twist - a focus on pepping up AI. The Verge picked up an article from ZDNet Korea (translated) which claims that the main thrust of Arrow Lake Refresh will be a new NPU, and that the GPU and processor cores will remain the same as existing Arrow Lake chips. The NPU being drafted over for the next-gen desktop CPUs is said to be the one included with Lunar Lake laptop CPUs. The only other change will be 'slightly' higher clock speeds for Arrow Lake Refresh, we're told. Currently, Arrow Lake desktop chips do have an NPU, but it's too weak to accelerate Copilot+ features (like AI-powered Windows search, as well as the divisive snapshot-based Recall ability, and a good few other tricks besides). With the Lunar Lake NPU on board - those notebook processors are currently used for Copilot+ laptops - desktop computers with Arrow Lake Refresh CPUs would be able to fully access those same AI powers. A switch like this to focus on AI would be a pretty radical move, bringing Copilot+-exclusive features to the world of desktop PCs for the first time. What we must remember, though, is that this is (potentially) happening against a backdrop of Arrow Lake very much disappointing gamers. Indeed, as the ZDNet article points out, the previous generation of desktop silicon (Raptor Lake Refresh) has been outselling Arrow Lake by three-to-one in Korea. Given that fact - coupled with the failed attempts to hone Arrow Lake to be meaningfully better for gaming via BIOS patches since the chips launched - if Intel is set to deploy a refresh of these CPUs in 2025 (which isn't confirmed, I should note), the company may feel that gaming is at this point a lost cause (effectively). So, in that light, a radical change such as a focus on supercharging the NPU - delivering measurable benefits for desktop PCs in terms of those Windows 11 features locked behind an 'AI-wall' as it were - might seem like an avenue worth exploring. I'm not convinced about this, mind, and I'll be waiting for other sources on the grapevine to back this up before I start to feel more persuaded that this is the direction Intel is heading in. After all, the existence of Arrow Lake Refresh itself has been a somewhat controversial topic in the past: first, it was on, then Intel was rumored to cancel the chips, and more recently, we were told this refresh is, in fact, still happening. Skepticism aplenty is required, in short. If this does pan out, it's worth noting that gamers aren't getting nothing - faster clock speeds will help eke out some more frames per second, for sure. Although the way it's couched as only 'slightly' faster clocks doesn't sound too promising in terms of there being a decent uplift - and it's doubtful there's much room for that, anyway. The release timeframe for Arrow Lake Refresh is supposedly the second half of the year, but given this rumor - which is a weighty piece of speculation - only popping up now, this indicates a case of later, rather than sooner, in H2 2025, I'm guessing.

New Arrow Lake refresh rumours confirm addition of NPU to bring Microsoft's Copilot+ AI features to desktop machines

But with no other improvements, these still aren't looking like a gamer CPU of choice. The rumours around an Arrow Lake refresh from Intel are back! Again! And this time they're focussing on AI. This generation of chips launched with more of a plop than a cheer leaving gamers disappointed with their new CPU. Intel could be looking to correct this, though as the company hasn't come out and confirmed the next set of Arrow Lake cards, we've been hearing rumours all year, and the latest give more weight to an improved NPU to target AI. The Verge spotted an article on ZDNet Korea, which reiterates the idea that the Arrow Lake refresh won't change much, but will deliver an NPU for AI performance. According to the article, these chips will use the same architecture we saw on the Lunar Lake laptop CPU that allowed them to receive the Copilot Plus AI update last November. With this NPU4 design, the new Arrow Lake chips could be the first Intel desktop CPUs with the ability to run this tech. Weirdly, this looks like the only real change Intel is planning for this refresh, which is sad news for gaming. With no expected change to clock speeds, you will probably get more from enabling Intel's 200S Boost Mode than upgrading to a refresh. Which you should absolutely do if you're running an Arrow Lake CPU. Instead, the focus on the NPU means these new Arrow Lakes indicates a reliance on the AI abilities of this chip. While its likely not aimed at PC gamers, that doesn't mean it won't have some extra functionality in there to improve your games. If it is the same NPU4 architecture then they should at least be able to run Microsoft's upscaling tech, Auto Super Resolution, which was originally only available on Snapdragon powered Copilot+ machines. It's a bit different to Nvidia's DLSS4 or AMD's FRS4, but this upscaling tech could still help a bunch when it comes to making games look better and run smoother. Unlike the other two, Auto Super Resolution is handled entirely by the CPU, and has a toggle that can be turned on in Windows to run it. Though, the list of compatible games still isn't exactly huge, for now. It will be interesting to see how these refreshed chips do in desktop machines, but I'm not expecting them to be the top pick for gamers by any means. If you are super keen on Microsoft's upscaling tech then you might be better off holding out until its available on a more gamer-favoured CPU. Microsoft has said the Copilot Plus features will be coming to Intel Lunar Lake and AMD Strix Point PCs at some point in the future too, so maybe the updated Arrow Lakes will make for a perfect testing ground for the software.

