From ExtremeTech: Intel recently launched its 14th Generation CPUs, a.k.a. Raptor Lake refresh. The launch didn't garner much interest from gamers simply because it's still Raptor Lake, with nothing changed aside from a mild turbo clock boost for most of the "new" CPUs. However, Intel also added a new feature to its 14th Generation CPUs called Intel Application Optimizer (APO), which has been shown to provide tangible benefits in supported games. Now it's announced it'll also bring this feature to older 12th and 13th Generation CPUs.
The revelation that Intel will open up this software to older CPUs is a reversal for the company, which previously said it had "no plans" to do so. We're not sure what changed, other than Intel received some bad publicity over the nonsensical decision to gate-keep APO to its newest CPUs. After all, nothing has changed regarding the socket, architecture, core design, and so forth. Hence, it made no sense for APO to be limited to only two 14th gen processors: the 14900K and 14700K (and their various derivatives).
Intel revealed its change of direction in a short video taken at CES (above), with an Intel rep saying APO is coming to older processors. Notably, the rep didn't say which processors and when the support would be coming, but we've asked Intel for more details and will update this when we hear back. Regardless, it's a big win for folks with Alder and Raptor Lake CPUs, as it's essentially free performance for supported games. The free boost can range from 14% to around 30%, so it's a significant uplift.
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