Intel Dramatically Expands it Core Ultra Series 2 Processor Family

At CES 2025 today, Intel new Core Ultra Series 2 processors for mobile and desktop PCs that it says will usher in a new PC refresh cycle tied to the end of support for Windows 11 this October.

“This calendar year is expected to be one of the largest computer refresh cycles in recent history, even larger than 2020’s COVID-19 surge driven by remote work and learning requirements,” Intel claims. “In October, Microsoft will end security updates and technical support for Windows 10. “Prepared for this perfect storm, Intel announced at CES that the most powerful AI PC processors on the market, Intel Core Ultra 200V series processors, code-named Lunar Lake, are ready for the workplace with a brand-new Intel vPro platform.”

Intel says that a “trifecta of market forces” will drive this upgrade cycle: 450 million Windows 10-based PCs that cannot be upgraded to Windows 11, AI PCs that power new software and productivity tools, and lingering fears triggered by the 2024 CrowdStrike outage. And it is offering powerful new Core Ultra Series 2 chips across various markets to help participate in the anticipated surge.

There are 7 new and updated processor families, and Intel also provided an update on its 18A manufacturing process, which it says is now being sampled with customers ahead of “volume production in the second half of 2025.” We’ll see. But here’s what’s new with the chips.

Core Ultra 200V series mobile processors with Intel vPro. These are vPro-enabled versions of the existing 200V mobile processors aimed at commercial Copilot+ PCs. (And, yes, Intel has finally adopted this brand. It’s interesting what a little humility can do.) These chips are available now.

Core Ultra 200HX and H series mobile processors. These new chips feature improved Performance Efficient cores, an integrated neural processing unit (NPU) for AI acceleration, Intel Arc graphics. They’re aimed at creators and gamers, offer up to 24 cores (8 Performant/16 Efficient), and are up to 41 percent faster than their predecessors. The H-series chips ship in February, while HX follows in the first half of 2025.

Core Ultra 200U series mobile processors. These new chips are aimed at mainstream mobile users, Intel says. They offer 2 P cores and 8 E cores, Intel X LPG graphics, and up to 24 TOPS of AI performance. These chips ship in February.

Core Ultra 200S series desktop processors. Intel is expanding this family of chips with 12 new 65-watt and 35-watt designs for mainstream desktop users. They offer up to 8 P cores and 16 E cores and can be configured with Thunderbolt 4 or 5. These chips arrive next week.

Core Ultra processors, Core processors, and Intel Processors. These new generation processors offer “significant gen-over-gen performance advancements in key areas like media processing and AI analytics.”

“The strength of our AI PC product innovation, combined with the breadth and scale of our hardware and software ecosystem across all segments of the market, is empowering users with a better experience in the traditional ways we use PCs for productivity, creation and communication, while opening up completely new capabilities with over 400 AI features,” Intel interim co-CEO Michelle Johnston Holthaus said. “Intel Core Ultra processors are setting new benchmarks for mobile AI and graphics, once again demonstrating the superior performance and efficiency of the x86 architecture as we shape the future of personal computing.”