Intel's Arrow Lake-S desktop update, scheduled for release in the second half of 2025, may not bring the expected boost in AI capabilities. New information from Jaykihn, a leaker known for regularly sharing Intel roadmap updates, suggests that the update will retain the current NPU 3 design, rather than using the more advanced NPU 4 found in Intel's Lunar Lake laptop chips.
The existing Arrow Lake desktop line uses NPU 3, which was launched in 2023 with Meteor Lake and offers 11.5 TOPS of AI computing power. This is well below the 40 TOPS required for Microsoft Copilot+ certification. Intel's Lunar Lake laptop processors come with an upgraded NPU 4 that can reach 48 TOPS, making them Copilot+ compliant.
By continuing to use NPU 3 in desktop updates, Intel's desktop chips will still lag behind AMD and Apple's laptop offerings in terms of AI speed. Without an NPU upgrade, the Arrow Lake update appears to only slightly increase clock speeds and continue to be produced using Intel's 20A process. Given Intel's shrinking market share and the need for larger design improvements to remain competitive, this small step may not be enough.
Meanwhile, AMD may be facing some problems as reports suggest that Medusa Halo, which was scheduled to launch after Strix Halo, has been cancelled. This news comes from HXL, a leaker with a proven track record.
This could mean that Intel's Nova Lake-AX doesn't have any real competition in a market dominated by Strix Halo and Apple chips. If the news is true, it would indicate a major change in AMD's plans for high-end mobile computing.