Intel's 15th-gen CPUs are all about power efficiency and thermals

Intel has maintained an edge in gaming performance over AMD despite AMD's advancements in recent years. However, Intel's high-performance processors have historically come at the cost of power efficiency and thermals. Intel has announced its new Arrow Lake processors, which promise a significant reduction in power consumption and internal package temperatures. The new processors feature a 24-core CPU design and a neural processing unit, a first for Intel's desktop CPUs. Intel claims the new processors reduce power consumption by 40 percent and internal package temperatures by up to 10 degrees Celsius. The flagship Ultra 9 285K processor draws up to 58 percent less power than its predecessor in lightly-threaded workloads and offers improved gaming performance while drawing less power. The new processor also runs up to 13 degrees Celsius cooler than its predecessor during gaming loads. Intel's new processors will be available on October 24, with prices starting at $294 for the 14-core Ultra 5 245KF. The company also announced its upcoming Arrow Lake H laptop chips, which will arrive at the start of next year. While the new processors are a significant improvement for Intel, the company still faces challenges from AMD and its own manufacturing limitations.