Intel is “growing” its APO tech, and it could be the CPU gamechanger it needs
Intel APO and its “proprietary” tech could be a gamechanger for the gaming CPU market
Intel’s Aaron_McG_Official on Reddit has been answering questions about the company’s APO technology, confirming that the initiative is far from dead. Intel APO is alive and well, and PC gamers can expect an update on this technology soon. Better still, Intel is planning to “grow” the app’s capabilities with “new features” that could boost Intel’s gaming performance.
For those who are unaware, Intel APO (Intel Application Optimisation) is a piece of software that’s available on the Microsoft Store. It is an optimisation tool that can significantly boost the gaming performance of supported Intel processors.
Unlike what some gamers claim, this tool doesn’t just schedule games to run on Intel’s P-Cores, it does other things. Some of Intel’s APO tech was called “proprietary”, and Intel plans to give the app more features that could further boost game performance.
Expect a new Intel APO update soon
Gamers were told to expect “quarterly-ish” updates to Intel’s APO software. These updates should include support for new games and potentially deliver new features.
We released an update in WW18 (May) that included quite a few new titles. on the quarterly-ish basis for updates you should expect another one shortly.
(The impact of Intel APO – Data from January 2024)
Sadly, not all Intel CPUs will benefit from the company’s APO software. Sadly, this means that users of older Intel CPUs should not expect to see performance boosts through Intel’s new software optimisations. Even so, APO will be a useful tool for users of supported hardware.
We released the last update WW18 (May) and so are due for another shortly. Not all games work with all CPUs based on varying core counts and architecture. You can try under the advanced tab and see if the option to enable it for your specific system is available and if it provides benefit to your specific system. We test with a reference system and items like overclocking (CPU, memory or GFX card) as well as power limits may affect the end result. The default enabled settings in APO are for games that show benefit with “stock” settings.
From the page you linked above:
“Default enabled list may vary by platform/processor generation. Not all games will show for all configurations. Titles will only show when some optimization is identified.”
With the arrival of new features and capabilities, it will become increasingly difficult for Intel to support older processors. That’s why Intel is focusing on “current and future gens”. The lack of support for Intel 13th generation Raptor Lake CPUs is odd, as Intel’s 14th generation GPUs are refreshed Raptor Lake CPU models. Any software that supports an Intel i9-14900k should be able to work on an i9-13900K after all. Both CPUs are Raptor Lake series CPUs with identical core counts and configurations. Yes, Intel needed to draw a line somewhere, but did it have to be between 13th/14th Gen?
We are not directly working on 12th and 13th Gen as the new tests and improvements are focused on current and future Gens. The number of coming games and some of the new features create a test matrix that is untenably large. With the resourcing we have we are able to work mostly with current Gen. We test each gaming SKU and a variety of gfx cards, each with their own set of default enabled games. You will see the number of supported games expand as we move forward, but support for prior gens will be minimal.
Intel APO has an exciting future
Intel’s Application Optimisation software will be an interesting differentiator for Intel CPUs moving forward. Intel is using its software to deliver game-specific optimisations for its processors, enabling higher framerates. This is another tool in Intel’s toolbox in its battle against AMD for gaming supremacy.
If successful, AMD may be forced to make its own APO equivalent, creating a software arms race that will result in better CPU performance for PC gamers. That would be a win for everyone. After all, who doesn’t want fiercer competition?
You can join the discussion on Intel’s APO technology on the OC3D Forums.
