The performance of the new Intel Core Ultra 200S (Arrow Lake-S) processors is significantly reduced when the Windows 11 24H2 operating system uses the Balanced or Energy Saver power plan rather than the Maximum Performance power plan. This is reported by PCWorld and some other observers.
Image Source: TechSpot
According to PCWorld, changing the power management scheme in Windows 11 24H2 from the “Maximum Performance” profile to “Balanced” led to the fact that the performance of the new flagship Core Ultra 9 285K processor decreased by 55% in the single-core Cinebench 2024 test. The difference was even more significant – 67% – when switching to the “Energy Saving” power plan. In the “Maximum Performance” mode, the chip provided the expected level of performance – comparable to the Core i9-14900K and Ryzen 9 9950X.
YouTube channel Gamers Nexus also noted in its review a significant change in performance when changing the power plan in Windows.
TechSpot went further and compared the performance of the Core Ultra 9 285K in Windows 11 23H2 and even Windows 10. The results were mixed. In Cyberpunk: 2077′s Phantom Liberty on Windows 11 23H2, the system showed a peak of 129 frames per second. In Windows 11 24H2 – 119 frames per second. In Homeworld 3, the situation changed: in Windows 11 23H2 in Maximum Performance mode, the Core Ultra 9 285K-based system showed 70 frames per second, and in Windows 11 24H2 – 87 frames per second.
«Unfortunately for Intel, we still had to choose one operating system configuration for testing. There doesn’t seem to be an ideal scenario where everything works as it should, at least for now,” TechSpot wrote.
When asked for comment on this situation by PCWorld, an Intel spokesperson responded that the company ran all of its internal tests on Windows 11 24H2.
«We are investigating reports of lower than expected performance of [Core Ultra 200S processors] in Windows 11 24H2 in Power Balanced mode. In accordance with our recommendations for testing previous generations of processors, we recommend using the Windows Power Mode “Maximum Performance,” a company representative responded.