Intel is reportedly working on a new microcode patch, 0x114, which is expected to address the disappointing gaming performance of its Core Ultra 200S (Arrow Lake) processors. The patch is hinted to arrive soon for Z890 motherboards via a BIOS update.
The current BIOS version 1101 for some ASUS Z890 motherboards includes the 0x113 microcode, which offers some stability and compatibility improvements, along with minor performance enhancements in balanced mode. However, the 0x114 microcode is expected to deliver the more substantial performance fix that Intel has promised.
While the patch is unlikely to match the gaming performance of AMD's Ryzen 9 9800X3D, it's hoped that it will bring the Core Ultra 200S closer to the level of Intel's flagship Raptor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh chips.
Intel has acknowledged the underwhelming launch performance of the Core Ultra 200S series and has committed to releasing an update this month. Gamers and enthusiasts are eager to see if the 0x114 patch can deliver the promised performance boost and make Intel's latest CPUs more competitive against AMD's offerings.
