The Intel Core Ultra 200V series has been released, and the company is set to introduce the Arrow Lake Core Ultra 200 desktop range next month. However, there are whispers of another CPU series coming soon, which will be named the Core 200 series, omitting the "Ultra" from its title.
New Developments in Intel's CPU Lineup
Sources suggest that the new Core 200 series is expected to be another Raptor Lake Refresh, marking the third iteration following the 13th and 14th generation processors. The lack of "Ultra" in this new lineup might indicate that it will not include a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), as the original Raptor Lake series did not have this feature.
AMD's Competitive Offerings
On the AMD side, a credible source known as Golden Pig Upgrade reports that the company is working on releasing Hawk Point Refresh CPUs. This new lineup is anticipated to be called Ryzen 200, also without the "AI" in its designation. This would represent AMD's third Zen 4 CPU series.
The omission of "AI" from the Ryzen 200 series likely stems from the fact that it may only feature the first-generation XDNA NPU. Although it is an improvement over the NPU found in the Phoenix Point series, it has a maximum performance of 16 TOPS, which falls short of the requirements set by Microsoft for their Copilot+ PC program.
Potential Confusion Ahead
If AMD is planning to rebrand the Hawk Point CPUs with a new name, it may lead to confusion among consumers. It wouldn’t be easy to distinguish whether the CPUs are based on Zen 4, especially since AMD's previous naming conventions have already created some confusion.
According to reports, Intel's new Core 200 series is expected to debut by the end of this year, while AMD's Ryzen 200 series is slated for launch next year. However, it is important to note that these details are still speculative. Despite the accuracy of Golden Pig Upgrade's reports, it seems unnecessary for Raptor Lake and Zen 4 to be part of three separate lineups.
Special Offer on Zenbook S 16
Best Buy is currently offering the Zenbook S 16 featuring Ryzen AI 9 365, which could be an attractive option for consumers looking for performance and advanced features.
Golden Pig Upgrade shared this information on Weibo (translated by machine) via Wccftech.
