Intel's Chief Financial Officer, David Zinsner, has officially confirmed that the company is set to roll out a Refresh iteration of the Arrow Lake processor before the year's end (prior to the unveiling of the next-gen Nova Lake), thereby filling out its product portfolio. This updated version will maintain compatibility with the LGA 1851 socket and is anticipated to feature enhancements in core clock speeds, along with a boost in NPU4 computing capability to 48 TOPS, thereby satisfying the prerequisites for Microsoft's Copilot+ AI PC certification.

This upgrade is predominantly geared towards catering to the needs of high-end gaming enthusiasts. It's likely that only the unlocked K/KF variants, boasting a 125W Thermal Design Power (TDP), will be included in this offering. These models are designed to provide ample headroom for overclocking aficionados, thanks to refined memory controllers and power delivery architectures.

The Arrow Lake Refresh is perceived as a strategic stopgap, intended to bridge the performance gaps identified in the initial Arrow Lake release. Simultaneously, it buys Intel valuable time for technical groundwork in anticipation of the 2026 Nova Lake launch.