Nickshih posted the early Intel 0x114 microcode update on Overclock Forums but right now it isn't clear what has changed, since a complete BIOS update is required.
Intel is preparing the 0x114 microcode patch for Z890 motherboards: ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF easily maintains over 10,000 MT/s DDR5 in 2R config with 0x114, but CPU performance boost isn't yet visible
As we reported previously, Intel was working on a brand new 0x114 microcode patch that was in development for the Arrow Lake chips. This was announced after the official launch as the processors didn't meet Intel's expectations of gaming performance. Today, ASRock Z890 is the first motherboard to receive the patch, even though it isn't official yet.
You won't find it on the support page of any Z890 motherboard, but the user Nickshih posted this patch on Overclock forums, which can be applied to the motherboard. Another user claimed to have applied the 0x114 patch to his ASUS ROG Maximus Z890 Apex motherboard, but as of now, no reports of improved performance have been seen, at least in synthetic benchmarks.
As reported by two users, they didn't see any CPU performance enhancements, but it could be due to the patch coming too early without an official BIOS update.
One user reported that the clock speed was dropping on the Core Ultra 9 285K, which resulted in lower Cinebench R23 performance. While the processor usually yields around 48,000 points in the multicore test, the drop in clocks resulted in just over 45,000 points.
The same screenshot also shows that the user was able to maintain over 10,000 MT/s of memory speed on two sticks of DDR5 RAM. While this isn't surprising for the ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF, it was a world record we recently reported about. I believe we will have to wait for the official BIOS to come out to see how the 0x114 can impact gaming performance.
It is possible that it is too early, or it may also be possible that the gaming performance uplifts may be too small to be noticeable since nothing seems to be changed with the application of the 0x114 microcode. We hope that the Intel Core Ultra 200S can achieve at least 14th gen-equivalent performance as previously promised by Intel.
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
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