Only two versions of XTU now exist, version 7.14.2.14 for 14th Gen or older CPUs and version 10 for Arrow Lake exclusively
Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors usher in the first enthusiast desktop AI PCs and deliver great gaming performance and industry-leading compute at significantly lower power. Intel introduced the new family of desktop processors on Oct 10, 2024. (Credit: Intel Corporation)
Intel is splitting support for its 14th Generation and older CPUs and new Core Ultra 200S (codenamed Arrow Lake) processors with its latest update for its monitoring and overclocking tool, Extreme Tuning Utility (XTU). XTU version 10 is entirely exclusive to Arrow Lake CPUs and features many feature updates that take advantage of Intel’s new Arrow Lake architecture.
As a result, Intel has divided its XTU application into two separate downloads to accommodate its entire roster of previous-generation and current-generation parts. Version 10.0.0.76 is aimed at Arrow Lake CPUs, while the existing version 7.14.2.14 is available to download for 14th Generation Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs and older.
XTU 10.0.0.76 has many updates optimized around Arrow Lake’s new overclocking features. Version 10 now sees Arrow Lake’s new dual base clock functionality, featuring reference clock controls for the BCLK on the SoC and the compute tiles. SA fabric controls have been integrated, enabling users to change (overclock) the fabric frequency of the CPU tiles on Arrow Lake to improve latency (similar to overclocking AMD’s Infinity Fabric).
Support for granular per-core ratios has been added to support Arrow Lake’s new granular core clock frequency steps, which can be manipulated in increments of 16.6MHz for both core types. Real-time memory timing controls have been added, enabling users to change memory timings in real-time directly from the OS instead of the BIOS.
Core parking controls have been added, overclocking via Turbo Velocity Boost is now possible on the E-cores through XTU, and per-core ratios have been adjusted so that they will no longer be automatically tuned based on values tuned in the active core ratios.
Version 10 also sees some changes surrounding voltage controls. A maximum voltage has been integrated into XTU, and the “Default” voltage has been removed from voltage override controls. All voltage override controls now reflect their actual value, even at boot.
XTU version 10 comes with Watchdog device driver version 11.7.0.1019. To run this latest version of XTU, you also need a minimum version of Intel’s Innovation Platform Framework, 2.2.10200.11.
To maximize the potential of XTU version 10, you’ll need one of Intel’s unlocked Core Ultra 200 series desktop chips and a chipset that supports full overclocking, such as Z890. Surprisingly, XTU version 10 is supported on many Windows versions, including Windows 10 22H2, Windows 11 21H2, 22H2, 23H2, and 24H2. Windows 10 support is a surprising addition, considering Intel’s hybrid chips are only fully supported on Windows 11. Regardless, it is a welcome surprise and will benefit enthusiasts/overclockers still running Windows 10.
XTU v10 Patch Notes:
Changes
• Replaced XTU drivers with the Intel® Innovation Platform Framework (Intel®
IPF)
• Only supported processor family is Arrow Lake
• Added SA Fabric controls
• Added Dual Reference Clock controls
• Added support for Granular per-core ratios
• Added support for Maximum Voltage
• Added per-point Real Time Memory Timings controls
• Added Core Parking controls
• Security improvements
• Per-core ratio controls will no longer be automatically tuned based on values
tuned in the active-core ratios.
o 1 Active Core Ratio will be automatically tuned upwards if per-core
ratios are tuned above the current 1 Active Core Ratio. Otherwise,
active-core ratios controls will no longer be automatically tuned based
on values tuned in the per-core ratios.
o The effective ratio will be the lower of the applicable active-core and
per-core ratios
• “Default” voltage has been removed from Voltage Override controls. All
Voltage Override controls will now reflect their true value, even at boot.
• OC TVB is now available on E-Cores, per-core