Intel APO update boosts gaming performance by up to 14% in select titles — 15 new games added to the support list

Intel continues to expand game support for its Application Optimizer tool, supporting Core Ultra 200S series and 14th Gen processors. In a blog post, the CPU maker announced support for 15 additional titles, featuring performance improvements of up to 14% in some titles.

Intel has added 7 Days to Die, Assetto Corsa, Cities: Skylines, Delta Force: Black Hawk Down, Deus Ex; Mankind Divided, Dyson Sphere Program, EA Sports FC 24, God of War, Kerbal Space Program 2, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition, The Callisto Protocol, Wolfenstein Youngblood, World of Warships and Shushan: The First Chapter (蜀山初章) to APO.

Intel claims its game profiles for these new titles provide up to a 14% boost in performance on its flagship Core Ultra 9 285K CPU. Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition gains a 14% performance improvement compared to running the game without APO on. Similarly, Dyson Sphere Program gains 11%, Cities: Skylines 9%, The Callisto Protocol 4%, Wolfenstein: Youngblood 4%, Shushan: The First Chapter 4% and World of Warships 3% more performance from APO.

1% lows also improve thanks to Intel's APO optimizations. Dyson Sphere Program reportedly gains 21% greater 1% lows, World of Warships 9%, and Cities: Skylines 5%.

(Image credit: Intel)

(Image credit: Intel)

So far, this is the first update Intel has provided for APO in 2025. The application launched in 2023 to address performance regressions caused by improper thread scheduling on Intel's hybrid CPUs. APO does not merely block the E-cores from being used in supported games; instead, each game profile is uniquely tuned to the unique properties of each supported CPU model. Assigning threads based on the game's real-time demands.

APO natively supports all of Intel's latest K-series Arrow Lake-S processors, ranging from the Core Ultra 9 285K to the Core Ultra 5 245KF. Intel's older 14th Gen K-series parts are also supported, ranging from the flagship Core i9-14900KS down to the Core i5-14600KF. On the mobile side, Intel's Core Ultra 9 285HX, 275HX, Core Ultra 7 265HX, 255HX, Core Ultra 5 245HX, 235HX, Core i9-14900HX, and Core i7-14700HX are supported.

For all other CPU models, including non-K parts, dating back to 12th Gen Alder Lake, APO maintains limited support for these CPUs through the application's "Advanced Mode". This feature enables users to manually add games to APO that have not been validated, potentially providing additional performance for these parts. However, the caveat is that Advanced Mode does not have Intel's validation to back up any potential performance improvements, forcing users to manually benchmark games to determine whether APO can provide an uplift. In a worst-case scenario, Intel claims Advanced Mode can regress performance.

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