Intel’s launch of its “Arrow Lake” processors hit a snag, with performance issues and unanticipated challenges that have left both users and Intel’s own team disappointed. On Friday, Intel’s Vice President and General Manager Robert Hallock addressed the situation openly on the Hot Hardware podcast. Hallock acknowledged that Arrow Lake’s launch didn’t meet Intel’s standards, explaining that internal investigations have pinpointed various issues ranging from operating system integration to BIOS optimization. The company aims to detail these issues by late November or early December, with Hallock committing to a comprehensive, itemized explanation of what went wrong and how Intel plans to fix it.
Hallock admitted that memory latency was a significant factor, revealing that latency spiked to 180 nanoseconds in some scenarios, well above the expected 70 to 80 ns range. He noted that this discrepancy led to performance gaps that fell short of both Intel’s projections and users’ expectations. “We need to make it right,” Hallock emphasized, adding that Intel is committed to improving Arrow Lake’s gaming performance specifically, with further optimizations to ensure users see the gains they anticipated from this generation.
To address these issues, Intel is expected to release firmware and driver updates, although Hallock refrained from outlining specific solutions. He also acknowledged that reviewers didn’t have sufficient time to test Arrow Lake’s overclocking capabilities, a feature Intel believes could add to its performance appeal. Hallock’s promise to users is clear: by early December, Intel will present a full breakdown of the performance issues, detail their root causes, and map out a precise plan for improvements.
