Launched at CES 2025, the Arrow Lake-S “Core Ultra” non-K desktop range was pitched as an affordable option for entry-level builds. It included the Core Ultra 5 225 and 235 series, but still lacks a proper Core i3 replacement. A rumoured Core Ultra 3 205 variant has yet to appear, and given the lukewarm response to Arrow Lake, it might never make it out the door.

The Core Ultra 5 225 and 225F originally launched at $246 and $231 in the US. Now, they are significantly cheaper. The Core Ultra 5 225 can be had for $211.24, a 14.1 per cent drop, while the iGPU-less 225F is down to $193.79, a 16.1 per cent cut.

It’s even better news for bargain hunters in the EU and Korea. According to Andreas Schilling, the Core Ultra 5 225F is around 230,000 Korean Won (about €156), while in the EU the 225 sits at €185 and the 225F at €175.

On paper, these price cuts look attractive compared to launch. However, they still fail to deliver real value. Harukaze noted that last-gen chips like the Ryzen 5 7500F and Core i5-14400F offer better bang for buck, hovering around $110 to $120. They work with older, cheaper motherboards, while Arrow Lake demands a fresh platform upgrade.

So even with the price cuts, Chipzilla’s Arrow Lake-S CPUs remain a tough sell for budget builders looking for the best deal.