Intel Arrow Lake-S Refresh Is Rumored To Get NPU4 AI Performance Boost

Intel is set to release a refreshed version of its Arrow Lake-S Core Ultra 200S processor sometime in the second half of 2025. This updated chip will stick with the same FCLGA1851 socket that the current generation uses, so it should work with existing compatible motherboards. Physically, the size of the processor -- including the CPU and GPU parts -- remains unchanged. The main hardware improvements come from a small bump in clock speeds, which should give a modest boost to overall performance. One of the more interesting updates in this refresh is the upgrade to the Neural Processing Unit, or NPU. This is a specialized part of the chip designed to handle AI and machine learning tasks more efficiently. The previous Meteor Lake processors use what Intel calls the NPU3 architecture. The Arrow Lake-S refresh is moving to NPU4, which is the same generation used in Intel's upcoming Lunar Lake platform. This should improve AI processing capabilities, making the chip better at handling tasks like image recognition, natural language processing, and other AI workloads directly on the processor. The NPU is located within the processor's System-on-Chip tile, essentially a modular block that integrates multiple functions. Upgrading to the NPU4 design typically means Intel would need to redesign this SoC tile, which is a significant engineering effort. However, reports suggest Intel might avoid a complete redesign for this refresh. Instead, they could simply increase the operating frequency of the existing NPU design. This method is a lower-cost way to gain some performance improvements without the expense and time required for a full hardware redesign. Even with these changes, the Arrow Lake-S refresh likely won't reach the 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS) target that Microsoft has set as a standard for AI performance. Achieving that level of computation would require more extensive architectural changes or additional hardware accelerators. So while the new NPU4 upgrade will boost AI capabilities compared to the previous generation, it may still fall short of the highest-end AI performance benchmarks expected in future devices. Source: ithome

Intel rumored to release Arrow Lake Refresh CPUs with higher clock speeds later this year

Intel rumored to be preparing Arrow Lake-S Refresh CPUs that should be the last release on the LGA-1851 socket, before Nova Lake arrives in 2026. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. TweakTown may also earn commissions from other affiliate partners at no extra cost to you. Intel will reportedly be releasing its "Arrow Lake Refresh" CPUs later this year, with some slight CPU clock speed increases and the reinforcement of the NPU for AI workloads. In a new report from ZDNet Korea, we're hearing that the new Arrow Lake-S Refresh processors will have slightly more performance over the current Core Ultra 200S "Arrow Lake" chips, with a release in the second half of the year. As it stands, there are 22 models of Arrow Lake CPUs on the market, with 5 x Core Ultra 200S chips for the desktop with overclocking released in October 2024, with another 17 models without OC abilities earlier this year. ZDNet reports: "Arrow Lake Refresh, which will be released in the second half of this year, is expected to target AI demand with a slight increase in operating clock and replacement of NPU". Earlier this year, Intel released performance-boosting firmware for motherboards and its Core Ultra 200S processors at CES 2025, as well as the "200S Boost" at Computex 2025 in May, which boosted memory operating clocks for RAM. The 200S Boost feature increases the operating speed of the SOC tile that manages memory, as well as the four tiles built into the Core Ultra 200S-K processor up to 600MHz, and the memory operating speed by up to 800MHz. Intel says that this feature improves FPS in gaming by up to 10% which is nothing to sneeze at, but I don't think we can expect those types of leaps (or maybe at about that increase: 10%) with its Arrow Lake Refresh processors later this year. The biggest feature with the Arrow Lake Refresh CPUs will come from the newer NPU inside, as the Core Ultra 200S chips have an "NPU 3" built-in, versus the new "NPU 4" that's expected in the Arrow Lake Refresh family of processors.

