Intel's Arrow Lake gaming CPU lineup, specifically the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, has improved significantly since its initial release at the end of 2024. Updates including BIOS enhancements, driver updates, and the introduction of the 200S Boost mode have contributed to its better performance.
In Cinebench, the single-threaded score increased from 117 to 136, surpassing the Core i9 14900K, and reached 138 with 200S Boost. Multi-core performance improved from 1,995 to 2,045, and with 200S Boost, it reached 2,056, positioning it ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D. The CPU maintained a maximum temperature of 78°C during testing.
In gaming benchmarks, Total War: Warhammer III showed an average of 220fps and a minimum of 182fps, outperforming all AMD X3D CPUs. In the Mirrors of Madness benchmark, it averaged 119fps, trailing behind the latest Zen 5 X3D CPUs but outpacing the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. In Cyberpunk 2077, the 265K improved from 117fps to 124fps, closing the gap with the Core i5 14600K. In Far Cry 6, the average frame rate improved from 157fps to 164fps, reaching 166fps with 200S Boost. In F1 24, it remained only 6fps behind the X3D chips.
Overall, while the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is still considered superior for gaming, the 265K has become a competitive option, especially if priced favorably.