Intel Core Ultra 7 265K release date, where to buy, and pre order

Everything you need to know about the Core Ultra 7 265K

Table of Contents Table of Contents

Today, Intel will launch its core Ultra 7 265K desktop processor, with a release time set for around 8am PT/4pm GMT.

• Intel Core Ultra 7 265K – Amazon
• Intel Core Ultra 7 265K – Newegg
• Intel Core Ultra 7 265K – Best Buy
• Intel Core Ultra 7 265K – B&H Photo Video

Intel’s highly awaited Core Ultra 200S aka Arrow Lake-S processor lineup, was recently announced – with the next-gen CPUs confirmed to be released on October 24th. These “gaming enthusiast” chips will offer plenty of new features, such as IPC improvements, Xe GPU support, and up to 30% power reduction while providing modest gains over 14th-generation processors. Previously, we covered everything you need to know about the Core Ultra 9 285K, the flagship CPU in this lineup. This time, we are looking at the Core Ultra 7 265K, the brand’s 20 core, 20 thread variant that is set to go toe-to-toe with AMD’s Ryzen 9 9900X.

The 265K and 265KF have allegedly been through benchmarking tests, where both processors put up a tough fight against current and last-gen competition. However, we don’t have any solid proof to back these numbers up, and we’re eagerly waiting to test all these leaked results once we get our hands on the chips. So, in anticipation of Intel’s upcoming chips, let’s quickly recap everything we know about the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and 265KF.

Intel Core Ultra 7 265K release date

Let’s start with the release date, the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K was announced on October 10th and is scheduled to release on October 24th. As confirmed by multiple media publications like Techpowerup and Videocardz, we will get to see reviews and sales for the upcoming chips, specifically the 265K on Thursday, October 24th.

Where to buy Intel Core Ultra 7 265K: US

• Intel Core Ultra 7 265K – Amazon
• Intel Core Ultra 7 265K – Newegg
• Intel Core Ultra 7 265K – Best Buy
• Intel Core Ultra 7 265K – B&H Photo Video

Intel Core Ultra 7 265K pre order

For early adopters of Intel’s latest Core Ultra 7 265K processor, pre orders are available for the entire range at Best Buy, Newegg, and B&H PhotoVideo. Pre orders have been live for some days now, with delivery expected anytime from the 24th of October onwards.

That being said, as the release time is around 4PM GMT, you’ll likely have to wait until the 25th to receive the chips.

Intel Core Ultra 7 265K price

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is currently listed on online retailers like Newegg and B&H for $409. However, Intel has confirmed that this won’t be the actual MSRP. Instead, the 265K will retail for $394, similar to the i7-14700K, which launched at a slightly higher price of $409 in 2023. If you’re planning to add a graphics card to your system, you can save a bit more by opting for the KF version without the iGPU, priced at $379.

Intel Core Ultra 7 265K specifications

Here are the specifications for the Core Ultra 7 265K as per the offical listing on Intel’s website:

Specifications

Core Ultra 7 265K

Total Cores No of Performance-cores No of Efficient-cores Total Threads Max Turbo Frequency Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 Frequency Performance-core Max Turbo Frequency Efficient-core Max Turbo Frequency Performance-core Base Frequency Efficient-core Base Frequency Cache Total L2 Cache Processor Base Power Maximum Turbo Power Intel Deep Learning Boost (Intel DL Boost) on CPU AI Software Frameworks Supported by CPU CPU Lithography

20 8 12 20 5.5 GHz ‡ 5.5 GHz 5.4 GHz 4.6 GHz 3.9 GHz 3.3 GHz 30 MB Intel Smart Cache 36 MB 125 W 250 W Yes OpenVINO, WindowsML, DirectML, ONNX RT, WebNN SMC N3B

A few things stand out from this specs list. First, the new Core Ultra 7 265K isn’t built on Intel’s own foundry processes like the Core i7-14700K. Instead, it uses TSMC’s N3B process, which is already found in devices like the iPhone 15, the M3 processor family, and processors from MediaTek.

Another major change in this lineup is the lack of hyperthreading, which previously allowed two threads to use the same core. As a result, the Core Ultra 7 265K has eight performance cores, twelve efficiency cores, and a total of 20 threads, as none of the new cores support hyperthreading.

Despite having fewer threads than previous generations, Intel claims that its Arrow Lake series can be up to 10% faster in multithreaded tasks than the Raptor Lake Refresh while using up to 30% less power for the same performance. While we don’t have benchmarks comparing the 265K to the i7-14700K, there is a benchmark for the 265KF, where it scored 3,186 in single-core and 19,799 in multi-core—beating the i7-14700K, by a solid 10%. As for the 265K, one leaked benchmark showed significant gains, with an ST score of 3,283 and an MT score of 22,229, reaching levels similar to the 285K.

Do you need a new motherboard for the Core Ultra 7 285K?

Along with the next-gen processors, Intel has also announced the Z890 motherboards, designed to work exclusively with Arrow Lake S processors. Since these CPUs feature a new socket, the LGA 1851, they will require compatible motherboards using the Z890 chipset. These new boards are expected to launch alongside the CPUs on October 24th, and several major brands have already teased potential contenders at various price points.

For example, ASUS shared product photos of their upcoming ROG Z890 Maximus Extreme, rumored to cost a whopping $1,100. However, cheaper options are expected, especially from Gigabyte’s lineup of Z890 motherboards. Another interesting model is the ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF, which is said to support memory speeds of up to 10,133 MT/s.

• Supports Thunderbolt 4 as standard
• Thunderbolt 5, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4 via discrete components
• Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6e and Bluetooth 5.3 supported
• 48 PCIe lanes; 20 PCIe 5.0 lanes, 16 lanes can be allocated to the GPU, leaving 4 lanes for a PCIe 5.0 SSD
• Supports up to five USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 ports
• Supports up to ten USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports

One important thing to note is that these next-gen boards will not support DDR4 memory, unlike the previous LGA 1700 boards, so you should plan to budget for DDR5 memory. On the topic of memory, ASRock has shared the memory support details for their upcoming Z890 Taichi motherboards. According to that, the Core Ultra 200 K series will support DDR5-9000, while the Core Ultra 200 Non-K series will support DDR5-7200.

Will I need a new CPU cooler for Intel Arrow Lake?

Another common query about the upcoming processors is whether you’ll need to buy a new cooler or if your existing one will work. This has been a concern for some users due to the hotspot shift cooling issues that were recently all over the Internet. However, this shouldn’t be a problem, as companies have developed kits to adjust existing coolers to the proper position without having to redesign new ones. Noctua has even released a compatibility list for LGA 1700 coolers that will also work with LGA 1851.

Wrapping Up

Now that you’re all set with everything regarding the Core Ultra 7 265K and the Arrow Lake S lineup, it’s time to wait for the CPUs to arrive. One thing we didn’t mention earlier is that, despite being labeled as enthusiast CPUs designed for gamers, Intel has openly stated that their Core Ultra 200S processors won’t match the performance levels of AMD’s X3D chips. AMD is expected to announce its next X3D V-cache CPU, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, just a day after Intel on October 25th. We’re excited to see how the differences play out, especially in terms of gaming.