Intel's Arrow Lake Refresh Will Reportedly Bring Copilot+ Features to PCs

Intel could unveil refreshed Arrow Lake CPUs in the coming months Intel is preparing to refresh its Arrow Lake processors later this year, and the new CPUs could finally offer support for Microsoft Copilot+ features on desktop computers, according to a report. Desktop PCs with Intel processors don't have access to Microsoft's AI features on Windows unlike Copilot+ certified laptops, including those equipped with Arm-based chips from Qualcomm. This could change, thanks to upgraded neural processing unit (NPU) that is said to be the most important part of the upcoming Arrow Lake CPU refresh, expected to arrive later this year. While the Arrow Lake lineup that arrived last year brought some notable improvements to heat management and power efficiency over the Raptor Lake CPUs, the processors could not deliver 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS), which is Microsoft's requirement for Copilot+ features to be supported on PCs. It looks like users who prefer to use Intel CPUs and want access to Copilot+ features on their Windows 11 computer will finally have an option to do so later this year, when the chipmaker launches refreshed versions of its Intel Core Ultra 200 processors. According to a ZDNet Korea report (in Korean), these CPUs will be equipped with a new NPU 4 technology. Intel's Lunar Lake processors for laptops already offer support for Copilot+ AI features, and these chips are said to use the same NPU architecture as the chipmaker's upcoming Arrow Lake refresh. If the claims made in the report are accurate, customers will soon be able to purchase desktop computers with access to on-device AI features that are currently supported on several laptops. Copilot+ PCs offer support for several on-device AI features, including Microsoft's contentious Recall feature that takes screenshots of a user's activity while using their computer and allows them to search for information. This feature was finally rolled out to Copilot+ PCs earlier this year. The only notable upgrade to the refreshed Arrow Lake processors might be the NPU, according to the publication. This means that customers shouldn't expect to see major improvements to CPU or GPU performance, when the processors are unveiled later this year. More details about the updated CPUs are expected to surface online in the coming months, ahead of their anticipated debut.

Intel Arrow Lake Refresh Is Reportedly Launching In The Second Half Of 2025, Featuring "Slightly" Higher Performance

The Refreshed Arrow Lake processors are rumored to launch this year later and will bring improvements in both clocks and NPU. Intel is reportedly preparing the Arrow Lake Refresh for a 2H 2025 launch. We have previously reported on this but it hasn't been confirmed by Intel yet. From various reports, it appears that Intel is continuing its plans to bring slightly superior Arrow Lake-S desktop chips, and one can expect "slightly" better performance than the current gen. As ZDNET Korea reports, the Arrow Lake Refresh is releasing this year. The exact date is unknown but as Intel prepares for the Nova Lake S for 2026 launch, it's expected that the Arrow Lake Refresh will release before the end of this year. As per the report, the Refreshed series will receive a slight bump in the core clocks, which is obvious as this has been the trend among the older Refresh chips. Do not expect it to be significantly better than the current Arrow Lake processors but as far as its AI performance is concerned, one can now expect a competitive prowess. The current Core Ultra 200S lineup doesn't go beyond 13 NPU TOPS of performance, which disqualifies it from getting the Copilot+ certification. However, the newer lineup is reported to get the NPU4, which is also found on the Lunar Lake Core Ultra 200V processors. With the NPU4, the Arrow Lake Refresh will be able to deliver up to 48 NPU TOPS of AI performance, which makes it qualified for the Copilot+ certification. That said, we don't know if Intel is aiming for improvement in other areas, such as integrated graphics and memory compatibility. We originally speculated that the Arrow Lake Refresh should bring some good performance boost but this was based on the improvements we saw on the Raptor Lake Refresh, aka Core 200H series, which brought roughly 14% better single-core performance. However, most reports suggest that it won't be the case with the Arrow Lake Refresh and if that's true, then we can't expect this lineup to beat the Ryzen 9000 series chips let alone the 9000X3D.