Intel Arrow Lake’s latest UEFI firmware patch has been tested, showing no improvement over the previous one. But don’t grab your pitchforks just yet as an important part of this fix is still coming later.
Folks at TechPowerUp have tested Asus’s latest BIOS update, version 1203, and found no noticeable gains compared to previous versions. As a reminder, Intel promised between 3% and 8% performance improvements in games, on top of other optimisations that come from APO (Application Performance Optimiser). These changes have been eagerly awaited by users, as they would put the Core Ultra 9 285K ahead, or at least on par with the Core i9-14900K.
While the Asus BIOS update includes 0x114 microcode and Intel ME (management engine) v19.0.0.1827, it’s still missing a core component. Intel notes in its investigation report that the promised improvements also require the still-missing CSME Firmware Kit 19.0.0.1854v2.2. This could explain the lack of frame rate boosts on display here, so don’t lose hope just yet.
The full sweep of ME Firmware updates are due in January, giving us a month until we find out the true performance of Intel Core Ultra 200S processors. Of course, this may vary per montherboard manufacturer, as all have their own roadmaps.
Lastly, whether these updates are out early or not, Intel plans to showcase the cumulative effects of all the changes made following the Core Ultra 200S launch during CES 2025. The brand is set to test its fixes on 40 games, showing the impact of each issue individually.
Seeing how Team Blue managed to go from a buggy Arc Alchemist GPU series to a prized Arc Battlemage proves that, when given the chance, it can get things done properly. So, unless this is some physical or architectural blunder, a fix is just a matter of will.
