Intel Core Ultra 7 265K review: A slightly disappointing new lick of paint

Arrow Lake is officially here, and today, we're looking at the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, the company's all-new mid-range processor. This hybrid big.little processor has an impressive 20 cores with an 8 P-core and 12 E-core configuration. Unlike prior generations, Arrow Lake chips do not come with Hyperthreading, cutting the number of threads for P-cores in half. Capable of boosting up to 5.5 GHz, one could assume this would underperform compared to its predecessor, the Intel Core i7-14700K, but there's more to the chip than its specs. Intel has worked on its architecture, taking cues from Lunar Lake for a more efficient package.

There's a much larger cache on the CPU and improved integrated Arc Xe2 Graphics with 64 EUs. This is a new generation of processors, and Intel has a long way to go to keep up with AMD, especially regarding performance per watt. Intel's 14th-gen CPU family was a hot mess though they did perform well under load. You're not losing anything with the Core Ultra series, but it's still underwhelming compared to what should have been if Intel spent a little more time working on a better-equipped arsenal for launch. This isn't a bad processor, but it's not as exciting as what AMD offers with Ryzen 9000.

About this review: MSI supplied XDA with samples for this review and neither MSI nor Intel had any input to its contents.

Price, specs, and availability

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K will set you back $400. More Intel CPUs will be released to bolster the line-up, but for now, you have the choice of three and they're just as pricey as their predecessors. $400 for the Core Ultra 7 265K isn't a terrible deal since there's plenty of computing power here and the gains Intel made to efficiency warrants consideration. It's when you consider the fact this is a mid-range CPU and that's when the $400 seems a little high, especially when already available competitor SKUs are discounted at considerably lower prices.

What's good with this Arrow Lake CPU

Intel Arrow Lake is a fundamental shift for Intel and is represented by the name switch from "Core i" to "Core Ultra". Like everything else in 2024, there's an emphasis on AI but you can ignore all the jargon and focus on what the processor is capable of. Like processors before it, the Intel Core Ultra 7 has a hybrid configuration with performance and efficient cores. We noted in our Arrow Lake launch coverage Intel's claims for a 14% faster multi-thread performance over previous-gen processors and a 40% reduction in power draw. The latter is vital for Arrow Lake as the 14th Gen family of CPUs was renowned for high power and temperatures.

To test this processor, we used the MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi. It's a mid-tier motherboard with absolutely everything most people could ask for. You've got an excellent power delivery system, plenty of connectivity, easy access to flash CMOS and other functions, and a stealthy design with very little RGB lighting. We used our usual suite of tests, including popular benchmarking utilities and real-world emulation. Everything was set to default, aside from enabling XMP on our DDR5-7200 RAM kit from TeamGroup, showcasing results you'll most likely see with the Core Ultra 7 265K.

Depending on the application, the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K performs admirably. Intel made some major changes with Arrow Lake. These new chips have an L3 cache dedicated to the E-cores, there's the ditching of the monolithic design, following AMD's approach, and there's no longer any Hyperthreading. There seems to be some funky business going on as the processor handles heavier workloads without issue, but it can see itself losing out to AMD's Ryzen 7 9700X in other cases. It could be because of the new platform or something else related to how the scheduling is handled. In the results above, it's clearly leading the "7" pack.

Intel has gone all-out with DDR5 this generation and it shows with supported speeds. You can pair this CPU with RAM going above 8000 MT/s, which is incredibly fast. Intel Arrow Lake scales well with faster RAM and we saw just as much at 7200 MT/s, resulting in notable gains over 6000 MT/s.

What's not so good vs. AMD Ryzen

Intel billed these new Core Ultra chips for gaming and they're excellent when paired with an equally capable GPU. There's just one problem: they're not that good at gaming ... at least right now. Don't get me wrong, the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K isn't terrible. It holds its own in more demanding titles such as Cyberpunk 2077 and X4: Foundations, but it doesn't come close to touching the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D or even the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X in some cases. It depends on which game you're planning to play. Some titles have the Core Ultra 7 265K slightly ahead of most CPUs, but others see it decimated.

Not that good at gaming ... at least right now.

Intel did showcase as much during the launch with the Core Ultra benchmarks revealing gains and losses across a range of game tests. The issue here is it makes the Core Ultr a7 265K seem uninteresting, at least when compared to the AMD Ryzen 7800X3D or AMD Ryzen 7 9700X. The 9700X is also available for $70 less, making it a more enticing proposition. Then there's platform support, which AMD nails with numerous generations on AM4 and AM5 set to be supported through 2027 at the earliest. Even if you don't choose the latest and greatest AMD Zen CPU, there are avenues for upgrades.

And that brings me to Arrow Lake with its new socket and chipset. There's no backward compatibility here. If you want to use the latest Core Ultra chips, you must become an early adopter of this new platform. That's not necessarily a bad thing and we saw fantastic updates on earlier Ryzen platforms that unlocked stability and performance improvements, but it's something to bear in mind. A power draw of mid-200s doesn't sound like much for a 125W TDP CPU, but you're still passing the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X, Ryzen 9 9900X, and even the 9950X.

Should you buy the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K?

You should buy the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K if:

• You're building a new PC from scratch and want to use Intel.
• You want the latest from Intel.

You shouldn't buy the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K if:

• You already have a powerful 13th or 14th-gen CPU.
• You desire the most efficient processors available.
• You want to build the most powerful PC.

The launch of Intel's Core Ultra series feels like Ryzen 1000 all over again. It's a giant beta test with performance likely still available through future software updates, but right now it's not a compelling purchase. Intel isn't simply going up against AMD here, but also itself with more aggressive reductions on older CPUs. There's also the case that this is (once again) a brand-new platform with a different socket. Not only do you need to buy the CPU and get through some performance hiccups, but also splash out on a motherboard and DDR5 RAM.

The launch of Intel's Core Ultra series feels like Ryzen 1000 all over again.

If you're set on building an Intel-powered system and are starting from scratch, the new Intel Core Ultra series is a no-brainer. They're among the most powerful chips Intel has produced and are considerably more efficient than 14th-gen CPUs. Now, admittingly the bar wasn't set high here for power draw, but there is a reduction and our electrical bills thank Intel. If you already have a moderately powerful Intel CPU without any software or game performance-related issues, I don't see any reason to upgrade to this new generation. Let it mature before diving in or hold out for the inevitable successor.