Intel’s Core Ultra 200V CPUs set their sights on power, AI and the competition

Intel has revealed its new Core Ultra 200V series processors under the Lunar Lake banner. The chipset promises boosted power performance and improved battery life. At the same time, Intel is leveraging Core Ultra 200V for AI features, including Microsoft’s Copilot+PC platform later this year.

Devices powered by Core Ultra 200V begin shipping on September 24. Intel is working with 20 different partners, including Acer, Asus, Dell, LG, MSI, and Samsung. Each will feature the Core Ultra 200V across 80 different devices. During its announcement, Intel claimed that it’s offering “the fastest CPU core” with “the best AI performance,” with the intention of better competing with Apple, Qualcomm, and AMD.

Intel’s Core Ultra 200V takes big swings at Qualcomm and AMD

During its announcement, Intel claimed its Core Ultra 200V will outperform its competitors

The recent Core Ultra 200V announcement includes several impressive comparisons. Intel says its Core Ultra 200V chips will support AI PCs with up to 50 percent lower package power and up to 120 tera operations per second (TOPS) across the CPU and GPU. Its neural processing unit (NPU) also claims to have four times more power than previous-generation chips. Core Ultra 200V-powered devices are claimed to have up to 20 hours of battery life.

In comparison to Qualcomm’s X1E-78-100 and AMD’s HX370, the Core Ultra 200V features more battery life when running Microsoft Teams, according to Intel. The chipmaker says its new CPU boasts nearly 10 hours of productivity, compared to Qualcomm’s 9.4 hours and AMD’s 8.2 hours when running the same productivity app. Regarding AI performance, the Core Ultra 200V is estimated to be 58 percent faster. This spans AI applications, including Copilot+PC features that release this November.

Intel wants you to believe Core Ultra 200V is a gaming powerhouse

From a low-end, Core Ultra 200V can outperform competitors while running games

Intel

Intel has placed the Core Ultra 200V next to the AMD HX370, comparing its gaming performance and frame rate. The company claims the Xe2 integrated GPU features up to 31 percent faster gaming performance. Running games at 30FPS, Intel states its Core Ultra 200V is 16 percent better than AMD’s processor. However, there are some notable omissions to that statement. Grand Theft Auto V, for instance, tops out at a reported 184fps compared to Core Ultra 200V’s 177fps. Across the board of Intel’s benchmarks, AMD only trumps the Core Ultra 200V in a few situations.

Even compared to the Intel Core Ulta 7 155H, the Core Ultra 200V is considered 31 percent more efficient while playing games. Taking DOTA 2 as an example, the Core Ultra 200 delivers 132fps during gameplay, according to Intel’s tests. The Intel Core Ulta 7 155H tops out at 118fps. For Counterstrike 2, Lunar Lake provides a pretty impressive 129fps, while the Core Ultra 7 155H trails behind at 94fps. For those looking at alternatives to Nvidia’s DLSS frame rate boosting, the Core Ultra 200V chips leverage eight ray tracing units and XeSS tech for cutting-edge visuals across games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Will Intel’s Core Ultra 200V be worth the upgrade?

Intel’s benchmarks look robust enough to pique my interest, but only time will tell if Core Ultra 200V chips deliver

Intel

Intel is in a power race against Qualcomm and AMD. Using Core Ultra 200V, the company wants consumers and tech enthusiasts to know it’s still in the fight. Doubling down to power AI innovations and applications, the Core Ultra 200V is well-positioned to support Copilot+PC later this fall. Regarding gaming, the Core Ultra 200V looks to be a compelling alternative to other high-end processors on the market. How the Core Ultra 200V actually fairs when tested under real-world conditions is still unclear. However, with its launch around the corner, the processor will be one to watch as we head into the fall.