Intel Core Ultra 7 265 socket: LGA 1851
The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 uses LGA 1851 (FCLGA1851). It is a 20-core Arrow Lake desktop processor with a 65 W base power for upper-mainstream towers and creation PCs.
- Socket
- LGA 1851
- Launched
- January 2025
- Cores and threads
- 20 and 20
- Base power
- 65 W
- Codename
- Arrow Lake
- Segment
- Desktop
- Family
- Intel Core Ultra 7
- Clocks
- 2.4 / 5.3 GHz
Intel Core Ultra 7 265 specifications
| Cores | 20 (8 Performance-cores plus 12 Efficient-cores) |
|---|---|
| Threads | 20 |
| P-core clocks | 2.4 GHz base, up to 5.2 GHz turbo (up to 5.3 GHz Turbo Boost Max 3.0) |
| E-core clocks | 1.8 GHz base, up to 4.6 GHz turbo |
| Cache | 30 MB Intel Smart Cache (L3) and 36 MB total L2 |
| Processor base power (TDP) | 65 W |
| Maximum turbo power | 182 W |
| Manufacturing process | 3 nm (TSMC N3B) |
| Memory support | DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s, two channels |
| PCI Express | 24 lanes from the CPU: PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0 |
| Platform AI throughput | 33 TOPS (Int8) |
| Package | FCLGA1851 |
| Multiplier | Locked |
Motherboard and chipset compatibility
Intel Core Ultra 7 265 needs a motherboard with a LGA 1851 socket. The table shows which chipset series accept it.
| Series | Chipsets | Support |
|---|---|---|
| 800 series | Z890, B860, H810, Q870, W880 | Works out of the box |
Board makers publish a CPU support list for every model. Check it for your exact board before buying. Chipset details for LGA 1851.
LGA 1851 at a glance
| Type | LGA, 1,851 contacts |
|---|---|
| Package size | 45.0 × 37.5 mm |
| Introduced | October 2024 |
| Memory | DDR5 only |
| Cooler mounting holes | 78 × 78 mm |
What the Core Ultra 7 265 is
The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is the mainstream 20-core member of the Core Ultra 200S Arrow Lake desktop stack on Socket LGA 1851. It runs 20 cores at 2.4 GHz Performance-core base with boost to 5.2 GHz and Turbo Boost Max 3.0 to 5.3 GHz alongside 1.8 GHz Efficient-core base to 4.6 GHz, backed by 30 MB of Intel Smart Cache plus 36 MB of L2 and a 65 W base power with 182 W maximum turbo power. Intel launched the 65 W range in January 2025 at a 384 to 394 USD recommended price band, built on TSMC N3B.
Twenty cores at 65 W suit creation PCs, streaming rigs, home labs and mainstream gaming boxes where parallel throughput matters more than top-bin frequency. The 2.4 GHz P-core base keeps sustained work moving, while favored-core boosts to 5.3 GHz clear interactive spikes. Platform AI throughput of 33 TOPS covers on-device assistance beside CPU and graphics.
Against the 20-core Intel Core Ultra 7 265F twin beside it, the 265 adds integrated graphics for display-only builds. Against the 14-core Intel Core Ultra 5 245 below it, the 265 adds 6 cores for denser parallel loads. See Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works for why chipset series plus BIOS revision together decide board fit.
Socket and motherboard compatibility
The 265 fits LGA 1851 in the FCLGA1851 package, the same socket as the rest of the Core Ultra 200S family. Boards with 800 series chipsets such as Z890, B860, W880, Q870 and H810 take Arrow Lake at matching power classes, but the 265 must appear by name on the vendor CPU list rather than being assumed from socket fit.
Memory is DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s in two channels. LGA 1851 is DDR5 only, so DDR4 kits from older towers do not carry over. A move from any other socket is a full platform change with board, memory and cooler replaced together.
Memory, PCIe and cooling
Memory on LGA 1851 for this class is DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s in two channels. Two channels keep 20 threads supplied in creation, streaming and gaming mixes where the working set fits tower memory sizes. Population order follows the board manual.
PCI Express connectivity is 24 lanes from the CPU across PCIe 5.0 and 4.0. That lane budget feeds a mainstream discrete card plus an NVMe boot drive without strain. Lane splits follow the board block diagram, so builders confirm slot wiring before adding cards.
Cooling uses standard LGA 1851 retention, and the 65 W class suits stock-style air coolers, though the 182 W turbo ceiling asks for a capable tower cooler under full load. Firmware power limits scale between 65 W base and turbo. An AI Boost NPU covers entry on-device assistance beside CPU and graphics.
Upgrade paths
On the same socket, the path up from the 265 starts with the 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 285 for more cores on LGA 1851 boards where the budget allows. Each move needs a BIOS that knows the target SKU.
The step down to the 14-core Intel Core Ultra 5 245 trims cores for a lower price, while the 35 W Intel Core Ultra 7 265T keeps the same cores at lower clocks for compact builds. A move to LGA 1700 is a different platform with DDR4 options. That change replaces board, memory and cooling from scratch.
Frequently asked questions
What socket does the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 use?
FCLGA1851 (LGA 1851), the land grid array socket for Core Ultra 200S Arrow Lake desktops with 800 series chipsets such as Z890, B860, W880, Q870 and H810.
How are the 20 cores of the 265 arranged?
Eight Lion Cove Performance-cores plus 12 Skymont Efficient-cores with no low-power island cores, giving 20 cores and 20 threads. There is no Hyper-Threading, so each core runs one thread.
What memory does the 265 need?
DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s in two channels. Exact speeds and capacity follow the board design.
Can the 265 be overclocked?
No. The multiplier is locked, which rules out overclocking. Power limits still scale between the 65 W base and the 182 W turbo ceiling.
Sources and verification
- Intel Core Ultra 7 265 (Arrow Lake, 20 cores to 5.3 GHz, 30 MB, 65 W, TSMC N3B)
- Intel Core Ultra 7 265T (Arrow Lake twin, 20 cores, 30 MB, 35 W, $384)
- Intel Core Ultra desktop processors Series 2 brief (65 W table: 265 20 cores, 30 MB, 65/182 W, DDR5-6400)
Facts last checked against these sources on . Page last edited on .