Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus LGA1851 Desktop Processor, 18 Cores, Up to 5.3GHz, 30MB Cache, DDR5-7200, Intel Graphics, 30 TOPS AI, PCIe 5.0, Thunderbolt 4 and 159W Turbo Power | BOXED 

Expert Features

• 18-Core Arrow Lake Power : Combines 6 Performance-cores and 12 Efficient-cores for 18 total cores and 18 threads, adding four E-cores over the previous Core Ultra 5 245K for stronger multitasking, gaming, streaming, and creation workloads.
• Up to 5.3GHz Turbo Performance : Performance-cores reach up to 5.3GHz, while Efficient-cores boost up to 4.6GHz, giving demanding games and responsive desktop applications serious single-core speed without sacrificing background-task muscle.
• 30MB Smart Cache and 30MB L2 : A large 30MB Intel Smart Cache works alongside 30MB of total L2 cache to keep frequently used game data, application instructions, and processor workloads close to the cores.
• Unlocked K-Series Tuning : Designed for enthusiast desktop systems with support for Intel Extreme Memory Profile, Intel Application Optimization, and the new Intel Binary Optimization Tool for compatible games and supported configurations. Overclocking results depend on the motherboard, cooling, BIOS, and silicon quality.
• Built-In AI Acceleration : Delivers up to 30 overall peak INT8 TOPS through CPU, integrated graphics, and the Intel AI Boost NPU, enabling compatible AI workloads without dumping every smart background feature onto the CPU cores.
• Dedicated Intel AI Boost NPU : The integrated NPU supplies up to 13 INT8 TOPS with sparsity and Windows Studio Effects support for compatible AI-enhanced communication, productivity, and creative applications.
• DDR5-7200 Memory Support : Supports up to 256GB of dual-channel DDR5 memory at up to 7200MT/s, including ECC memory support when paired with compatible motherboard hardware and memory modules.
• LGA1851 Desktop Platform : Uses the FCLGA1851 socket and maintains compatibility with Intel 800-series chipset motherboards, although a motherboard BIOS update may be required for the Plus-series processor.
• PCIe 5.0 and 4.0 Expansion : Provides up to 24 processor PCIe lanes with flexible configurations including x16 graphics plus dual x4 connections for high-speed GPUs and NVMe storage.
• Integrated Intel Graphics : Includes four Xe cores running up to 1.9GHz, supporting up to four displays, 8K output, DirectX 12, Intel Quick Sync Video, and hardware H.264, HEVC, and AV1 encoding and decoding.
• Creator-Friendly Media Engine : Hardware AV1, HEVC, and H.264 encode/decode acceleration helps compatible video-editing, recording, streaming, and media-conversion applications work more efficiently.
• Integrated Thunderbolt 4 Support : Intel officially lists integrated Thunderbolt 4 support; Thunderbolt 5 requires a compatible discrete motherboard implementation and should not be presented as an integrated CPU feature.
• 125W Enthusiast Power Class : Operates with a 125W processor base power and up to 159W maximum turbo power, making a high-quality LGA1851 motherboard and capable CPU cooler essential—not optional decoration.
• Intel vPro Enterprise Eligible : Supports Intel AMT, Threat Detection Technology, Remote Platform Erase, One-Click Recovery, SIPP, advanced encryption, and virtualization technologies when paired with an eligible business platform.
• No Hyper-Threading Architecture : Runs one thread per Performance-core and Efficient-core for 18 total threads, using Intel Thread Director to help compatible operating systems distribute work across the hybrid core layout.

Expert Specs