Intel's Core Ultra 200 Series CPUs have a different hot spot, so you might need a new cooler

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Intel has finally revealed its new Intel Core Ultra 200 Series desktop CPUs, with the new Arrow Lake architecture set to power the next generation of Intel systems and builds for the foreseeable future. A new generation of Intel CPUs also means a new generation of motherboards, with various Z890 models hitting the market - including several from MSI, like the new MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI.

The Intel Core Ultra 200 series differs from previous generations because, like recent mobile Meteor Lake and Lunar Lake chips from the company, it incorporates a new design and layout that now includes a dedicated NPU for AI processing. Until now, running local AI off a CPU with a powerful NPU has been limited to mobile devices, so Arrow Lake marks a shift for desktop CPUs everywhere.

As part of our recent tour of MSI's factory in Shenzhen, China, and seeing its new Intel boards up close, we learned one interesting fact about Intel's Core Ultra 200 Series - the new NPU design means the hotspot is changing. The cooling requirements are also changing, so you'd want to pair a Core Ultra CPU with the new MSI MPG CORELIQUID i360 or i240.

The reason for this is simple: a change in hotspot location means that AIO cooler brackets designed to support existing chips with hotspots that haven't changed in a decade or longer won't be running efficiently. So, without a specific offset kit for an existing cooler or a new bracket design, as seen in the new MPG CORELIQUID cooler, Intel Core Ultra 200 series temperatures will be 2, 3, or 4 degrees higher than they should be.

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So yeah, in addition to the stylish "infinite mirror" design, redesigned pump, RGB lighting, and EZ Connect system for its fans, the new MPG CORELIQUID cooler for CPUs includes a UNI bracket that supports both Intel and AMD sockets, including the new Intel CPUs. The UNI Bracket presents the easiest solution for the new Intel CPUs because there is no need to switch out plates or make any adjustments. It takes into account the new hotspot and, right off the bat, delivers better cooling than pretty much any other AIO cooler without a specialized bracket.

Another reason you'll want a new cooler or bracket for Intel's latest CPUs is that the load plate design, which is the metal cover you place over the CPU when installing it on a motherboard, has changed. It might only be a 2-degree difference in curvature, but this is enough to affect the efficiency of the attached cooler.

MSI notes that the difference in temperature increases with higher wattage, so if you're thinking of picking up a new Intel Core Ultra 9 285K CPU sometime soon, you'll want to make sure your cooler is up to the task - or look for something new, like the MSI MPG CORELIQUID i360.