Between the x86 CPUs of Intel and AMD, and the arm-based Snapdragon X chipsets, buying a Copilot+ PC is already pretty confusing.
Well, it’s about to get a lot more confusing at CES 2025, as a huge leak seemingly confirms Intel is set to launch 22 new Core 200 laptop CPUs next month.
As spotted by momomo_us on X, Intel’s full lineup does seem a bit like overkill when from AMD, all we’re seemingly getting is a new top-end Strix Halo APU — an all-in-one chip with graphics power that is slightly more powerful than the RTX 4060.
So I know you may have already seen the list below and scrolled back up with one question: what on Earth does all the names mean? Well, that’s a good question. Let’s get into it.
| Core 200U/H (Raptor Lake) | Core Ultra 200H (Arrow Lake) | Core Ultra 200U (Meteor Lake Refresh) | Core Ultra 200HX (Arrow Lake) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core 9 270H | Core Ultra 9 285H | Core Ultra 7 265U | Core Ultra 9 285HX |
| Core 7 250H | Core Ultra 7 265H | Core Ultra 7 255U | Core Ultra 9 275HX |
| Core 7 240H | Core Ultra 7 255H | Core Ultra 5 235U | Core Ultra 7 265HX |
| Core 5 220H | Core Ultra 5 235H | Core Ultra 5 225U | Core Ultra 7 255HX |
| Core 5 210H | Core Ultra 5 225H | Row 4 - Cell 2 | Core Ultra 5 245HX |
| Core 7 250U | Row 5 - Cell 1 | Row 5 - Cell 2 | Core Ultra 5 235HX |
| Core 5 220U | Row 6 - Cell 1 | Row 6 - Cell 2 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
The devil is in the details
So if the leak is to be trusted (and momomo hasn’t steered me wrong yet), Intel’s got a busy CES, and there’s a lot of Hs, Us and HXs. Let’s go into what each of these mean:
- Core 200U/H = the cheaper end: You may look at this name and think “oh that’s a new chip!” Well, actually, it’s based on the Raptor Lake architecture — a standard Intel used for its 13th Gen chips back in 2022. On one side, the performance and power efficiency are going to take a dip, but these will most likely be in some very cheap options.
- Core Ultra 200U = getting somewhere: This is where I start to see NPUs come into the lineup to make anything with 200U up a Copilot+ PC. Based on a refreshed Meteor Lake architecture (the same used for the first generation of Intel Core Ultra chips in 2023), you can expect some respectable AI performance, but the raw horsepower may be left lacking (based on my experience with Core Ultra 100 series).
- Core Ultra 200H = the first actually new chip: While the first two were general refreshes of pre-existing chip architectures, this is the first that comes with the new Arrow Lake construction. That means taking everything the company learned from the V-series Lunar Lake chips back in September, and beefing up what’s important in the graphics, AI and single-core performance for keeping your system snappy and responsive.
- Core Ultra 200HX = the top-of-the-line: If Intel does launch new CPUs at CES, based on naming conventions, these will be the fastest and most capable line of CPUs Intel. Expect to see them in creative pro systems and gaming laptops.
So there you have it — four chip lines, 22 models across three different CPU architectures. Make the right decision for yourself, don’t get wrapped up in this confusing naming, and ensure you get yourself something that isn’t just good for now but future-proofed.
Will these new chips work to get more people more hyped about Intel? That’s for us to find out over the course of next year, but personally, I’m just hoping that team blue has figured out the pesky power management problems of the first gen that plagued the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16.
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